Ex-MDC MP abducted, tortured and injected with 'unknown substance'

James Chidhakwa, the former Member of Parliament for Mabvuku Tafara, was reportedly subjected to abduction, torture, and subsequently left in Acturus on Monday night, as reported by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).

This incident is unfolding amidst the CCC's ongoing struggle against the ruling Zanu-PF party and internal dissident factions within the citizens' movement.

The CCC released a statement alleging that Chidhakwa had been forcibly taken, subjected to severe physical harm, injected with an unidentified substance, and later abandoned in Acturus around midnight by suspected state agents. His dreadlocks were forcibly removed using a sharp implement. Presently, Chidhakwa is receiving medical attention at a local hospital. The CCC strongly condemned these acts of violence and aggression, asserting that the Harare regime continues to perpetrate attacks on its members.

The statement also underscored the belief that the Harare government is fully aware of its contentious victory in the recently concluded, highly controversial, and disorganized elections. This is seen as the underlying reason for their resort to tactics resembling those of a terrorist organization, involving the abduction and torture of innocent CCC members. The CCC vehemently condemned such conduct.

The statement, however, did not specify the location or provide a description of the individuals responsible for Chidhakwa's abduction. In recent years, human rights organizations have documented numerous instances of abductions in Zimbabwe, which they claim are orchestrated by state security agents with the aim of hindering the main opposition party and union activities. The government has consistently dismissed these allegations, often suggesting that the activists are staging the abductions themselves.