Godfrey Kurauone

Career

Godfrey Kurauone has over five years’ experience in local governance, specifically focusing on policy making and community development. Kurauone is Councillor for Ward 4 in Masvingo, where he focuses on policy making, community development, and service delivery. He is the youngest Councillor in the history of Masvingo and Zimbabwe. He is also the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Manpower and Finance Committees of Masvingo, respectively and the National Chairperson of the Youth Forum Zimbabwe. He is driven by the commitment to see youth participation in governance issues, social responsibility, and democratization of the society. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Kurauone has plans to focus on youth participation in governance and decision making and leadership training.

2018 – elected to Ward 4 Masvingo Municipality with 2395 votes, beating Tavara Mudukuti of Zanu-PF with 1637 votes, Tapiwa Badza, independent candidate with 271 votes and Phillip Tongofa of PRC with 28 votes . ^[2]

Arrest and Bail Applications

Kurauone appeared in court on 18 February 2020 following the skirmishes that marred the acquittal of opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) vice-chairman, Job Sikhala, on treason charges. Law enforcers allege the individuals damaged a police vehicle and destroyed property when Sikhala appeared at the High Court in Masvingo on 14 February 2020.

Police arrested the suspects, including Godfrey Kurauone, on Sunday 14 February 2020. His co-accused are Peter Chigamba, Kissmaker Mapote, Daniel Mberikunashe and Olivia Tobaiwa. They have been charged with malicious damage to property under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers alleged that they threw stones at a police vehicle and damaged windows at some retail shops during the court appearance of Sikhala, who is also a legislator of Zengeza West in Harare.^[3]

Kurauone was arrested on 31 July 2020 on charges of criminal nuisance and barricading traffic along Mashava-Zvamahande road was denied bail on 4 August 2020 by Masvingo Magistrate Ms Patience Madondo. He was then remanded in custody pending trial on 18 August 2020. Kurauone is alleged to have posted a video of a song in which he is calling for immediate removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.^[4] Kurauone was kept in leg irons and had blankets and a jacket withdrawn from him in spite of the chilly weather and the fact that he was unwell. The youth leader was also being refused medication whilst at Masvingo Remand Prison.

Kurauone was acquitted on 10 September 2020.^[5] The magistrate declared Kurauone, who languished in remand prison for 42 days, not guilty after indicating that the State had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that it was indeed Kurauone whom they claimed to have seen blocking roads and burning tyres in Mashava on 31 July. She said evidence of the two State witnesses was on some instances inconsistent, with one of them failing to assert categorically the colour of the jacket that he claimed he saw Kurauone wearing on the alleged crime scene.

She said the State’s submissions were further complicated by the fact it had neglected to check at Kurauone’s house in Masvingo the moment they supposedly saw him in Mashava to help dispel possibilities of mistaken identities.

Videos

Further Reading

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References