Harare — RUTENDO Munengani, wife of MDC-T legislator for Glen View North Fani Munengami, says she will never forgive President Robert Mugabe after she was raped by a soldier while her nine-month old son watched in horror.
Mugabe, who is the commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), has always used the security services whenever he feels cornered in his three-decade-long rule.
In an emotion filled testimony at the launch of a report, Cries from Goromonzi: Inside Zimbabwe's Torture Chambers by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition on Thursday, Munengami said she was still traumatised by the brutal rape in 2003 at their lodgings in Harare's Glen View suburb.
She said at least 10 soldiers clad in military gear forced their way into her bedroom, beating her up and demanding to know where her husband was.
When they failed to locate the husband one of the soldiers turned on her. "He went ahead to ask 'sei wakashamira mutengesi?" (why are you dressed in skimpy clothes for a sellout)," she narrated with tears flowing down her cheeks.
"He walked towards me and lifted my nightdress and raped me once in front of my nine-month old son."
After the ordeal, Munengami said, she was force-marched outside and positively identified the late Zanu PF political commissar Elliot Manyika who was seated in one of the cars.
She sustained broken hands and fingers. One of her fingers is now dysfunctional.
Due to the rape and torture, Munengami was hospitalised for several weeks at a private clinic in Harare. She was tested for HIV/Aids and luckily for her, the results were negative.
When she was discharged from the clinic, she found out her children had been neglected as there was no one to look after them because her husband had fled to Botswana.
"Upon my release, I discovered that my two children were suffering from kwashiorkor and this further traumatised me because I was not there to look after them," she said.
As if the rape was not enough, Munengami was evicted from her lodgings because the landlord feared that the soldiers would come for her again. Even her own relatives could not accommodate her.
Munengami's marriage nearly collapsed after relatives heard about the rape.
Even her husband had a hard time accepting her back, she said.
"My marriage was affected as it took my husband time to get over the rape ordeal," said Munengami, who is now expecting her third child.
Although the courts ordered the army to compensate her, nothing has materialised.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) spokesperson Colonel Overson Mugwizi were fruitless.
Another female victim, Rosy Mupfawa of Mutoko in Mashonaland East province said she was in June 2008 force-marched to a "base" manned by Zanu PF militia where she was severely tortured.
Her assailants tore her clothes off including underwear, touching her private parts and teasing her that she was MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's "prostitute".
"One of the men started beating me again with planks and just when I thought the worst was over, he stuck a thick tree stump into my vagina tearing off part of my 'vaginal bean'(clitoris)," said Mupfawa in the report.
"At that moment, I collapsed and when I awoke, I found myself at a grave site near the base.
"I am sure these barbarians dumped me there thinking that I was dead."
Mupfawa was a member of the MDC-T electoral team during the 2008 general elections.
Munengami said the national healing process by the unity government was problematic because it does not address the issue of compensation.
"Some women who were, like me, raped are now HIV positive, others lost their husbands, yet the government has done nothing to assist us," she complained.
The 83-page report details accounts of 23 people who were allegedly tortured in detention camps by state agents and Zanu PF members.
The launch of the report coincided with the third anniversary of the March 11 2007 arrest, assault and torture of civil society activists and then opposition leaders on their way to a Save Zimbabwe Campaign Rally in Highfield.
Those arrested and tortured included Tsvangirai and national Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman Lovemore Madhuku.
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Like many other silent sufferers, who we have ignored and would want to listen to, Munengami's wife case is illustrative of how complex national healing can be when done in half measures.It is not difficult to understand and feel the pain of an innocent blood continually being troubled to save Mugabe who has turned a hero of SADC Leaders. The truth is that many silent Zimbabweans would say exactly what Munengami's wife went through and vote never to vote for Mugabe or Zanu-pf ever again. This cannot be surprising to any sane person. It naturally invokes emotions of how far we have gone ignoring injustice as a people and entertained our hope of prosperity at the expense of common people suffrage.
Fear is only when the full picture of diabolical schemes is not appreciated. Fear delayed only breeds total suffering in silence. But finally suffering is suffering. Would you listen to Mugabe speeches twenty years ago and believe he will today pray the security forces for safeguarding him? Despite what they are doing and have done in his name, because he is a prisoner of cheat, he has to appease them. This means going against the grain of human uprightness and dignity.
It is painful to watch deterioration grow. It is much more painful to sacrifice even one's very life. The truth is what Munengami's wife has said could have her loose her life under Mugabe rule and command. She receives our unbroken support as Diaspora. And this war of injustice cannot be appeased in any way than through free and fair elections. The soldiers had better learn this and learn clear. leadership good and bad make a legacy and pass but the people woshes shall never die.
The son who watched her mumy being abused by another man will grow never to forgive injustice and we should encourage these who are born under terror to unleach the chains of suffering once and for all. But to do that we need a long term vission and never be captured by piecemeals of corruption loaded governance from Mugabe and his Zanu-pf cohorts. It is not being untruthful to say our war for democracy as a system of justice, rule of law and good governance will be finished at the hands of those who were punished hardest by the enemy of the people.
Least we deceive ourselves, no leader is good unless he listen to the wishes of the people. I hate the spirit of claiming to have fought for independence and then claim ownership even for the independence. What it means is we are in bondage of those evil people who hypocriticaly used our late heros to do their dirty work. As a people we owe it to ourselves to be honesty in the context of others than always for self. We need devotion beyond immediate self or relations. We have misfired and given authority to men and women who do not follow rules of the game but change them for their benefit. The struggle is now synonimous with them and this only produces corruption.
When women are treated like dirty by those sworn to protection of people irrespective of, the worst state of dictatorship is just beginning. I encourage all people harmed and traumatized to speak out, and point at the enemy of the people by deeds and acts and not as imaginary as Zanu-pf would like Africa to believe of the MDC. When people are tortured for their aspirations and hope, life no longer fulfills its obligations. When families are tone apart because of politics, it underlines the selfishness of those in power and not the nature of politics. As it is Mugabe has never said he is sorry to anyone not even for the cruel death to his brother Albert Mugabe. While it remains speculation as to what happened to Albert Mugabe, like many who went before and after him, the nation should demand to know if there is going to be true healing in the land. Because only as we confess one's era to another shall prosperity and healing to the land come. Women are special, so special he who rapes should be given the highest punishment in the land because he is a bully and unworthy of leadership or saving in the army. I am encouraged by the openess which has been openned by Munegami's wife and would hope many would take this challenge as one of the ways our freedom matures.
It's rather sad to learn of the torture,abuse and trauma that Rutendo Munengani had to endure at the hands of Zanu (PF). Robert Mugabe and his cronies have no respect for human life and the general welfare of Zimbabweans.Robert Mugabe does not care about anyone other than himself!.Zimbabweans continue to suffer under this dictatorship.The question that we need to start asking is,.... For how long shall we let these Zanu(PF) thugs do this to us! The folks that are raped,torture and killed are our own,how long shall we tolerate this abuse?Whilst we remain focused on effecting change through democratic processes,I think it's time that Zimbabweans stand up and say NO to Abuse,NO to Torture,NO to Murder.A revolution is started by the collective will of a people to effect change.As Zimbabwean's we need to start educating each other on how we can bring about this change.We are angry,when we are made to suffer for no reason other than having a d political pursuation that is at variance with Robert Mugabe's.We need to start working towards collective liberation and freedom for all Zimbabweans.Start where you are....find like minded people,strategize,work towards democatrically removing Robert Mugabe from power.Our future is in our hands.