NAIROBI (KAAB TV) – Outrage reverberates as reports surface regarding the alleged enforced disappearance and torture of Nelson Mukwenha, a political activist associated with the opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
The incident is said to have occurred on August 26 and was purportedly carried out by Zimbabwe’s security forces. Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè, has vehemently condemned these disturbing events, calling for swift and comprehensive action.
“Amnesty International strongly condemns the enforced disappearance and torture of Nelson Mukwenha, allegedly at the hands of Zimbabwe’s security forces,” asserted Farisè in response to the alarming news.
The rights advocacy organization urges the authorities to promptly initiate a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into Mukwenha’s disappearance and subsequent torture. Farisè underscored the importance of transparency in sharing the investigation’s findings with the public and ensuring that any individuals suspected of involvement are subjected to fair trials.
“Everyone, regardless of their political outlook, should be able to freely express themselves and participate in peaceful activism without the fear of abduction or harm,” emphasized Farisè, calling for the protection of the basic human rights of all Zimbabwean citizens.
Amnesty International’s call also resonates for enforced disappearances and abductions to be treated as grave crimes, necessitating justice and accountability. Zimbabwe has been marred by such incidents in the past, with activists like Itai Dzamara and Moreblessing Ali facing similar fates.
On the evening of August 26, 2023, Mukwenha was reportedly seized by suspected security officials from his residence in Highfields, Harare, following his participation in preventing the abduction of Promise Mkwananzi, CCC’s spokesperson, during a press conference earlier in the day. Subsequently, he endured torture before being left in a forest on the outskirts of Harare.
Zimbabwe’s history has been marred by instances of enforced abductions and disappearances. In 2015, activist and journalist Itai Dzamara was abducted from a barbershop in Harare and has not been seen since. Similarly, Moreblessing Ali was abducted in 2022 and later found dead after weeks of being missing.
Amid growing concern for the safety and well-being of political activists and citizens alike, calls for justice and accountability reverberate throughout the nation, pressing for an end to such grave violations of human rights.