Gift
Konjana,
who
was
the
MDC
Alliance
parliamentary
candidate
for
Chegutu
West
in
the
2018
harmonised
elections
before
later
joining
ZANU-PF,
said
in
a
statement
that
he
is
withdrawing
from
the
current
“toxic
political
environment.”
Konjana
described
going
through
dark
times
and
making
a
“final
escape,”
announcing
that
he
is
stepping
down
as
a
ZANU-PF
councillor
and
leaving
politics
altogether.
He
was
declared
the
winner
of
the
Chegutu
Ward
1
by-election
on
21
February,
contesting
on
a
ZANU-PF
ticket.
Soon
after,
he
went
missing,
prompting
his
family
to
file
a
missing
person
report
at
Pfupajena
Police
Station.
While
his
whereabouts
have
remained
unknown,
some
reports
speculated
that
he
may
have
been
abducted
or
killed
due
to
ZANU-PF
internal
rivalries
or
his
previous
opposition
ties.
On
Thursday,
26
March,
a
statement
attributed
to
Konjana
confirmed
that
he
is
alive.
Part
of
the
statement
reads:
“This
statement
is
made
to
reassure
particularly
my
family,
friends,
fellow
Christians
and
my
community
and
Zimbabwe
that
I,
Gift
Konjana,
by
the
grace
of
God,
am
safe.“There
are
no
words
sufficient
to
describe
the
weight
of
the
ordeal
I
have
recently
walked
through,
nor
the
depth
of
the
peace
I
feel
being
back
among
you.“Today,
I
am
writing
this
not
just
as
a
survivor,
but
as
a
living
testimony
to
the
power
of
collective
prayer.“When
I
was
in
darkness,
isolated
and
facing
the
unknown,
there
were
moments
when
my
own
strength
failed
me.“However,
I
felt
a
strange,
persistent
covering
and
knew
that
I
was
not
forgotten.
I
know
that
this
was
the
result
of
your
tireless
intercession.“Thank
you
for
crying
out
on
my
behalf
when
I
was
silenced,
weak
and
vulnerable.
I
am
convinced
that
my
final
escape
was
not
merely
a
stroke
of
luck
or
a
coincidence
of
timing.
It
was
the
direct
answer
to
a
thousand
whispers
sent
to
Heaven.“Your
prayers
created
a
hedge
of
protection
around
me,
confused
the
path
of
those
who
sought
me
harm
and
ultimately
paved
the
way
for
my
safety.“This
attempt
was
after
several
other
attempts
on
my
life
and
limb.
Thank
you
once
again
friends
and
fellow
countryman
for
your
prayers.“I
have
made
the
decision
to
withdraw
from
the
toxic
political
environment
in
Zimbabwe
and
will
not
be
taking
up
the
position
of
councillor
in
Chegutu.“By
this
statement
I
wish
to
inform
the
relevant
authorities
that
I
will
not
be
taking
up
any
political
post
in
my
life.”
Konjana
is
well
known
for
his
high-profile
legal
battle
against
ZANU-PF’s
Dexter
Nduna
over
the
Chegutu
West
parliamentary
seat
in
the
2018
general
election.
Konjana
narrowly
won
the
race,
but
the
Zimbabwe
Electoral
Commission
(ZEC)
declared
Nduna
the
winner,
and
later
claimed
a
“clerical
error.”
Despite
ZEC
admitting
the
mistake,
Konjana’s
legal
challenges
to
reclaim
the
seat
were
repeatedly
dismissed
by
the
courts
on
procedural
and
technical
grounds,
rather
than
on
the
merits
of
the
case.
He
later
contested
the
same
seat
as
an
independent
candidate
in
2023
but
lost,
which
eventually
led
to
his
decision
to
join
ZANU-PF.