TWO VOICES

 

TWO VOICES

First voice: ‘It was so unfortunate for me when I got arrested by plain clothes police after taking some photos of the government party giving maize to poor people. I resisted arrest at first, but they handcuffed me and produced their IDs. It was around 11am when they threw me into the cells without taking any statement. My mobile and shoes had been surrendered in the charge office. They deleted the photos I took and confiscated my SIM card.

I spent the whole day and night in the cells which were stinking due to a toilet in the corner of the cell room which was only flushed once a day – it has to be done by someone outside the cell. We were 14 in the cell and were joined by another 7 at around 9pm – all 21 cooped up in an area around 16ft x 16ft. There was no view with a barred window near roof level.

I braved the cold night with no blankets. At 6am I heard the noise of the cell door being unlocked. We were told to come out for counting. After some 30 minutes, we were locked up again with no food or water. During the afternoon when I peeped through a keyhole, I saw a cop putting some food onto the big lid of a rubbish bin. The food stayed uncovered for almost half an hour when some pigeons took turns to feed.

Come 3 pm, they unlocked the gate of the fence surrounding the cells and told the inmates to come and eat. The food was sadza, not properly cooked with half cooked beans and no salt. I only had a pinch and couldn't continue feeding as I felt like vomiting. At 3.15pm we were locked up again until the next day. There were now 13 of us left as some relatives had paid fines for some inmates.

It was extremely cold during the night, and we shared one blanket among five people and tried to sleep on the cold hard rough concrete floor. The blankets were infested with lice which were biting. They were unbearably harsh conditions.

On the third day my uncle borrowed US$160 and paid the fine as he was worried that I was not taking my medication; I suffer badly from various ailments. I was released at around 5pm on Day 3, without being charged, feeling ill and afraid.’

Second voice: ‘He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour.”’

We need to relate the two voices to each another. They both speak to us from ‘a cloud’. Failure to listen to them only sinks us deeper in the mud.