ACTION ALERT : Harare Central Prison has run out of food
We were advised at the beginning of this week that two prisons in Harare had cut rations to a quarter of what prisoners were meant to receive; two days later, we were told that food had completely run out.
There are between 1,300 and 1,500 inmates in Harare Central Prison and without outside help and donations, they may starve. Many in Zimbabwe’s prisons are already dying like flies as a result of food shortages and disease.
TAKE ACTION:
Please contact anyone you know who might be able to help and ask them to call the Prison Chaplain to organise donations of essential items. Please pass this appeal on.
Chaplain Kurida on +263 4 793891 — ask for extension 163
Please give what you can: especially beans, vegetables, mealie meal, salt and soap.
The soap is to help clean the cells and prevent the spread of infections and diseases – the prisoners have weakened immune systems from nutrition-poor diets and are exposed to horrific conditions.
One donor today wrote and said “It was very humbling to see the looks on the faces of the prison officers and the prisoners as my little load of meal and sugar beans was received”.
March 20th, 2009 22:05
This is appalling
In the first instance…It is the responsibly of the signatories of the GPA to deal with this. If they don’t..they are complicit. For the avoidance of doubt..This means the MDC grouping together with ZPF
March 20th, 2009 22:56
Once upon a time the Prison Service came under Home Affairs . What is our new MDC Minister doing about this criminal situation? What is so extraordinary is that having shaken hands with the devil the MDC continues to remain passive in situations such as these. Why are Ministers awarded cars before prisoners are fed? Why isn’t Paradzai Zimondi hauled in front of the Ministers and asked to explain the situation? The climate of fear and greed has pervaded everywhere . Where is the man that can stand up and say “zvakwana” in Zimbabwe? Mbuya Nehanda must be spinning in her grave, is there no one who has the cohones to stand up to JOC and the ‘Chefs’? Morgan and Tendai have become toothless, well beware my brothers ‘he who dines with crocodiles invariably becomes the main course.’ Zimbabwe will never receive help from the EU because the very race to whom Tendai Biti appeals is being evicted illegally from their farms!
Not until that untrustworthy toad of a President is hauled before a court along with his cohorts and made to answer for their crimes, not before their overseas assets are seized by the treasury, not before reparations are made to the povo who have suffered, not before transparency operates within the Government and not before that same Goverment undertakes to always have the peoples needs in the forefront of their policies, will Zimbabwe ever rise again and hold its head up in the world.
Maitiro Chinja! Miles Anderson
March 21st, 2009 09:31
I don’t believe that the MDC is passive. I think they’re being stonewalled at every turn, obviously the Zanu stalwarts are not going make things easy for them…they don’t want this GNU to appear successful.
The only thing now is when we receive a request to take action…TAKE ACTION! Pick up the phone, make the call. If you know of anyone that can help, contact them. If you have connections overseas, contact them. If we have a 1000 people making a 10 dollar donation we will make a difference.
There are many churches in SA…if everyone makes a small contribution the help will be big. There are people with trucks here that regularly do mission trips into Zim and Zambia and other places. If we pull together we can make a difference.
Pick up the phone…….MAKE THE CALL!!!
March 21st, 2009 14:05
Wholeheartley agree and this is a gross form of human rights abuse, come on now set things right.You have a coalition government with new ideas in place and so what is the problem ?Aid won’t be coming so just put your shoulder to the wheel and start the new beginning.Everyone is waiting and watching.
March 23rd, 2009 11:48
Just release the poor devils for God’s sake!
What difference would a few more criminals about the place make considering how many thousands are already out there – i.e. Robert Mugabe and his evil cohorts.
March 30th, 2009 21:40
Responding to Kathy above:
Where shall I send my $10 (from overseas)? Which group will translate it into Food for Zimbabwe Prisoners with immediate effect?
I’d want to send it to a registered outside-Zimbabwe organisation securely online – my bank charges $30 to send any sum of money in foreign currency!
If someone can post a link on here, I will email it to my whole address book – if other Sokwanele supporters will do the same, there will be lots of $10 accumulating, especially after seeing the documentary film about to be released in South Africa.
Donors will want to know that this money will go directly to food for prisoners, not school books or fertilizer etc, much as the country needs those items.
Thanks.
March 30th, 2009 23:57
All this whilst Bob spends millions of dollars on lavish birthday feasts, stuffing his face with cake, lobster and caviar… There are no words … What goes around comes around.
