BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
MDC Mashonaland East provincial women assembly chairperson Brightness Mangora at the weekend brought smiles to three widows of the 2008 political violence victims through donation of various foodstuffs.
A number of MDC activists were reportedly abducted and killed by suspected State security agents and Zanu PF militia in Marondera at the height of 2008 political violence that saw a number of women becoming widows with some of the activists yet to be found.
Mangora, who is also a legislator (proportional representation), honoured three of the late MDC activists’ widows, as more victims are set to be assisted in kind every month.
“As a woman, I understand the plight of these women (widows). And if we look at the current economic situation, it means they are suffering because their husband died due to political violence. They lost breadwinners and I was there when it happened, I understand what they went through. I forked out the little from my allowances to buy groceries for them and their children. I want this programme to be a monthly thing so that more political violence victims will be assisted,” she said.
Those who were assisted include the widow of the late chairperson Kainos Betera who was reportedly abducted in 2008 by unknown people and is still missing. Another beneficiary was the wife of the late Stephen Nakomo, who was the first MDC driver in the province before he died after he was beaten by suspected Zanu PF thugs. The last to be honoured was the wife of one Ruchaka who was an MDC ward chairperson in Marondera before his abduction and torture that led to his death.
“We are still looking for more resources so that we assist these widows and other victims. If those who are working fails to buy a bar of soap what more to these widows?” Mangora said.
The MDC claims that more than 400 of its party supporters were killed during the 2008 political violence by suspected State apparatus and Zanu PF militia during the then former President Robert Mugabe’s rule.
