16-06-2020

The MDC Alliance Youth Assembly today commemorates the heroic efforts of yesteryear young black Africans from Soweto, South Africa who rose to challenge Apartheid dictatorship in 1976.

What is inspiring and more challenging is that authors of the heroic 16 June 1976 Soweto uprising were mere pupils in their early teenage years yet they found courage to confront the evils of their time.

As we mark this day, our generation is faced with a brutal military regime of Emmerson Mnangagwa which has used every tick and trick in books of dictatorship to suffocate and abuse its citizens.

From broad daylight military killings to abductions, torture, rape and imprisonment, Mnangagwa has done everything there is to do in suppressing our basic rights.

This day comes at a time when our youth female leaders are rotting and languishing at Chikurubi Maximum Prison for simply exposing the abduction, torture and rape they went through at the hands of Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship.

Just like Hector Peterson who had to pay the ultimate price for questioning Apartheid laws, Cecilia Chimbiri, Netsai Marova and Joanna Mamombe were made to go through some of the worst forms of human abuse for simply exercising their democratic rights.

Just like Hector Peterson who was killed by Apartheid police for demanding to be taught in his own language, vendor Hilton Tamangani was gruesomely beaten and died in police custody for simply trying to eke out a living through selling airtime in a country where unemployment is hovering above 90 percent.

Just like Hector Peterson who was shot by Apartheid police for demanding a bright future, Sylvia Maphosa and 6 others were horribly shot by the military on 01 August 2018 for the simple reason that they rejected Emmerson Mnangagwa in the ballot box.

As a people, a generation and Assembly, we have lost so much at the hands of this monstrous military dictatorship which is by far worse than the Apartheid regime when it comes to disregard of human life and dignity.

Today calls for more Hector Petersons who questions the status quo especially at a time when Emmerson Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship has become the law unto self.

The time is ripe for this generation to fulfill the dreams of those who sacrificed for freedom and independence during our liberation struggles.

It is time for a June 1976 on Mnangagwa’s military dictatorship!

Stephen Sarkozy Chuma
MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson