A 26-year-old Epworth man, Pardon Chitongo from Epworth has narrated how he was shot in 2019 by police during the national shutdown protests that were triggered by fuel price hikes.
What transpired:
Chitongo who was a commuter omnibus (kombi) driver told NewZimbabwe.com that he woke up early in the morning just like any other day and dashed towards Munyuki Shopping Centre.
He was not even aware that there were planned national stay-away protests. When he arrived at the shops, he observed that it was not business as usual as vendors were packing to go home.
He decided to hang around with his friends.
The ZRP anti-riot squad flooded the area, ordering residents to disperse.
Chitongo, along with a group of other residents, fled and sought refuge at his uncle’s place of residence, which was close by, waiting for the situation to normalise.
He said police then invaded the suburb and started randomly shooting at the unarmed public, that’s when he was shot.
A bullet shot through his body fracturing his right forearm, before making its way through his stomach via the back and scratching his other arm.
He also lost one of his kidneys in the process. His backbone was damaged resulting in permanent paralysis from the waist down.
Despite nerves on his right leg feeling a touch or graze, the limb is practically dead.
Chitongo suffers from backache and right leg pains. He spent two days unconscious in the intensive care unit at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. He told NewZimbabwe.com:
I feel a lot of pain in my testicles, on the thigh and butt joints and under my right foot. I cannot describe the pain but that’s my life every day. This is what stresses me the most because I’m literally in pain all the time.
Chitongo now relies on painkillers to ease the affliction he endures day in and out. He requires medication not less than US$100 per month with painkillers alone costing US$60.
Chitongo is now wheelchair-bound and has to attend physiotherapy sessions in Chitungwiza three times a week.
He says it is difficult for him to travel to and from the sessions as public transporters are not comfortable with transporting him. He added:
They say you delay us because of your wheelchair. Some tell me that their vehicles are not friendly for my condition and at times I end up being late for my physiotherapy sessions.
Life after being shot:
He now lives on handouts from well-wishers for his clothing and medication.
On a bad month, he goes through it with no painkillers making his life unbearable.
His old rickety wheelchair now needs to be repaired or at least replaced.
At home, Chitongo relies on his neighbour’s toilet as his father’s is not user-friendly.
His dreams to settle down, start a family and own a piece of land have been shuttered as his savings of at least US$5 from the errands and earnings when he was a kombi driver have been depleted.
He appeals to those who can help him open a shop so that he becomes self-reliant.
Lawsuit:
Chitongo sued the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) demanding compensation and was awarded ZW$3 million.
The money translates to US$3 750 at the current interbank rate. He feels this money was not enough compensation considering how his life was turned around.
He says he is yet to get the money and is afraid it will be worthless by the time he gets it considering that the economy is highly inflationary.