by Christopher Makaza
The MDC-Alliance Masvingo Provincial Assembly leadership's visit to the incarcerated MDC-Alliance National Youth Organising Secretary and Masvingo Ward 4 Councillor, Godfrey Kurauone's family in Zibowa village in Zaka East on 22 August was described as a publicist stunt that nevertheless “failed to impress,” the family, the Harare Post has heard.
Kurauone was arrested on 31 July and is facing charges of criminal nuisance and barricading and burning tyres along Mashava-Zvamahande road in Masvingo.
The delegation consisted of Masvingo MDC-Alliance National member, Leader Matara, Masvingo MDC-Alliance youth leader, Kingsley Sibanda, Human Rights lawyer, Advocate Martin Mureri and a Dr Munyaradzi Chidarikire. The delegation visited Kurauone's family and doled out a few groceries, US$20 and ZW$700 to Kurauone’s wife.
Despite hyping their visit on social media, Kurauone's uncle, Nyasha Muziri who was part of the family members who received the delegation together with Kurauone's mother and wife, belittled the contributions, which he saw as a mockery and incommensurate with the sacrifice that Kurauone had made.
"The visiting team left only US$20 and a few groceries which cannot even last three days. Godfrey is the breadwinner, but he sacrificed this for the struggle. This mockery is what he gets as a thank you.
"He was arrested fighting for his party. His family is now suffering because the breadwinner is no longer present, they need food to eat and they need bus fare to visit Kurauone in prison. His leaders only left useless solidarity speeches, which his family cannot eat," said Muziri.
He claimed that the MDC-Alliance leaders were abusing donor funds, which were meant for incarcerated opposition activists.
Muziri highlighted that the much hyped visit and donations was only meant to encourage people to participate in anti-government protests under the guise that the opposition party will assist them when they get arrested.
“We know the visit was just a publicist stunt meant to portray an image of a caring party. Imagine a whole party, a government-in-waiting sending a delegation with a mere US$20 and a plastic bag of groceries. We were not impressed. Thank you for giving us this interview because we never had the opportunity to express our anger when they came here,” said the charged uncle.
Several MDC activists are languishing in prison after committing different crimes in the name of the party, but the party is failing to look after their families.
The family of incarcerated former MDC-T national youth president, Last Maengahama has reportedly hit hard times as the opposition party is also failing to support them. Maengahama was jailed in 2011, for the murder of Police Inspector, Petros Mutedza in Glenview.
