MDC abandoned me: Nabanyama widow

Politics
THE widow of the late Patrick Nabanyama, David Coltart’s election campaign manager in the 2000 elections, Patricia has expressed dismay at the MDC as a party for failing to help her and her family, saying she was struggling to make ends meet.

THE widow of the late Patrick Nabanyama, David Coltart’s election campaign manager in the 2000 elections, Patricia has expressed dismay at the MDC as a party for failing to help her and her family, saying she was struggling to make ends meet.

Luyanduhlobo Makwati Own correspondent

Speaking to Southern Eye at her Nketa home yesterday, Patricia, whose husband disappeared after being abducted at the beginning of Zimbabwe’s political turmoil in 2000, and was presumed dead, said she was still in mourning and it was hard for her to forget her husband and her financial difficulties were worsening the situation.

“I have admitted things like death could have happened to my husband, but it is still painful for me to come to terms with what happened,” she said in an emotional interview.

“Even though I pray to God and say that was his way of departing from this world, it is hard for me.” Patricia claimed the MDC had promised to provide her with financial support, but this was not forthcoming and only a few of her husband’s associates had bailed her out.

“The party has never assisted me, but I was only assisted by a few individuals such as Coltart. He has also since stopped supporting us and now my children are facing difficulties as their fees is being paid by Beam (Basic Education Assistance Module),” she said.

“I have two children who are still at school and they are doing Form 3 and 4 at Nkulumane High.”

Nabanyama disappeared in the run up to the 2000 elections, with accusations that he was kidnapped by Zanu PF activists. He has since been declared legally dead, although his body has not been found.

However, Coltart denied abandoning the Nabanyama family.

“That is not true, I have always supported the family and its 14 years since he disappeared, remember some of the children are adults now, but the family has not approached me over for a couple of years, so I believe they are well,” he explained.

“All the assistance they need, we are still there and prepared to help them.” Nabanyama is survived by six children, two of them are still in school, two of them are now married, while the boys are in South Africa.