Members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) have allegedly been attacked by rival Zanu-PF supporters at the funeral of murdered CCC activist Moreblessing Ali (35).
The family of the deceased are mounting pressure on the police to unearth the circumstances behind the alleged abduction and subsequent murder of Ali by suspected Zanu-PF members.
Her remains which were found last Saturday show that she was ruthlessly executed. Her body was cut off into two, intestines packed into a plastic bag and her dreadlocks pulled out.
Ali’s mutilated remains were recovered from a disused well in Manyame on Saturday.
On Sunday, a Zanu-PF Councillor identified as Masimbi declared that Ali’s funeral was “problematic and politicized” and it could not be held in his constituency. He ordered the funeral to be held in St Mary’s.
“As the leader of this community, I’m declaring that this funeral event be moved to St Mary’s because it is so problematic. Accordingly, I have dismissed this funeral because it will tarnish our image as Zanu-PF,” he said.
Ali’s family lawyer Job Sikhala on Monday said they were approaching the court on an urgent basis to interdict Zanu-PF leaders from attacking mourners.
“Zanu-PF attacked everyone at Moreblessing Ali’s funeral last night and hijacked the funeral,” he said.
“We are going to Court on an urgent basis now to interdict their MP, Councillor and Simba Chisango who are leading the funeral hijackers.”
Commenting on the Zanu-PF Councillor’s plan to divert the funeral, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa said:
“This is outrageous! If the party cannot rein-in this kind of wayward stupidity where is it going? We have a bereaved family with a victim who has been mutilated to death and in comes this nonsense! This has to end. What country are we becoming.”
British parliamentarian Lord Jonathan Oates took President Emmerson Mnangagwa to task over the death of the opposition activist.
“Tragic news of the murder of Moreblessing Ali, reported as yet another political killing. My deepest condolences to family and friends. The history of political violence, abductions and murder is sadly a long one in Zimbabwe. If Mnangagwa wants re-engagement he has to end this now,” he tweeted.
CCC treasurer general David Coltart said:
“It is important for the world to know that the manner of Moreblessing Ali’s disappearance and murder was not primarily about removing her – she was no political threat – but rather about instilling fear in others. That is why she wasn’t just killed but was also brutalised.
“It is the same reason young expectant mothers had their stomachs ripped open and people were herded into huts to be burnt alive in Gukurahundi. Ironically the publicity given to the circumstances of Moreblessing Ali’s murder suits the propaganda playbook of the oppressors.”
Police were as of late yesterday (Sunday) yet to conclude identification of the remains, while results of an autopsy are yet to be released.
In a statement, police said the body was discovered by Linnah Mukandi (57), who is the mother of the prime suspect Pius Jamba, whose whereabouts remain a mystery.
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