By Prof Nicholas Masiyiwa

TO: Mr Tendai Biti, Mr Elton Mangoma, Mr Simba Makoni, Mrs Joice Mujuru, Prof Welshman Ncube, Mr Dumiso Dabengwa
I want to register my displeasure over the way you handled a situation that we all have understood to be very important and of national interest, following the disappearance of Itai Dzamara exactly a year ago. You were invited by Patson Dzamara to at least take part in the commemoration at Africa Unity Square, of which you promised to support the cause but to only fail to pitch up on the very day except a few and very junior reasonable cadres from your respective parties. Though it is your right to attend such or not to, but it defies logic that, as national leaders in the opposition and most importantly taking in mind that there is a national call for unity of opposition ahead of 2018 elections, you decided to show antipathy over the commemoration and particularly the disappearance of many Zimbabweans without trace.
I personally think that your actions were very much suspicious and makes everything the majority of Zimbabweans have been saying about you to be true, among many accusations being that you are ZanuPF agents meant to dismantle the opposition by getting rid of Dr Morgan Tsvangirai, the key opposition figure. Why did you disregard this noble idea from the abducted Dzamara’s brother, especially when the idea sought to make the government that is accused of abducting Itai to bring them to account? Does it mean you snubbed the event just because Morgan Tsvangirai was in attendance? Your hate for Morgan Tsvangirai is deep and sucks!
Zimbabweans have been disturbed, particularly with Joice Mujuru who called for a stop of the abduction of innocent civilians in her recent press conference in Harare. It’s likely that you may not even be aware of the implications of your actions, but I can assure you that not only will you need a lot of explanations over this issue, but that you also need to clear yourselves on accusations raised by the generality of Zimbabweans about your alleged involvement in the current ZANUPF establishment to destroy Tsvangirai and the MDCT brand. It is very distracting to us, the majority, to witness a snub of an event that was made national news days before the very day. There are often times that we can disregard some of the accusations levelled against you, but this event exposed who you really are; ZANUPF morons masquerading as opposition figures.
I’m sure you’re probably aware of the fact that ZANUPF and/or the CIO establishment is believed to be behind the disappearance of Itai Dzamara a year ago, and your actions appearing to be siding with them makes you part of them. We have often heard you saying ZANUPF is at the centre of these abductions, but your yesterday’s actions suggests something else different.
Furthermore, the spirit of “oneness” in face of tyranny needs to be maintained especially in situations like these, but you have shown your uncaring attitude towards that spirit, and indeed to democratise Zimbabwe. We certainly hope that you can address this issue and probably call for a press conference to clear yourself of what will otherwise become an impediment to whatever you plan in your political lives. We ask that some humane measure be taken to help reduce the impact of ZANUPF dictatorship, and can only be possible if all of us in the opposition stand up with one voice rather than act the way you did yesterday.
While I assume that you wanted to be given more time and special treatment to attend the occasion, your clever comments (in relation to Mrs Mujuru) in this matter is completely inappropriate, not only with regards to Dzamara’s disappearance, but also in the opposition circles in general. Denying someone (an abducted democratic activist) a special remembrance on the day he was surely taken away from us by the regime which some of you were part of, purely based on the existence of Tsvangirai, violates the cause of the democratic struggle you purports to be fronting. Also, making that sort of generalization about the commemoration as it was is both very hurtful and hateful.
This kind of behaviour needs to be discouraged in all facets of life and particularly in the opposition. It is my expectation that you will be more conscious of the implications of such behaviour and avoid them in the future at all costs. Knowing your character, I did not believe you could serve ZANUPF interests in the manner you did yesterday. It was simply carelessness in an isolated matter.
Please don’t mistake this letter for an intolerance of your liberties in association. It’s just that your incessant barking over democracy and the rule of law has become a real nuisance, seeing that you don’t practice what you preach daily.
Regards
Prof Masiyiwa Snr