MDC Youth Activist Abducted In Mbare

The MDC which is led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said police were notified of the abductions but claimed the law enforcement agents refused to take action. The MDC has seen a number of the Members of Parliament arrested as well as supporters for various charges that include violence. The party however says the charges are trumped up.

“MDC youth activist, Patrick Kamanga was abducted this morning (Monday) by a group of Zanu (PF) thugs in Magaba area, Mbare. Kamanga was at work in the area when Zanu (PF) youths armed with an assortment of weapons pounced on him and started attacking before they abducted him and took him to secluded place in the area,” the MDC said.

“His whereabouts remain unknown but his life is in danger. The police at Matapi Police Station were notified about the action but they refused to take action.”

On Monday soldiers patrolled the streets of Harare in a show of force after receiving reports that Zimbabweans were preparing to take to the streets to demand freedoms and democracy just like what happened in Egypt and Tunisia. The country’s Defence minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa reportedly said demonstrations against the government will be crushed.

Forty five human rights activists who include former Highfield MP, Munyaradzi Gwisai facing charges of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s government are languishing at the Harare remand prison after being denied bail by the magistrates court. The 45 appear at the magistrates court this morning.

Violence has been rising in the country since the talks of elections by Mugabe and his Zanu PF party at their last conference last year in Mutare in December. The MDC has said it has always been on the receiving side of violence since the party started participating in elections in June 2000. The party says over 200 of their supporters and officials were abducted and killed during the deadly 2008 violence.

On Wednesday Mugabe launches the anti-sanctions petition in Harare which is aimed at collecting over two million signatures which will be taken to the European Union and its Western countries that include the United States of America. The anti-sanctions drive has seen ordinary people being forced to put their signatures in support of the removal of sanctions. There are also fears that business will be disrupted in the capital city as Zanu PF launches the anti-sanctions programme.

In Bulawayo heavily armed police in riot gear went on rampage beating up people for standing in groups after rumours that the Zimbabwe civic society groups were planning a million march on Tuesday in all cities around the country similar to the Egypt and Tunisia uprising.

However, in Bulawayo riot police were randomly beating up city residents in the central business district for standing in groups.

Radio VOP witnessed police beating up vendors at a market near Egodini terminus forcing them to flee in directions.

“They just came in a large group beating everybody and telling us to disperse ‘said Richard Nyoni a vegetable vendor.

Clifford Nyoni who operates a flea market in the city centre told Radio VOP that police not to move in groups of more than ten people as they will risk being shot.