Heavy police presence at burial of murdered MDC Alliance official
There was a heavy police presence on Wednesday in Karoi at the burial of the opposition MDC Alliance chairperson for Hurungwe Central, Lavender Chiwaya (34), who was found dead under mysterious circumstances last week on Friday.
The deployment of Police was allegedly in anticipation of riots following accusations by the MDC Alliance that state security agents were responsible for his murder.
Chiwaya’s death was shocking last Friday, with his naked body bruised, his shirt reportedly torn while he had bloodstains on his nose and ears signalling that he could have been involved in a fight.
Zimbabwe Republic Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi refuted claims security agents were involved in the murder of the main opposition official.
“The police are not aware of the alleged abduction or kidnapping as alluded to by some individuals and groups on social media. Full-scale investigations are in progress to find out what exactly happened.
“The police caution the public against interfering with crime scenes as what happened in Karoi is a cause of concern. We appeal to politicians to avoid premature statements and allow the investigation to proceed smoothly.
“Politicians should be careful in their comments as there are allegations of girlfriends and alcohol abuse issues which are now subject to police investigations in this case,” Nyathi said.
Speaking at the funeral, Blessing Mandava, MDC Alliance Mashonaland West spokesperson wished Chiwaya to go well and vowed to continue with the democratic struggle.
“We hope his soul rests in eternal peace with the knowledge that we, the surviving MDC Alliance members, will carry forward the struggle to emancipate long-suffering Zimbabweans,” Mandava said.
