The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe, has dismissed as false allegations that MDC Alliance vice president Mr Tendai Biti was on Monday abducted by state agents.
He said those found circulating false abduction narratives will be prosecuted.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Minister Kazembe said the false allegations were designed to soil the image of the country, and to solicit undeserved international sympathy.
“The latest example being the fake news, circulated on November 8, 2021 about the alleged abduction of MDC-A vice leader, Tendai Biti, by five armed men,” he said.
“The falsehood went viral, with the Government being falsely accused of orchestrating forced disappearances and abduction of political opponents to silence the opposition.
“The MDC-A took a long time to respond to the false news before its spokesperson, Fadzai Mahere, issued a statement dismissing the fake news.”
According to Minister Kazembe, the abduction narrative follows the same template used in the staged disappearances of activist and medical doctor, Peter Magombeyi, and that of MDC-A Member of Parliament for Harare West Joana Mamombe, along with youth members Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova.
“These reports always surface on the eve of global summits or the periodic reviews of Western-imposed sanctions,” he said.
“This latest story coincides with growing calls for the unconditional removal of sanctions against the country, following UN Rapporteur, Professor Alena Douhan’s report, whose findings the MDC-A, particularly Biti, disputed.
“Law enforcement agencies will unearth those behind peddling of such false narratives and ensure that the perpetrators face the law.”
The Zimbabwe Republic Police on Wednesday confirmed that no report of such a matter had been made at any police station by Mr Tendai Biti or his party.
