More abductions and no sign of peace worker

Jestina Mukoko – the
human rights campaigner
abducted from her home.

HARARE – Two officers with the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) were kidnapped on Monday, five days after ZPP Director Jestina Mukoko was abducted from her home. Former broadcaster Mukoko is still missing.

Pascal Gonzo, who was briefly arrested in Nyanga last Thursday, and Provincial Coordinator Brodrick Takawira were snatched at their offices by six men in unmarked cars. One worker managed to escape and has gone into hiding.
The plot thickened on Monday with the police denying they had anything to do with Mukoko’s abduction.
In a letter responding to an appeal by the National Association of Non Governmental Organisations (NANGO), Chief Superintendent Nzombe wrote: “Be advised that investigations into circumstances of the taking away of Jestina Mukoko from her home have been instituted under Zimbabwe Republic Police Norton, report received book number 0438167. The matter is being treated as kidnapping.”
The Chief Superintendent added: “It must be noted that Jestina Mukoko is not in any of our police cells. We will keep you informed of the progress and outcome of the investigations.”
The ZPP is a monitoring group that documents human rights abuses across the country.
Meanwhile 15 MDC activists and a two-year-old baby are still missing, six weeks after they were abducted in the Zvimba area, this is despite the High Court ordering the police to produce them.
Another two activists who were arrested in Harare and Norton two weeks ago are also still missing, and lawyers have been unable to locate them.
In their statement, NANGO said: “Hundreds of other prisoners of conscience remain incarcerated in various centres around Zimbabwe. These prisoners are the victims of the state's implementation of a host of repressive pieces of legislation that threaten not only democracy but the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms in Zimbabwe.”
Former US President Jimmy Carter has taken the issue of Jestina Mukoko’s abduction by state agents in Zimbabwe to the United Nations.