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☆ Death of Political Activist in Zimbabwe Increases Fears of Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( John Eligon | More About John Eligon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An activist with Zimbabwe’s main opposition party was found dead on the side of a road in the capital, Harare, the police said on Tuesday. A party spokesman said he had been abducted while campaigning in a local election over the weekend. The death of the activist, Tapfumanei Masaya, is the latest in what opposition and civil society leaders say has been a string of violent episodes fueling a growing political crisis in the southern African nation since national elections were held in August. President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his governing ZANU-PF party maintained power in the August vote, despite doubts raised by regional and international observers about the election’s credibility. Mr. Masaya, 51, a pastor, was campaigning door to door on Saturday to promote a candidate along with other members of the political party Citizens Coalition for Change when multiple S.U.V.s pulled up and attackers jumped out and chased them, said Gift Ostallos Siziba, a spokesman for the party.

Persons: Tapfumanei Masaya, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Masaya, Ostallos Organizations: ZANU, Coalition Locations: Harare

There are signs that the country has now slipped into another era of brutal oppression, even as newly reelected President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks publicly of “peace, love, harmony and tolerance." “It is the beginning of a new term and we are seeing people being abducted and tortured, people’s homes being burnt down, and lawyers arrested for simply doing their job,” said Doug Coltart, one of Nhende’s lawyers, who was himself arrested. The sight of an elected representative showing injuries from a beating isn't uncommon in Zimbabwe. The CCC and analysts say there is a clear post-election clampdown now that the international observers have left. “It was a sham election, a disputed election, a flawed election.

Persons: Womberaiishe, truncheons, Emmerson Mnangagwa, —, ”, Doug Coltart, Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa, Tapiwa Muchineripi, Coltart, bode, “, ” Mnangagwa's, Nhende, ” Nhende, Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe, Mkwananzi, Siziba, clampdown, Rashweat Mukundu, Nelson Chamisa, Chamisa Organizations: Citizens Coalition, ZANU, CCC, Coltart, Amnesty, Human Rights, PF, Police, AP Locations: HARARE, Zimbabwe, Harare, Africa, Zimbabwean, africa

[1/4] Ostallos Siziba, the Deputy Spokesperson for Zimbabwe's main opposition party The Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) speaks to media in Harare, August 29, 2023. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo Acquire Licensing RightsHARARE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's main opposition party on Tuesday called for last week's elections to be re-run, saying the polls were riddled with flaws and calling on other African countries to help mediate in its impasse with the ruling party. The elections commission said Mnangagwa received roughly 53% of the vote against 44% for the CCC's Nelson Chamisa. Christopher Vandome from policy institute Chatham House's Africa programme said he was unsure the opposition would go the legal route at all. Zimbabwe's foreign ministry summoned European ambassadors to Zimbabwe on Monday and told them their mission's report was "full of misrepresentations and allegations".

Persons: Siziba, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mnangagwa, Nelson Chamisa, Chris Maroleng, Christopher Vandome, Carien du Plessis, Bhargav, Alexander Winning, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Citizens Coalition, REUTERS, Philimon, Rights, Citizens ' Coalition, CCC, PF, ZANU, Good Governance, Southern African, SADC, Thomson Locations: Harare, Philimon Bulawayo, Rights HARARE, Zimbabwe, Good, Chatham, Africa, European

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