By Prince Njagu| The ZANU PF regime should be held accountable for the disappearance and torture of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance, legislator Joanna Mamombe, youth leaders Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. The trio were ostensibly arrested on Wednesday for demonstrating against the chaotic government Covid-19 response.
As the vast of Zimbabweans are starving during this lockdown, and a few brave citizens took to the streets for peaceful demonstrations, the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) mafia run government goes on to abduct and abuse these people for exercising their constitutional right.
The MDC Alliance trio only surfaced a two days later, after massive calls for their release from several local and international pressure groups. They were found in bad condition, dumped at Muchapondwa shops in Bindura South.
The British and United States embassies in the country had also expressed concerns over the disappearances of the MDC Alliance trio.
European Union had issued a statement urging authorities to act “in line with constitutional and legal obligations … to establish their whereabouts and well-being.”
Every citizen of a state has the right to express their discontentment, and demonstrations should not be used as grounds by the government to abduct and torture protestors.
Is this what the ZANU PF mafia regime calls democracy? It is an individual’s civic right to take to the streets and express discontent, without being persecuted after excising your right.
The ZANU PF regime should desist from these barbaric abductions and torture of oppositional members. This is the 21st century and everyone has the right to express their discontent.
An administration cannot talk of democracy, when people vanish from police custody, and only to resurface days later abused and tortured.
Police spokesperson, Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the three MDC officials; and them disappearing is just unorthodox.
The police are supposed to safeguard the citizenry, but when people are arrested and go missing under their custody tells a lot about the ZANU PF regime.
Such things can only happen in a mafia state, not in a democracy. When citizens are arrested, they should be charged, not tortured.
This regime has gotten away with numerous, atrocious human right violations over the years. It is high time the international community step in and free Zimbabweans who are under bondage.
The international community should see the gross abuse of power by the ZANU PF mafia regime. Individuals cannot vanish from police custody, only to resurface badly abused and tortured.
This is so traumatising and disheartening especially at a time when the country should be joining forces.
Under no circumstances should anyone be exposed to inhuman treatment or torture.
The ZANU PF regime has been known for these abductions and torture antics, even during the Mugabe era. The question which many are asking at the moment is when will all this come to an end? When will Zimbabweans be free from this authoritarian regime which masks itself as a democracy.
Elections are stolen, abductions, torture and now the citizenry are starving under the government enforced lockdown without any government assistance.