MTHWAKAZI Republic Party activists, who were jailed for violence and bigotry say their incarceration hardened their resolve to continue with the restoration of Mthwakazi State.
They said this during a welcome party organised by their party in Nketa on Saturday after being released from ChIkurubi Maximum Security Prison on Saturday.
One of the ex-convicts Mongameli Mlotswa, who is MRP’s national chairperson, described his two-year incarceration as a curve in the journey of life to liberate the people of Mthwakazi.
“They arrested me as the chairperson of the party, it’s just a curve on the way. In every struggle there is always a cross to carry. We will continue with the struggle, the ill-treatment that we suffered in jail will not deter us, this is a movement or a revolution, whoever is arresting us is making things worse. There is a lot that we learnt in jail, even pastors preach saying people must cater for those in prison, but they do not know the experience in jail,” Mlotshwa said.
He said they slept in a crowded place knowing that one does not have freedom in jail.
“We started off in Khami Prison, then transferred to Chikurupi Maximum Security Prison. Even prison officials were shocked to hear that,” he said.
“We heard that it was a command from higher authority. We were told that we cannot be transferred because the instructions were supposed to come from the high command that ended up compromising the rights of other Ndebele-speaking inmates who were supposed to be transferred as well.”
He noted that he and Welcome Moyo, who was also released together with him, were arrested after going to Bulawayo Central Police Station to dialogue with the police over why they were following them at night.
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Bulawayo magistrate Tavengwa Sangster jailed nine MRP members sometime in June 2022.
Two members, Welcome Moyo, Mongameli Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa were slapped with 36-month jail terms, while seven others namely, Nkosinathi Ncube, Tinos Nkomo (73) Levison Ncube (62), Sibongile Banda (57), Busi Moyo (52, Ackim Ndebele and Maxwell Nkosi were sentenced to 33 months in jail for violence.
On August 28, 2022, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services transferred Mlotshwa, Nkosinathi, Nkomo, Levison, Ndebele, Welcome, Sibongile Banda and Busi to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Harare following a directive from authorities.
Only Nkosi was transferred to Gwanda.
