HARARE, Zimbabwe
A Zimbabwe opposition activist has been found dead after he was abducted on Saturday during a political campaign just outside Harare, the Citizens Coalition for Change party has said. It was the second abduction in weeks of an opposition party member.
Tapfumaneyi Masaya, whose body was identified by CCC members at a mortuary. Photograph: Twitter |
Tapfumaneyi Masaya was
reportedly bundled into a vehicle by unknown men while campaigning for the
CCC’s candidate ahead of byelections on 9 December, the party said.
The CCC spokesperson Promise
Mkwananzi told Reuters on Tuesday that Masaya was tortured and dumped on the
outskirts of Harare.
His body was later moved to a
mortuary at Parirenyatwa hospital, about 3 miles (5km) from central Harare,
where it was identified by CCC members who had been searching for him,
Mkwananzi said.
Reuters could not
independently verify the events.
Zimbabwe has a long history of
forced disappearances and deaths of political activists dating back to the
1980s. The opposition has often accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of involvement
in the torture and deaths of its activists.
Masaya’s abduction and killing
comes barely two weeks after the CCC lawmaker Takudzwa Ngadziore was abducted,
tortured and dumped about 30 miles (50km) north of Harare by armed men. He
survived the attack.
Police said on Monday an
investigation had been launched after a body was discovered in the vicinity of
where the CCC said Masaya was found, but that the victim’s identity was yet to
be established.
A police spokesperson, Paul
Nyathi, told Reuters on Tuesday there were no further updates. “We urge the
police to do their work and ensure that all these abductors are promptly and
effectively brought to justice,” said Mkwananzi.
Zimbabwe’s opposition parties
have been calling for a fresh election since president, Emmerson
Mnangagwa, secured
a second term in August. The CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa, described
the vote as a “gigantic fraud”. Zanu-PF has denied the fraud claims.
No comments:
Post a Comment