THE ZIMBABWE
PEACE PROJECT
“Institutions meant to enforce
the rule of law and protect
democracy and serve the
people of Zimbabwe are
unashamedly working to
protect the Zanu-PF ideology
of a one-party state
Human rights activist,
Thandekile Moyo
Currently, student activist and president of the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU),
Takudzwa Ngadziore, is in prison.
On 10 September Zinasu, staged a peaceful demonstration outside Impala Car Rental offices,
demanding justice for student and activist Tawanda Muchehiwa, a victim of abduction. The
state responded by abducting, assaulting and jailing Ngadziore.
Zinasu’s demonstration was to put pressure on Impala to release tracking details of the vehicle
used in the abduction of Muchehiwa, hired from the company.
So far, Impala has not been forthcoming in assisting with the identification of the owner of the
vehicle, a Ford Ranger that was used in abduction of Muchehiwa, and at some point Impala
gave investigative reporters a fake name and a nonexistent address of the client, leading the
reporters on a wild goose chase.
After being initially arrested over the 10 September demonstration, Ngadziore was released
and on 18 September, he was abducted then arrested after holding a press conference close to
Impala Car Rental offices.
His abductors, who also assaulted journalists and destroyed recording equipment, were
captured on camera, but no arrests have been made. Instead, Ngadziore found himself in
police custody, pointing to a long suspected collusion between ‘abductors’ and the police, as
is the case in the abduction of Muchehiwa and others. On 1 September, Nickson Mpofu, 40,
was abducted by suspected state security agents after posting on social media that he would
expose ministers involved in a car rental scandal. Reports indicate that at 10 pm, Mpofu’s home
in Chitungwiza was raided and he was forcibly taken by five armed men who abducted,
tortured and later dumped him near his home; a modus operandi many Zimbabweans identify
with State security agents.
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