TODAY IN HISTORY: Zimbabweans Remember 27 June 2008

By Lloyd Takawira

“27 June !!! VaMugabe mu office!!! . Pamberi nehondo !!! Pasi nevatengesi ” thunders the late Major Svoswe.

With a disputed and inconclusive election of March 29 2008 an electoral rerun was on the cards. However the harrowing and heinous events leading up to the 27th of June presidential rerun brings vivid sad memories of a bad chapter in our country.

The late Robert Mugabe who had lost the first round of election to opposition MDC candidate the late Morgan Tsvangirai had set his eyes on retaining the Presidency at whatever cost.

Morgan Tsvangirayi pulled out of the race due to violence targeted against his supporters by state security agents and Zanu PF party youths .

Each year on the 27th of June, Zimbabweans memories are littered with sad pictures of tortured people as Mugabe sought to reverse the March presidential election result in which he was defeated by Tsvangirai.

Recounts of some of the horror memories of victims of the bloodbath that preceded what was a solo run by the late nongenarian Zanu PF party leader Robert Mugabe are mournful.

“27 June !!! VaMugabe mu office!!! . Pamberi nehondo !!! Pasi nevatengesi ” thunders the late Major Svoswe.

As the major sat down then rose, the feared Godfrey Nyikadzino chanting,” Hondo here , hee hondo makunakuna hwiza hondo dzataigocha … hee hee hondo” and the whole crowd bursts into singing and dancing.

Young girls ululating while the youthies who had suddenly became comrades grinding the soil as dust gushes to skies .

For the new converts, it’s a wish for the soil to thaw you.

Holding a sjambok, rose Patson Nyadza “yasvika nguva yevaya vakadzoka mugwara rechimurenga , ngavamboita slogan tione” who had suddenly become a war veteran.

By that time, a defeaning sound characterized the gathering.

A gun shot breaks the silence as elderly women mainly ululated presumably to cheer up Major Svoswe who was firing into the air.

On election day the Youths resembling the famous, “Imbumbule youths” who run amok under the doctorship of the late Burundi Pierre Nkuruziza ran through the communities singing war songs.

Mugabe would go on to claim victory and got sworn in before flying out to an African Union summit where he was told to sit down with Tsvangirai in what culminated in a government of national unit.

Even though, Mugabe negotiated with Tsvangirai and Mutambara, Zimbabweans still remember the events leading to 27 June as thousands of people were displaced, hundreds dead as soldiers and secret service agents were deployed across the country to reverse Mugabe’s electoral defeat.

As the world is still commemorating International day against tourture and inhumane treatment , Zimbabweans have horror memories to recount.

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