MDC official abducted after Tandare memorial service

By Lance Guma
27 March 2007

On Tuesday suspected state security agents abducted Last Maengahama, the secretary for local government in the Tsvangirai MDC, soon after the memorial service for slain activist Gift Tandare. An alert issued by the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said Maengahama was abducted at gunpoint from Borrowdale Shopping Centre by a group of men wearing plain clothes. He was on his way from the Northside Community church where Tandare’s memorial service had just taken place. Maengahama was bundled into a waiting vehicle that had no number plates before his abductors drove away with him. Attempts to locate his whereabouts where still ongoing at the time Newsreel went on air.

Over 500 people attended Tandare’s memorial service in Harare.
Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa reports that’s the atmosphere was sombre with members of the Christian Alliance presenting a bible to Tandare’s widow. The message attached to the presentation was that the bible would offer words of encouragement to the family. Tandare’s wife, 3 children, sister and other members of the family were present to finally say goodbye. This follows the grabbing of his body by armed state security agents who proceeded to bury him in Mt Darwin, without his family’s consent. Tandare’s widow broke down several times and had to be consoled and counselled by several pastors at the service.

Speakers at the service included Lovemore Madhuku from the NCA, Promise Mkwananzi from ZINASU, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara from the MDC. Mutambara compared the late Tandare to individuals like the late nationalists Josiah Tongogara and Herbert Chitepo. He also drew comparisons with murdered MDC activist Tichaona Chiminya saying they all died for their country. Tsvangirai also gave his sympathies to the Tandare family urging them to remain strong. Members from WOZA, the Christian Alliance, MDC, the students unions, NCA and other civic groups attended and so did many foreign diplomats.

In his speech Tsvangirai told the gathering in Borrowdale that it would be folly for the opposition to go into presidential elections next year without a new democratic constitution. The opposition leader hinted at a possible boycott if the issue was not addressed. ZINASU president Mkwananzi urged the two factions of the divided MDC to unite and put forward one candidate next year if presidential elections do go ahead as hinted by Mugabe.