CIZC honours Dzamara… as family says they are finding the going tough

Paddy Dzamara receives the award from CIZC’s Mfundo Mlilo

Dzamara was honoured as the outstanding human rights and democracy activist by Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) and Heal Zimbabwe Trust (HZT).

The CIZC annual Human Rights, Governance and Democracy Awards seek to honour outstanding human rights and democracy activists and organisations.

Dzamara was abducted by alleged state security agents on March 9, 2015 from his Glen Norah suburb of Harare and his whereabouts remain a mystery since then.

Prior to his abduction, Dzamara, through his Occupy Africa Unity Square (OAUS) campaign, held protests calling for the resignation of President Robert Mugabe arguing that he had failed the nation through misrule.

Despite a High Court order compelling the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to search for the missing critic of Mugabe, the police are on record saying they have no leads as to the whereabouts of Dzamara.

Speaking on the sidelines of an interview with the Crisis Report during the awards ceremony, Dzamara’s young brother, Paddy said Itai’s family had fallen on hard times in the absence of their breadwinner.

Dzamara is married to wife Sheffra and has two children.

Said an emotional Paddy Dzamara: “Life has not been easy for us as a family since my brother disappeared because he was our breadwinner. At the moment, his family is struggling with rentals and school fees for his son.

“Initially, they used to get help from well wishers but the situation is really bad now. We are actually making appeals for help because the situation is very bad.”

CIZC and HZT donated groceries to the wife and children of Itai Dzamara.

Paddy Dzamara added that they had tried to consult the police on the whereabouts of Itai but bemoaned the lack of cooperation from the law enforcement agencies.

“We have on numerous occasions tried to engage the police but they keep turning us away saying that they do not have information on the whereabouts of my brother. We have made requests for them to help us in identifying the owner of the vehicle that abducted Itai but still they are not cooperating.

“I thought this was going to be an easy process since we have the registration number of the vehicle but it has turned out to be a complicated process. It’s a big challenge to engage with the police,” said Dzamara.

He however said they remained optimistic that Itai was alive and would return to his family.

“It has been nine months since my brother disappeared but as a family, we remain optimistic that he will come back to us. We have faith that he is alive,” said Dzamara.

CIZC former Board member Gladys Hlatswayo said the award was in recognition of Dzamara’s efforts in defending human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe.

“We know the Dzamara family is going through difficult times but we would like to affirm that we will stand by you through these difficult times. This award is recognition of the work done by Itai in promoting democracy and defending human rights in Zimbabwe,” said Hlatswayo.

The CIZC award for the outstanding human rights and democracy organisation went to Matobo Community Development Forum (MCDF).

MCDF was founded in October 2013 as a community development initiative in Matobo District.

MCDF organised villagers in Matobo to reject the invasion of Maleme Ranch by a Zanu (PF) functionary, Rodney Mashingaidze between January to March 2015.

The farm belonged to Peter Cunningham whose contract farming project, agriculture training school (Ebenezer College), ostrich farming and game ranching at Shalom Campsite benefitted over 300 households with women being the largest demographic group. Maleme Farm supplies over 50% of Matabeleland’s layer birds to small-scale farmers.

MCDF Programmes Manager, Reverend Angelestone Sibanda paid tribute to the Matobo community for standing in defence of human rights.