‘Report police failure to handle abduction cases to responsible Minister’

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime has advised people who are disgruntled with the way the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) are handling abduction cases to engage Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe who will summon police commanders over the matter.

This comes after at least three abduction cases were recorded in the space of a month involving opposition members as victims.

Last Saturday, opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist Tapfumaneyi Masaya was abducted in Mabvuku-Tafara before being found dead on Monday.

Former MP and CCC member James Chidhakwa was, 24 October 2023, also allegedly abducted and tortured.

On 1 November, Zimbabwe’s youngest MP Takudzwa Ngadziore was abducted only to be released naked after a massive public outcry. He was allegedly injected with an unknown substance.

Mt Pleasant MP Fadzayi Mahere on Wednesday asked the leader of government business in Parliament Ziyambi Ziyambi;

“What is the policy to ensure that the Police carry out the constitutional obligations? So far, we have seen the Government letting the Police get away with making statements that are not followed up by any investigations, arrests or prosecutions?”

The Minister responded saying the conduct of the police is governed by the Home Affairs Ministry hence any grievances against the law enforcement agents must be directed there.

“I indicated if she has concrete information that the police are not acting, then the Minister of Home Affairs is available for her to bring that information and we deal with the Police Command why they are not doing that.

“I have indicated that as a Government, we want this nation to be peaceful. We do not want lawlessness; we do not have a policy at all of murdering each other,” he said.

“If there is anything, it is contrary to our beliefs as Government and as a party. If she has information about the non-investigation of that particular issue, I am sure from what she is saying, she has a lot of information and the Minister will be glad to listen to that and be able to summon the Commanders of the Police why they are not taking that information and acting upon it, to ensure that those allegations are investigated and improved. The courts are there and the people will be taken to court.”

Mnangagwa’s regime is accused of orchestrating human rights abuses including abductions, torture and arbitrary arrests to silence dissenting voices.

Concerned about the level of violence against the opposition members, the United States government has since called the regime in Harare to investigate cases of abductions.

“The United States is alarmed by the reported abduction and death of an opposition campaign worker in Zimbabwe. We call for a full investigation by the local authorities, peaceful preparations for the December by-elections and an end to political violence,” the US Embassy in Harare noted.