Thousands brave intimidation to bid farewell to murdered woman

By Lance Guma
02 May 2008

On Friday villagers in Makoni West braved massive state sponsored violence and intimidation by attending the funeral of MDC activist Tabitha Marume, who was shot and killed last week. According to party spokesman Nelson Chamisa, over 10 000 villagers came to the funeral in Gunda Village and gave Marume a send off, ‘befitting a heroine of the struggle.’

Newsreel reported on Thursday how a CIO agent based at the Zimbabwean embassy in the United States, Daniel Romeo Mutsunguma, shot and killed the woman last week Friday. Mutsunguma pulled the trigger and shot Marume in the stomach. She died on her way to Mutare General Hospital. She was part of a group of 7 MDC activists who walked to a torture camp and demanded the release of their colleagues who had been abducted by soldiers. Mutsunguma and a group of war vets fired shots at the crowd.

MDC Vice President Thokozani Khupe presided over the funeral and said angry villagers vowed they would continue supporting the MDC despite the crackdown. She paid tribute to the thousands who attended saying the party did not expect such a large crowd given events in the area. Khupe also described Marume’s efforts to get her colleagues released as ‘heroic’.