Itai Dzamara
| Itai Dzamara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Itai Dzamara August 7, 1979 |
| Disappeared | March 9, 2015 (aged 35)[1] Glen Norah |
| Nationality | Zimbabwe |
| Education | Highfield High SchooI, Mbizi Primary SchooI |
| Occupation |
|
| Spouse(s) | Sheffra Dzamara |
| Children | Nenyasha Dzamara, Nokutenda Dzamara |
| Relatives | Patson Dzamara (late) |
Itai Dzamara is a Zimbabwean journalist and political activist known in Zimbabwe mostly for his Occupy Africa Unity Square campaign against the then government of former President Robert Mugabe.
In October 2014, Dzamara hand-delivered a petition to the President of Zimbabwe asking him to step down. Soon after, he began the 'Occupy' campaign with some colleagues.
On the morning of 9 March 2015, Dzamara was abducted by five unidentified men while at a barber shop in Harare's Glenview suburb. He remains missing in 2021.
On 30 May 2016, Dzamara's now late brother Patson Dzamara revealed at a press conference that Itai Dzamara had been abducted by military intelligence. He also released a picture showing Itai Dzamara in captivity which he said he'd been given by insiders of the military intelligence.
See History of Zimbabwe Timeline.
Personal Details
Dzamara was born on 7 August 1979 at All Souls Mission in Mutoko. [2]
He was married to Sheffra Dzamara and the couple have two children, a son named Nokutenda Dzamara and daughter Nenyasha Dzamara.
School / Education
Itai attended Mbizi Primary School in Highfield before moving to Highfield High School for his O and A level studies. He studied journalism and mass communication at Christian College of Southern Africa in 1999.[2] He also studied business and economic journalism and as of 2014, he was reported to be studying Law.
News Leader
Prior to the Occupation and his disappearance, Itai Dzamara ran a newspaper, the News Leader, very successfully amongst the diaspora in South Africa, and in 2013, was about to start publishing in Zimbabwe - always guided by the fundamental principles of a democratic, free and universally prosperous Zimbabwean community.
Dzamara and the Africa Unity Square Occupation
Itai Dzamara advocated for the occupation of the Africa Unity Square in Harare 2014. This place is located in the heart of the Harare city center adjacent to the Parliament Building. According to Dzamara, the occupation of the square was a way of communicating dissatisfaction in the country's leadership particularly Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF government.[3] Dzamara reportedly said up to 50 people made themselves available and openly grouped with them as they occupied the square, starting from around 9 am in the morning. The Zimbabwe Republic Police deployed almost 70 members in heavy riot gear.[3] The Africa Unity Square in Harare is a few blocks away from the offices of the president and this made the occupation a potential security threat. After the occupation, Dzamara wrote;
“we occupied Africa Unity Square today, yet again forced the state to respond, and, yet again, demonstrated our goodwill by agreeing to negotiate. We are the people! We are the numbers!" [3]
Those that gathered with Dzamara at the square said they wanted a response from Robert Mugabe, to the demands for him to admit failure, step down and pave way for a process towards finding a new national plan for governance and leadership.[3]
The Petition to Mugabe
Itai Dzamara wrote a letter to former President Mugabe requesting him to retire from office. He hand-delivered the letter to the President's office at Munhumutapa Building in Harare. According to him, the petition to Mugabe encouraged him to step down immediately and pave way for a process of engagement involving all national stakeholders, towards the establishment of a new administration that takes over, to manage the country and prepare for fresh elections.[3] After being sent to several offices at Munhumutapa Building, he was later on released after having been advised not to go through with his plans. ."[4]
Detention
After going back to the president's office, Dzamara and his two colleagues were taken to a holding area where armed police officers watched them carefully. Dzamara wrote that the intelligence officers from the president's office regarded them as high profile suspects and they deserved high-level security. They were transported to the Harare Central Police Station where they were immediately taken to the underground holding bays."[4] Senior police officers came one by one quizzing Dzamara about his agenda of occupying the Africa Unity Square. They warned him of the devastating consequences of the move but he remained adamant.[4]
Beating by The Police
The final episode of the "Occupy Africa Unity Square" demonstration ended when Dzamara was severely beaten by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit, which was deployed in full force. Dzamara was beaten together with his fellow activists and his lawyer. He was taken to a local hospital where he was given treatment. A few hours after he was admitted into the hospital, the social media was awash with photos of Dzamara lying unconscious after the beating at the hand of the police.[5] He shocked the people when he started posting articles on his Facebook page called The News Leader encouraging the people to continue with the peaceful demonstration against the Mugabe government.[6] He warned the people not to engage in violent revenge against the police or the government.
