Bindura hearing participants reveal gory incidents of violence during 2008 election

Harare West MP Jessie Fungayi Majome has said some participants at a public hearing in Bindura revealed gory incidents of Zanu PF violence during the 2008 elections amid interjections by the ruling party elements who disrupted the views gathering process.

"I wanted to just leave that right here- Bindura public hearing on the rehashed National Peace and Reconciliation Commission Bill meant to be in terms of section 141 of the Constitution, but my heart is too heavy to just leave it there," she said.

"The man being yanked by the belt and held down for about a full 15 minutes and thereby shut up and blocked from presenting his views by the 4 plus 1 Bindura Zanu PF councillors led by the 'lady' Deputy Mayor, was one of the 1st 3 people to sit and wait in the hall for us having travelled from Manomano village in Chiweshe some 40 away. He is Hilton Chironga a survivor of one of the most brutal and horrendous 2008 Presidential election run-off campaign bloodbath episodes. His brother freshly elected MDCT councillor Gibbs Chironga MHSRIP wasn't so lucky as he was shot dead together with their cousin in a dawn raid at their homestead by a Zanu PF horde that started by torching the family pigsty, chicken coop huts while advancing to the bedroom hut of Hilton Chironga and his now deceased brother to smoke MDC supporters."

She said his brother and cousin died instantly.

"Hilton Chironga was shot, then him and the other survivors - his 70year old mother and two sisters who include Susan were loaded onto the back of brand new Reserve Bank trucks with no number plates. They were loaded along with other MDC supporters picked along the way, beaten to a pulp by poles, and force-fed a herbicide called. They were dumped, left for dead in a bush at Forrester Estate further north. When they were found by villagers they were arrested and detained at Bindura remand prison on some obscure charges critically ill as they were," she said.

"Hilton and his mother's conditions had them transferred to Parirenyatwa hospital under prison guard. I will never forget seeing them each handcuffed to their hospital beds when I attended to represent them as a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. Their faces and mouths were swollen like balloons and faces corroded and raw by the herbicide while Hilton was in traction on a pulley system above his bed for the fracture the gunshot made on his fibia AND cuffed to the hospital bed."

She said their charges were then quietly and mysteriously dropped including those for Susan who was still in Bindura remand prison with no medical attention.

"No one was ever arrested for the murder of Cllr Gibbs Chironga and their cousin nor for the horrendous attacks on them. I was almost unable to function as an MP today- I had to fight tears in front of the gathering because of the memories but more so because of their bravery in still coming forward and demanding justice and accountability and in an independent, effective and meaningful Commission even as they are being oppressed by the perpetrators or their representatives- merely 4 shameless rogues trying to shut down the hearing," she said..

"One day they will know that the truth shall set even them free. God help Zimbabwe!"