MDC candidate abducted at gunpoint in Murehwa

By Tererai Karimakwenda
May 22, 2008

State agents in Murehwa town abducted the MDC candidate for ward 6 on Thursday morning, as they continued to terrorise Murehwa district. A party supporter who was with him said Shepherd Jani was beaten severely by 4 men as they dragged him into a blue twin cab, registration number AAA 9248. Our contact said the vehicle was familiar and he believes it is the same car that was used in the abduction of Langton Mafuse, the MDC candidate for ward 10 Murehwa North, who was taken from his home last week and has still not been located.

The MDC supporters with Jani said they tried to grab him and fight back, but the abductors pulled out guns and threatened to shoot if they did not back off. Jani was crying out in pain as he was beaten and forced into the vehicle. “Ndaedza kubatsira nekuti handisati ndambonzwa murume achichema kudaro (I tried helping because I have never heard a grown man cry like that),” said our contact.

The car sped off and was last seen heading at high speed towards Macheke. Our contact said that the state agents appear to be targeting MDC candidates from ward to ward, and all party activists who served as election agents, causing a major defeat of ZANU-PF in the council and parliamentary polls on March 29.

MDC officials and supporters in the Murehwa area report that many party members have been assaulted since the elections. Many suffered broken limbs and were taken to hospitals out of the area for their safety. Others with serious injuries have not sought medical treatment, fearing for their lives. In some cases state agents have been seen hanging around at local clinics and state run hospitals in order to block their victims from receiving treatment.

Our contact appealed to the MP for Murehwa, the health minister David Parirenyatwa, to take control of the area and stop the violence against opposition supporters. But Murehwa residents say that the Minister is directing the violence or is involved in some way. Last month he forced businesses to close and gathered residents in a local hall for a meeting, where he told them to vote for ZANU-PF next time in order to avoid violence.

Many abductions are still being reported around the country. Most victims turn up having been tortured or savagely beaten, while others are just found in the mortuaries. It is inconceivable that an election can be held in Zimbabwe under these conditions but the victims of violence say it has made their resolve to get rid of ZANU-PF even stronger.