Zimbabwe is crying. The blood of a young activist, Chitsunge, stains our streets, a brutal reminder of the deadly price paid by those who dare to dream of freedom. He was stoned to death, not by strangers or foreign enemies, but by suspected ZANU PF thugs—fellow countrymen turned violent enforcers of a broken political system.
Chitsunge was simply on his way to a rally in Glen View 7, alongside other youths hoping to express their democratic voice. But their journey was cut short. An ambush. Rocks. Blood. Death. Another Zimbabwean life lost to political violence, another family shattered by a system that continues to treat peaceful activism as a threat.
Fadzayi Mahere, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson, confirmed this horror during a press conference. “He was stoned to death by suspected ZANU PF thugs,” she said, her voice filled with both sorrow and fury. “The thugs ambushed a group of our youths when they were heading to a rally.” Her words ring loudly through a nation already drowning in grief, fear, and suppressed anger.
ZANU PF’s leadership may continue to deny involvement. They may claim these are isolated acts by rogue elements. But the truth is far uglier. This is not an isolated incident—it is part of a long pattern of violent repression. From Gukurahundi in the 1980s to the crackdown on opposition supporters in 2008, and now Chitsunge in 2023—the violence never stopped. It simply changed faces.
Chitsunge is not the first. But he must be the last.
Young people in Zimbabwe are tired. Tired of being attacked for dreaming of a better future. Tired of being told to keep quiet while their rights are trampled. Tired of living under a regime that uses fear, not service, to stay in power. Chitsunge’s death exposes the rot that still exists in our politics—a deep, dangerous culture of impunity where opposition supporters are hunted, tortured, and killed, and no one is ever held accountable.
This time, it cannot be swept under the rug. The international community, human rights organizations, and even regional players like SADC must act. Statements of concern are not enough. We need action. We need accountability. We need sanctions not just on the puppets who throw the stones, but the masters who command them.
Civil society, opposition parties, churches, and all peace-loving citizens must unite. We must demand an independent investigation into Chitsunge’s death. We must demand that those responsible, regardless of political connections, face justice. We must demand the dismantling of violent militia networks masquerading as political youth wings.
This is not about politics. This is about life and death. About the kind of Zimbabwe we want to build. Do we want a country where people are murdered for attending a rally? Or a country where every voice, every vote, every young dream matters?
Chitsunge’s name must never be forgotten. His face must become a symbol of resistance. His blood must water the seeds of justice. Let his death not be in vain.
As Zimbabwe mourns, we must also rise. Rise against political violence. Rise against fear. Rise for the democracy that Chitsunge believed in. No more silence. No more excuses. No more stones thrown at innocent citizens.
We say: enough is enough.
Rest in power, Chitsunge. You stood for freedom. You died for it. Now, the nation must rise for you.