Mandaza demands answers over silence on SAPES Trust bombing

SAPES Trust director Dr Ibbo Mandaza has expressed frustration over what he described as a "concerning silence" by police following last week's bombing of the SAPES Trust premises in Harare's Belgravia area.

The blast, which occurred in the early hours of last Tuesday, destroyed part of the organisation's conference room - just hours before a scheduled press briefing by opposition politicians. The event was meant to address Zanu-PF's controversial bid to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term of office to 2030.

Police swiftly cordoned off the area, declaring it a crime scene, and the politicians were forced to relocate the media address to another venue.

Mandaza said he was alarmed that, despite the large-scale police and military response, authorities have yet to issue any formal communication on the incident.

"Police were there in full force," Mandaza said. "They brought all various forces for investigation - the dog section, CID, soldiers, air force personnel - yet there is no report on progress. Not even a statement confirming the bombing."

Mandaza described the attack as "a terrorist act" with "hallmarks of state capture", questioning why no suspects had been named or arrests made despite what he said were clear leads.

"It was a clear bombing that brought down the whole building," he said. "Given the seriousness of the case, the police treated it like a terrorist attack - they brought bomb disposal experts, forensic teams, and the army. Yet there has been total silence since."

Mandaza estimated the material damage at about US$70,000, including destroyed furniture, office equipment, and irreplaceable Pan-African historical collections.

"I had portraits of leaders like Robert Mugabe, Julius Nyerere, Kwame Nkrumah, and W.E.B. Du Bois - the founder of the Pan-African Movement," he said. "I also lost several original artworks from one of the best artists in the country. That was our biggest loss."

Mandaza said his insurance company declined to cover the destroyed property inside the building, citing limitations in the policy.

He added that he had communicated with Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and other senior officials but had received no official feedback.

"The point is that the police have leads and have done investigations, yet not a single statement has been issued nor any arrest made," Mandaza said.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi declined to provide details when contacted, saying only:

"Please check with me tomorrow for an update."

The explosion at SAPES Trust - a leading regional policy think tank - has sparked public concern, with civic groups and academics urging authorities to treat the case with urgency and transparency.