Dear President Mugabe

I write this letter to you at a time when my whole body is in pain after being mercilessly brutalised by riot police yesterday (25/02/2017). The reason being that I had chosen to break the silence on the unhealthy state of our healthcare facilities in the country. Yet as a responsible citizen I have the right to call you and all other elected leaders to book and demand accountability.

My message and that of the rest of the population is plain and simple. We only demand good governance, we demand employment, we demand sound policies that guarantee opportunities for everyone regardless of political affiliations, we demand to be free. We desire to be able to express ourselves and not be in hospitals afterwards. Most importantly we want a President who can be awake long enough to be able to hear our grievances and address them.

I write to you Mr President in the hope that as someone who once fought for freedom (or claim) to have done so, you will understand that my cause and that of other activists is justified and that we will not be broken down or cowed but we’re determined to continue in the struggle for a better and real democratic society, in which no one will be beaten up, arrested or killed for holding divergent views.

If I may ask, Do you think you truly liberated the people yet they remain in fear and you terrorise those of us who can’t fold hands as you and your regime reverse every gain of the liberation struggle and now force us to embark on another revolution? Don’t you ever think that your use of force has made you to appear more like Ian Smith? Do you think your stranglehold on power is beneficial to us when all the youths have turned to drugs and stress now kills more than any other disease.

VaMugabe taneta ini hangu ndanzwa mandinyanyira. Please give me a break from your repression machinery that constantly endangers and threatens my life. I have the right to be free from torture and abuse, freedom of expression and right to life. For if there’s one thing that is certain as the rising of the sun is that I will as a young woman continue to rise in protest against an unjust colonial system coloured Black. I will remain resolute in fighting for a better Zimbabwe for my children and I’m encouraged by the more young people who are taking up the fight. And even if I’m killed by your Gestapo just know my bones will rise and fight again.

Lastly President Mugabe if you are tired just let go of power it’s bad for you to stand in the path of progress simply because you formed ZANU PF if that’s the case we will bury you with it. Zimbabwe is the land of my forefathers and noone including you whether war veteran or not, can or should stop me from exercising my constitutional rights.

Wake up President

Yours in tears

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira