Tragic News: Activist Bishop Tapfumaneyi Masaya Found Dead After Abduction
In a distressing turn of events, Bishop Tapfumaneyi Masaya, an activist associated with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has been found.
He was reportedly abducted by suspected State security agents in Mabvuku, Harare, over the weekend. Masaya’s abduction occurred while he was campaigning for the re-election of Munyaradzi Febion Kufahakutizwi, who had been recalled alongside 14 others by the self-proclaimed CCC interim secretary-general, Sengezo Tshabangu, following the August 23 and 24 harmonized elections.
Gift Siziba, the deputy spokesperson of the CCC, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, stating that Masaya, their “change champion,” was found dead. Siziba further expressed frustration over the recall of the legitimately elected Member of Parliament for Mabvuku, Hon Kufa, which allegedly paved the way for ZANU PF. The loss of an innocent life in this process has left the party demanding justice.
Although Masaya’s body is suspected to have been dumped at the intersection of Arcturus and Lobho roads in the Cleveland area, the police have not yet confirmed his identity. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi acknowledged the discovery of an unidentified body in the Cleveland area but stated that the victim’s identity is yet to be established. Police personnel are currently investigating the matter.
This unfortunate incident adds to a disturbing trend of abductions and torture targeting opposition activists in Zimbabwe. Just two weeks ago, CCC legislator Takudzwa Ngadziore recorded a video of armed men closing in on him before he was abducted, tortured, injected with an unknown substance, and later abandoned in Mazowe.
Similarly, former Mabvuku-Tafara MP James Chidhakwa experienced abduction, torture, injection with an unknown substance, and head shaving before being dumped in Arcturus. Tragically, journalist and human rights defender Itai Dzamara was abducted in 2015 and remains missing to this day after disappearing from a barbershop near his Glen View home in Harare.
These incidents shed light on the ongoing issue of abductions in Zimbabwe, with human rights defender Jestina Mukoko recently revealing the government’s involvement in her 2008 abduction, implicating current Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, who was then the Minister of Home Affairs. Despite the victims’ accounts, the government routinely dismisses the complaints and accuses the activists of staging the abductions.
The circumstances surrounding Bishop Tapfumaneyi Masaya’s untimely death highlight the urgent need for a thorough investigation into these abductions and a concerted effort to address the concerning human rights situation in Zimbabwe.
