WHEN THE STRONG FALL: THE SAD STORY OF CRISPEN MAKENDENGE

Crispen Makendenge used to be one of the most feared men in Zimbabwe. He was a top police officer during Robert Mugabe’s rule. He worked in the CID Law and Order Division. Many people knew him for arresting and torturing opposition leaders and journalists. He used fear and violence to protect the government. People were scared of him. But today, everything is different. Makendenge is no longer feared. He is weak, lonely, and suffering. The man who once controlled others now cannot control his own life.

A photo of him was shared on social media by Crime Watch Zim. In the photo, he looks sick and tired. He looks broken. He looks like someone who has lost everything. Many people online say this is karma. In Shona, people call it ngozi. It means someone is paying for the bad things they did in the past. This photo has made many Zimbabweans talk about what happens to people who use power to hurt others.

One of the people Makendenge hurt is Job Sikhala. Sikhala is a well-known opposition leader. He says Makendenge tortured him with electric shocks. Even after all the pain he went through, Sikhala says he does not hate Makendenge. He says he wants to show him love. He says anger cannot build a new Zimbabwe. Many people are shocked by this. They say Sikhala is showing real leadership and strength.

Makendenge also went after journalists. He arrested many of them for writing the truth. Some of those journalists now work for The NewsHawks. They still remember how scared they were back then. But today, they are free. They are doing their jobs. They are speaking without fear. And Makendenge, the man who once tried to silence them, is the one who is silent now.

There are reports that Makendenge now has mental health problems. He is no longer in control. He is no longer important. He is just a man trying to survive from day to day. People say this is what happens when someone abuses power. Some say he is getting what he deserves. Others say we should not laugh at someone’s pain, even if they once did bad things. They say life has its own way of bringing justice.

The story of Makendenge is now a warning to the powerful. Power does not last forever. If you use your power to beat others, one day that power will be gone. One day you will answer for your actions. Many Zimbabweans are saying this is a message to those in power today. People are watching everything happening. People do not forget.

This story is not only about one man. Makendenge was part of a system. A system that wanted to crush anyone who spoke the truth. He helped silence voices. He helped create fear. But today, that fear is fading. Zimbabweans are speaking out. They are sharing their pain. They are asking for justice and change.

Zimbabwe still has a long way to go. Many people who used violence and fear during Mugabe’s time are still free. They live normal lives. They never said sorry. They never stood before a court. But Makendenge’s sad life today shows something important. Even when justice is slow, life itself can bring justice in its own time.

The photo of him is more than just a picture. It is a lesson. It shows how power can fade. It reminds us to never forget the past. It warns those in power today not to repeat the same mistakes. People are talking. People are waking up. People are no longer afraid. And many are hoping that true justice will come to Zimbabwe. Justice that remembers the victims. Justice that brings a better future for all.