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MDC to hold mid-day press conference over Chamisa 'kidnap'
12 Nov 2018 at 06:39hrs | Views
The MDC has called a press conference for 11.30AM to talk about an incident on Saturday in which the party says armed men believed to be state security agents attempted to abduct the party leader Nelson Chamisa.
Over the weekend, the MDC claimed that state security agents tried to snatch Chamisa leading to a dramatic tussle with his security as he returned from a rally in Marondera.
The party's spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the suspected security agents tried to block Chamisa's motorcade and seize him in Harare's Mabvuku surburb. Mafume said about six vehicles followed Chamisa's convoy from Marondera where he had addressed thousands of supporters at a "thank you" rally at Rudhaka Stadium.
Mafume said an attempt to "retrieve" the MDC leader from his vehicle by armed men who got out of a Toyota Harrier, was repelled his security.
The men, whom he was sure were Central Intelligence Organisation agents, had then pulled Chamisa's driver and thrown him in the backseat of their vehicle.
In what Mafume described as an "ill-advised, spur-of-the-moment reaction", Chamisa had left his vehicle and proceeded to the Toyota where a video of the incident shows him diving into the back seat, apparently to pull out his driver. Chamisa was quickly grabbed by his security.
"The driver of the Toyota left at high speed, still with president Chamisa's driver in the car. After about 50 or so meters, the driver managed to force open the door and jump out," Mafume narrated.
Chamisa's aides reported the incident at Mabvuku Police Station.
The government has since denied that the Central Intelligence Organisation or Military Intelligence had been involved in an incident on Saturday in which the MDC says an attempt was made to abduct its leader Nelson Chamisa and his driver.
Instead, the government accused the MDC leader and his security detail of "aggressively confronting and manhandling" a private motorist and his passengers after they drove behind Chamisa's convoy.
Chamisa, according to a statement by Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Sunday, had "lobbed himself at the backseat of their vehicle punching and scratching".
"The victims, who are just ordinary citizens going about their own business until the attack have reported this matter to the police who are carrying out further investigations. This would appear to be a road rage incident," Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa said "for the avoidance of any doubt the CIO was not involved in the reported incident which is now under police investigation."
Over the weekend, the MDC claimed that state security agents tried to snatch Chamisa leading to a dramatic tussle with his security as he returned from a rally in Marondera.
The party's spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the suspected security agents tried to block Chamisa's motorcade and seize him in Harare's Mabvuku surburb. Mafume said about six vehicles followed Chamisa's convoy from Marondera where he had addressed thousands of supporters at a "thank you" rally at Rudhaka Stadium.
Mafume said an attempt to "retrieve" the MDC leader from his vehicle by armed men who got out of a Toyota Harrier, was repelled his security.
The men, whom he was sure were Central Intelligence Organisation agents, had then pulled Chamisa's driver and thrown him in the backseat of their vehicle.
In what Mafume described as an "ill-advised, spur-of-the-moment reaction", Chamisa had left his vehicle and proceeded to the Toyota where a video of the incident shows him diving into the back seat, apparently to pull out his driver. Chamisa was quickly grabbed by his security.
"The driver of the Toyota left at high speed, still with president Chamisa's driver in the car. After about 50 or so meters, the driver managed to force open the door and jump out," Mafume narrated.
Chamisa's aides reported the incident at Mabvuku Police Station.
The government has since denied that the Central Intelligence Organisation or Military Intelligence had been involved in an incident on Saturday in which the MDC says an attempt was made to abduct its leader Nelson Chamisa and his driver.
Instead, the government accused the MDC leader and his security detail of "aggressively confronting and manhandling" a private motorist and his passengers after they drove behind Chamisa's convoy.
Chamisa, according to a statement by Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on Sunday, had "lobbed himself at the backseat of their vehicle punching and scratching".
"The victims, who are just ordinary citizens going about their own business until the attack have reported this matter to the police who are carrying out further investigations. This would appear to be a road rage incident," Mutsvangwa said.
Mutsvangwa said "for the avoidance of any doubt the CIO was not involved in the reported incident which is now under police investigation."
Source - online