March 31st, 2009 05:42
Can various church organisations and affiliates rally together and assist? Perhaps a solution would be to unite the various churches, and appeal to members of the congregation and the public alike to donate money and food? Monetary donations could be channeled into one fund that overseas donors such as myself could contribute towards. Donors would need assurance that the food will go directly to the prisoners, and not into the pockets of opportunists. Every body deserves basic human rights, and being denied food is a major violation of this, particularly political prisoners fighting for the freedom of Zimbabwe. Lastly, never take for granted each meal that you eat, really, thank God for it.
March 31st, 2009 09:44
I belong to AOG (Assemblies of God) church in Cape Town, SA. They have a missions arm called SALT (sharing abundant life together). We could approach them and ask them to co-ordinate this. I also have a connection who drives a big truck to Zim to take supplies to starving pensioners. We could arrange to buy supplies in Jo’burg and ask our friend to drop them at Harare prison.
SALT is a reputable, well-recognised, registered NGO that would be able to handle payments. I’m sure they would probably be able to buy bulk stocks at discount prices. If there’s enough interest I could start making phone calls today.
Thanks for your response OZZIE. I’ll be watching this site like a hawk for your response.
Please remember (for those who can) to watch the program about Zim prisons on SA TV tonight.
Regards
March 31st, 2009 11:50
UPDATE TO PREVIOUS POST:
My local AOG church put me onto their world wide missions department. I’ve just spoken to a chap called Andrew who told me that AOG (Assemblies of God) World Wide Missions have a depot with stockpiled supplies in Harare. They are perfectly positioned to handle this situation. All we need to do is contact as many people as possible and arrange donations.
This is excellent!
The link is: http://www.wwm.org.za
They have a section on their site where you can make a donation with your credit card. The transaction won’t cost anything. He is busy creating a “Zimbabwe Food Aid” path in the site so that they can pick up immediately which donations are for the Prison Project. I’ve also given him the Sokwanele link so he can see what we’re busy with, and he’s going to watch the program on TV tonight!.
Please everyone….pass this link on…If we all pull together we CAN make a difference!
March 31st, 2009 12:09
That sounds a very workable way for a quick response, Kathy. If you can enlist the agreement of SALT, please post a ’secure link’ on Sokwanele, and we can start circulating it! Maybe Save Zimbabwe Now and the Vigil would circulate it too. But even if its ‘ just us’ like the story of throwing the starfish back into the ocean – I am sure you know it – even a small consignment will help a few prisoners. Don’t let’s wait for others – if SALT are willing, let’s just go for it!
We do need to be sure that “dropping it at the prison” isn’t where it then disappears, though. Maybe the Chaplain could be asked to receive it personally somewhere?
Zimbabwe these days………………
Thanks!
March 31st, 2009 12:37
Great work Kathy. I’ve passed your info on and a colleague in Harare is going to follow it up to see if food will be directed to prisons. I’ll also keep an eye on the AOG World Wide Missions website to see when they add the Zimbabwe Food Aid path and add a link to it asap. Perhaps other people can contact charities based in their parts of the world who are working in Zim to see if we do similar things via them, as Kathy has organised? We must remember – Harare has been highlighted, but there are prisons throughout the country in a dire state so it will take a massive effort and it needs to be a sustained effort. Thank you all!
March 31st, 2009 12:59
That is excellent, Kathy and Sokwanele. Wonderful that AOG missions will just incorporate it into what they have already got established. It’s having people on the ground that will enable it to happen, now.
I’ll watch the Sokwanele site for the ‘link with path’, try it, and then get moving emailing it to friends!
March 31st, 2009 17:33
Prisoners are human beings. We need to boycott independence day no celebrating .Why celebrate the 18th . Let it be day for praying for Zim. l dnt care were u are Pray.
Godbless Zimbabwe
April 1st, 2009 23:43
Great to see so many postive responses, particularly from Kathy, Ozzie and Sokwanele. Am also concerned about the cholera situation within the prisons. Is safe drinking water available, if not, this is as important as giving food. Will keep a look out for any links and updates available. Yes, God Bless Zimbabwe! Lots of prayer and support needed.
April 2nd, 2009 05:36
Just wondering Sokwanele how your enquiries are going regarding the AOG Missions offer to collect funds and deliver food to the prison in Harare?
April 2nd, 2009 11:51
@Ozzie and everyone – Kathy (who has been very impressive) has managed to get a contact name in Harare and we’ve passed it along through our networks to someone we think best placed to assist. We are waiting to hear back and once we get a green light will do a post asking people to jump to action. We understand that one of the challenges they face is to find a way to get the food into the prisons in such a way that it is the prisoners who directly benefit – i.e. it isn’t intercepted by corrupt guards! But for our purposes, we now know that the two key people are informed – they just need to talk and get back to us. We’ll keep following up and get back to you.