Thread by @MthulisiHanana

As promised herewith the thread about my experiences. #ChroniclesofHope
Thread 1: The Clouds Gather

It all started with a WhatsApp Chat below on the 1st of May. This is 2 months before the July 31 Demonstrations was announced. At this point nothing suggested that am in danger

2. Everything was normal in the Zim sense way. Somehow, this message confirmed with my spirit. Something was afoot in the horizon and God warned me through someone I least expected. I needed to start preparing for that fateful day

3. I had seen how @JoeMzacaNgulube had been in activism & remained unknown in these streets. I decided to grow my Following. I had 386. I changed my content and used my other talents: Humour and Storytelling via #UmnxebaWodumo. I also embraced #NdebeleTwitter. I grew to over 2k

4. #Umthwithi became #NdebeleTwitter instant hit. I also was asked to curate @CurateByo and my Following grew to 3k. Uncle Mthwithi was born after that. I interacted. Prior to that I had been retweeted by @SiphoMalunga @Wamagaisa and @nelsonchamisa and my Following grew

5. Then there was the #ZanupfMustGo which I used religiously having been inspired by @Mamoxn. I loved her courage, consistency & resilience. I felt we needed to take her call for a revolution to outside Tweeter. Clearly Zim has been personalized and we need to save her. But how

6. So one day I bumped onto a post here where someone wanted to give seed capital of $200 to anyone with a good idea. I jokingly said to them, lets make #ZanupfMustGo Masks. We laughed then but the burden to push for a better Zim gave us no rest till we decided to try them out

7. We made 10 Masks to try out the idea. They were sold in less than 20 minutes and we had orders. I find it shocking that people wanted Zanu gone that bad to the point of buying a mask that has potential to get them in trouble. It bacame real that something must be done

8. In the midst of all this #freejacobngarivhume called for a Demo on 31 July. I engaged him on Masks. Somehow the Masks became viewed as defacto regalia for that day though totally unrelated. We got people now asking to contribute money so that we distribute them free

9. We approached a few people to raise funds for this cause. We got Tailors to meet the demand. Distribution started in earnest. Then we had orders in Harare and all over. We recruited transporters and distributors. We felt good. All was proper, so we thought

10. We needed buy in from Political Parties so as to push more. Many parties wanted the Masks to bring their colours. We refused. We wanted everyone to be represented. Many refused to endorse and even now are happy that we are in hiding 🤪. Some came on board, as individuals.

11. Prior to making the Masks I called lawyers from @ZLHRLawyers to ask kuti "zviri safe here?" I was told at law, it's above board and warned that Zanu convolutes their Zapu rebel movement with the state. I was told that spurious charges could be laid. It's political not legal

12. Then one day I noticed I was being followed by different people. I called lawyers and asked what if I must report. I also tried to follow my followers as well. I knew something was brewing. At the flat this guy warned me and gave me a list of all CIO and Zanu who stay there

13. I needed my family to be safe. The government announced a curfew. I got a call from one MI person who had is connected to ZPRA work. He warned, 'mntanami iCurfew leyi ngeyokulibamba lilele kungelabafakazi, sekuyiGukurahundi futhi' I trust ZPRA any day. Trouble was brewing

14. I needed to beef my security. I called all our transporters and distributors and warned them. We needed to be careful. I sat down with my family and told them of a possible attack in the night. And told them what to do and not do. I then apologised to them in advance

15. We needed to put burglar doors so that we delay whoever would want to break in. In the meantime I got padlocks for all entry and exit points. I told our neighbors that I will lock up everyday at 7 and open at 6. For emergencies, I will be up all night and on standby

16. As I was waiting for the burglar doors, distribution and production was ongoing. I got a call from a CIO that knew me from church. He advised me that they will pounce early hours of Thursday. I must evacuate everyone. I called my contacts to confirm. Thursday it is...

17. So we set up a surveillance team to be outside our houses so they see what is going on. I spent Monday with a ZPRA Stalwart who said I could be a good leader but I lack the spirituality aspect. He told me that I needed to get a strong traditional healer for that.

18. I convinced him that Ngatshwama ngesende lesilwane. he said if that was true, I must, like JMNN, be able to 'tshelela'. That night I locked up as usual. I slept early. At 943pm a voice woke me up and said 'Phuma'. I obliged. I left to join our surveillance teams outside

19. I got a call around 12 from someone who said Forget Thursday, it's Today. My Heart 💔 sank. I left my family inside I said. He said too late, perimeter is closed. I tried to call home to ask them to move. Phone off. Our guys asked me to be taken away, just in case.

20. At 1238, I got a call. 'Cde, it's happening. Warn others' Initially we had thought it's a scare tactic. Now it's real. I called lawyers, colleagues from CSO, church everyone. None answered except a @ZLHRLawyers at 0119. my brother @SiphoMalunga and SekaLiyakhwa also answered

21. Our colleagues couldn't do much coz of the size of the group. See pinned tweet. One posted on Tweeter when he saw my SOS. I asked him to pull it down as we asses the situation.

Next thread later will be: Temple Run. We reveal the Ferret enabler
#ZimbabweanLivesMatter