By Political reporter-Two prominent opposition figures, former MP Costa Machingauta and current MP Prince Sibanda, were abducted and arrested during the recently concluded Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare.
Machingauta was forcibly taken from his home by armed men on Thursday.
His lawyers eventually located him in police custody, where he had been held incommunicado.
Machingauta claims that his minor children were assaulted during the abduction, further escalating concerns about the government’s human rights record.
On Saturday, Prince Sibanda, another opposition MP, was arrested in Beitbridge, coinciding with the gathering of SADC heads of state in Harare.
His arrest follows a broader crackdown, with police apprehending 12 individuals in Gokwe on Friday for allegedly protesting against the ruling Zanu PF government.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) confirmed the arrests, which have sparked outrage among citizens and human rights groups.
The detainees, reportedly members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), had vocally opposed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent appointment as SADC Chairperson.
They are currently being held at Chitekete Police Station, accused of staging a flash protest at Gokwe Centre on August 15, 2024.
Among the detainees are the two wives of Tawanda Siampongo from the Gokwe-Kabuyuni constituency, arrested after police failed to locate their husband.
The government’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation, with critics accusing it of trying to silence dissent.
In a viral video circulated on Thursday, activist leader Givemore Chuma voiced the group’s frustration, declaring, “SADC must not be used to sanitize President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s illegitimacy. We, the people of Gokwe, reject this. Mnangagwa must leave office—he wasn’t elected by the people. Advocate Nelson Chamisa is the rightful winner and deserves the chairmanship.”
The protests come amid growing discontent with Zanu PF’s 44-year rule, which many believe has failed to deliver on its promises.