The Abduction
On the morning of 9 March 2015, Dzamara was abducted by five unidentified men while at a barber shop in Harare's Glenview suburb. According to Dzamara's wife Sheffra Dzamara,
"I knew something was wrong when I noticed two cars going up and down our road. Every time they went past our gate, they slowed down and peered into the yard. They went back and forth five times. This was on Thursday before Itai disappeared."
Dzamara's wife also believes that Itai was abducted by state security agents as she said in an interview that,
"The authorities felt that Itai was a threat. They became afraid that people were starting to support his thinking and that this would cause trouble for them. So, they decided to remove him from the picture. Those who took him know that everything is not well in Zimbabwe and that eventually people would have stood with Itai and supported his cause."
In March 2018 the Zimbabwe Republic Police indicated they were looking for Itai Dzamara. This was after 3 years after Dzamara had gone missing.Police Finally Say They Are Looking For Itai Dzamara however, the public accused the police of hypocrisy to which the police responded ZRP Responds To Hypocrisy Allegations: We Have Been Looking For Itai Dzamara Non-stop Since 2015
Picture Gallery
Itai and colleagues protest against the Mugabe government during Occupy Africa Unity Square
Itai with colleagues during the Occupy Africa Unity Square protest. Image via: Mafaro UK.
Itai Dzamara Escorted by Police from Africa Unity Square
Itai at the back of a police truck after being arrested
Itai Dzamara along Zimbabwe's third street after being beaten by the police for the Occupy Africa Unity Square protest image via: iHarare
Itai Dzamara Lying down after being beaten by the police
Itai Dzamara lies motionless on the ground
Itai Dzamara in hospital. Photo Credit: Kumbirai Mafunda
Itai's injuries after being beaten by police. Photo Via: Mafaro UK
Photo Via: Mafaro UK
Legacy
Dzamara won admiration from Human rights activists and opposition political parties who sympathized and supported his move. He was credited for his firm and his non-violent approach to politics.
Jonathan Moyo's allegations
In a series of tweets, Professor Jonathan Moyo revealed that Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Russia Retired Brigadier Mike Sango was responsible for the abduction and torture of Itai Dzamara.
Moyo said after Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dismissal by Robert Mugabe on 6 November 2017, a lot of credible informants came forward with information implicating Mnangagwa and his associates in unspeakable atrocities. He says Mnangagwa and associates abducted Dzamara to build a case against Mugabe; as they did on 7 March 2007 with their savage attack on the late Morgan Tsvangirai. On his twitter handle, Moyo said :
In the spirit & letter of the new Constitution & the Second Republic that is crying for a new generation of leadership with a new ethos, I wish to disclose privileged information I got about what happened to Itai Dzamara & why. I share this as a potentially useful detail!
After the controversial dismissal of Emmerson Mnangagwa on 6 Nov 2017, a lot of credible informants came forward with tonnes of information implicating Mnangagwa & his cohorts in unspeakable atrocities. Really. This is a fact that not even an earthquake will ever destroy!
I got to know from a high-level source with access to the information; that ZDF’s Military Intelligence Department (MID) abducted Itai Dzamara & subjected him to extreme torture like in the Gukurahundi & State of Emergency days. Mnangagwa, Chiwenga & Mohadi know about this!
The MID officer who oversaw this is Brigadier General Mike Sango who was then CID & is now Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Russia. Why did they do this? To build a case against President Mugabe; as they did on 7 March 2007 with their savage attack on the late Morgan Tsvangirai
Video Gallery
Related
References
- ↑ Missing Person Appeal, Kubatana Facebook page, Published: 25 Mar 2015, Retrieved: 13 May 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 'Occupy Unity Square' activist speaks from his hospital bed, Bulawayo 24News, Published: November 10, 2014, Retrieved: April 2, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 , Journalist continues with ‘Occupy Africa Unity Square’ protest, "Nehanda Radio", published:21 Oct 2014,retrieved:21 November 2014"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 I. Dzamara, Occupy Africa Unity Square: Dzamara's interrogation, The Daily News, Published:19 Oct 2014, Retrieved:21 Nov 2014
- ↑ , Itai Dzamara who hand-delivered 'resign now' letter to Mugabe gets heavily beaten AGAIN, MyZimbabwe, Published:06 Nov 2014, Retrieved:21 Nov 2014"
- ↑ Itai Dzamara, Itai Dzamara, Facebook Page, Retrieved:20 Nov 2014"
- ↑ We are living in fear, say family of missing Zimbabwean activist, The Zimbabwe Guardian, retrieved 2 June 2016
