For Victor Simon, the 12th July 2025 in Leeds for our Walk for Freedom was an inspiring, but also a traumatic experience. Shepherd Yuda was most forth coming with his experiences in his final months in Zimbabwe in the Election run-off period for the 2008 elections - as Yuda says
"a clear victory for MDC and Tsvangirai, Mugabe was completely beaten - in a Free and Fair Election"
However, what then transpired was the Zanu PF 'machine' which could not accept defeat, even as the clear 'Will of the Citizens' - so they planned and plotted. Rigged and intimidated, tortured and victimised those within MDC. They finally got hold of all the original ballot papers - and systematically took out most of the MDC votes - claiming them as "SPOILT" - to such an extent that the Election result was now "in need of a RUN-OFF" - However this was being videoed by Prison Officer, Shepherd Yuda!
It was this action that initiated a ruthless, unrelenting reign of beatings and torture of the most heinous kinds on Prison Officer Yuda. These Zanu PF animals tried for months to maim, kill, and break Shepherd Yuda. They failed - however Yuda managed to flee with the help of the UK, and to shine a bright light upon this clear voter manipulation, when the UK's Guardian Newspaper got hold of the video. Yuda's testimony was fascinating indeed. It affected all who were listening. Including Victor Simon - who has now expanded upon the events in an article on our sister website related to the diaspora right to vote! See his full AI supported article and Testimony here: "Repressed Memories". CLICK TO OPEN
Indeed it was only after this Walk for Freedom that Victor was able to piece together the events leading up to his parents being systematically tortured by so called 'Zanu PF Youths' - because his father was a chairman of a local MDC group in Epworth, Harare. His whole family fled to South Africa on 27th June 2008 - but the father passed on the 29th October 2008 and his mother shortly after on 24th March 2009. We assume from the effects of this torture.
Context for Victor Simon's Testimony: The event clearly had the atmosphere and purpose that could indeed trigger traumatic memories and encourage testimony. The report describes participants "singing revolutionary songs and chanting calls for democratic change" with "enthusiastic participation from a broad coalition of groups, including members of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), ZAPU, Mthwakazi Republic Party" “Bullets for Each of You”: State-Sponsored Violence since Zimbabwe’s March 29 Elections | HRW.
During the Walk for Freedom in Leeds, when part of the group stopped off for some speeches regarding why we were there - from Evy Rimayi {born in Zimbabwe 1968 - so cognisant of the war of independence and the horrors subsequently perpetrated by the heartless Zanu PF.} This further added to Victor Simon's conflicting memories.
PHOTO: Evy is delivering her powerful speech {video available elsewhere} - with Victor Simon {in Yellow) and Shepherd Yuda {in Black} standing together.
