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In another police raid looking for voter registration receipts, we just received this alert from the Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD):

Masvingo today witnessed a bizarre incident as the crackdown on NGOs continues unabated. Masvingo Central police officers stormed the National Association of Non Governmental Organizations (NANGO SOUTHERN REGION) offices and arrested Benias Tirivaviri the Regional Coordinator and also terrorized COTRAD program officers who were in attendance. COTRAD shares office space with NANGO Southern Region. There were no proper charges leveled against the 2 people who were arrested and detained at Masvingo Central for nearly three hours. Amongst the arrested is Zivanai Muzorodzi the COTRAD Program Officer who was arrested in connection with the voter registration exercise being undertaken by the COTRAD. In the same vein the police officers besieged the COTRAD office looking for receipts of registered voters as they were alleging that COTRAD was assisting young people to register to vote such that they can participate in the forthcoming elections. It appears to be part of an escalating campaign by the uniformed forces to crush groups involved in the pro-democracy movement.

Losing one’s particulars or important documents can bring misery and stress, especially when one thinks of how difficult it is to replace them. I know of a programme on Radio Zimbabwe where announcements are made of lost and found items. This programme has been running for a long time and has assisted a lot of people. Now an online platform has been created by Hansole Investments. The website www.lostandfound.org.zw allows people who might have lost or found items to enter the information and description of these items helping people to connect with what they’ve lost.

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