Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Harare West lawmaker, Joanna Mamombe, has been abducted by suspected state security agents in Zimbabwe, a few days after unknown people visited her mother’s house in Harare.
According to the MDC, the Law and Order Section of the police has distanced itself from the abduction of Mamombe, who was attending parliamentary business in Nyanga, Manicaland province on Saturday.
In a statement, the MDC claims that “a team of about eight henchmen who snatched Hon. Mamombe Boko Haram style claimed to be from police Law and Order Section were driving a Toyota Fortuner registration number ACI 4582. Honorable Joanna Mamombe had been in Nyanga for parliamentary business since the 24th of February.
“This is a result of Zanu PF military political settlement which has seen them create vigilante groups and vested powers of the state to these killer units resulting in deaths of at least 17 people in January and 7 others on 1 August 2018. An Honorable Member has privileges they must enjoy whilst on parliamentary business.
“While in Nyanga, suspected security officers visited Hon. Mamombe’s parents’ home in Glenorah at midnight in search of her, harassing everyone and intruding into personal privacy of innocent people. Yesterday, another arrest was effected on Hon. Godfrey Sithole who surrendered himself to the police. He appears in court today.”
The MDC said it is worried about President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s use of some arms of the government to allegedly terrorize some members of the opposition party led by Nelson Chamisa.
"The regime's disdain towards upholding fundamental human rights is reflected in these barbaric acts. The manner the operation was done sends shivers down the spine of the ordinary civilians. It is a sad incident reflecting retrogression in our Constitutional Democracy against reform pretence by Mr. Mnangagwa.
“The MDC caucus strongly condemns the abduction and arrest of Hon Mamombe and Hon Sithole. When members of Parliament are harrassed and their rights violated in that manner it means the ordinary citizens are worse off. In general acts of torture, arbitrary arrests on trumped up charges, mass trials and conviction are of concern to the MDC caucus.”
Police were unreachable for comment.
More than 12 people were killed recently following public protests in January over the high cost of living. Over 1,000 were arrested during and after the protests called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and other organizations.
Mnangagwa’s government claimed that the protests had a regime change agenda.