11 April 2007 The campaign of terror that the state is accused of employing mainly in Harare has now apparently moved to the second largest city of Bulawayo. This follows revelations that the Joint Operations Command comprising all the security services has directed the crackdown be implemented countrywide. According to Nelson Chamisa a spokesman for the Tsvangirai MDC, over 4 activists were abducted on Tuesday in Bulawayo. National executive member Sikululekile Nkala and Themba Nyathi from the Tsvangirai MDC were moved to Harare, arriving there in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Nkala is being held at Harare Central while Nyathi is at Matapi police station in Mbare.
Speaking to Newsreel from Bulawayo, Sam Sipepa Nkomo a senior official in the party, said they are surprised as to why the two have been transferred to Harare. He says Nkala especially ‘is a little young girl still in school.’ Nkomo says most MDC officials are now in hiding following reports that state security agents are raiding homes in the city and looking for opposition activists. The environment in Bulawayo has been relatively calm but all that has changed this week. Its now reported several people have been picked up and taken to Harare in a truck.
In Harare Godfrey Koster, a Youth Coordinator in the MDC, and Darlington Madzonga, a personal assistant to Chamisa, were abducted at gunpoint from Karigamombe Centre. The two had visited the offices of the Students Solidarity Trust at Construction House on personal business. It’s reported that when they came out of the building their car had been clamped by the Municipal traffic police. On going to the municipal offices at Trafalgar Court to pay the fine two unidentified man produced a gun and bundled them into a waiting vehicle.,,,
Since Wednesday last week over 19 activists were arrested in Harare alone....
In related stories, 7 student leaders were abducted for protesting against a decision to deny them food by Masvingo State University authorities. 5 of the students have been released but the Student Representative Council president Witlow Mugwiji and Secretary General Edson Hlatswayo's whereabouts are still unknown.
