By Sheryleen Masuku
Mthwakazi Republic Party MRP’s President Mqondisi Moyo is now hiding in an undisclosed forest following a raid at his house last month by suspected State security agents.
This was revealed by the party’s former secretary Mbonisi Gumbo in an exclusive interview with Next Level News Network.
Gumbo said members of MRP are worried about their leader’s safety and well being as he is now living in the forest.
A growing number of Zimbabwe’s activists are either in hiding, behind bars or
awaiting trial as ZANU PF led government has continued to face criticism from
the local and international community over the continued clampdown on activists
and the shrinking democratic space in the country.
Many opposition activists
have been detained, denied bail or abducted since Emmerson Munangagwa assumed
power in 2017 following a coup which ousted the last president Robert Mugabe.
The government of Zimbabwe has denied allegations that they are targeting opposition members including any involvement
in any abduction of political activists .
Gumbo however, believes that
Zimbabwe’s State security agents are responsible for the ongoing harassment of
political activists including MRP members.
“We suspect ZANU PF members, the Central
Intelligence Organisation, Zimbabwe Republic Police, and Zimbabwe National
Army, they might be the ones who are after our President’s life.”
Said Gumbo.
Gumbo blamed the state security agents for the on- going harassment and persecution of political opponents in the country. “They are just being petty and their agenda is clearly to form a one party state, they want to kill opposition leaders and destroy opposition parties”. Contacted for comment MRP’s Communications officer Velile Moyo, said the party’s President had vowed to remain in hiding and had refused to hand himself over to the police for questioning because he is aware that his political opponents want to arrest him. “They actually called him to come for some questioning; he is determined not to go to the police station”.
”He said he will not submit himself to his oppressors. It’s part of defiance on his part because we know ZANU PF silences opposition through arrests”.
Nine members of MRP are behind bars in Bulawayo following clashes with the police last month during a protest where the party demanded to know the whereabouts of their leader Mqondisi Moyo.
Velile Moyo expressed concern over the most vulnerable members of the party that are among those who have been detained and denied bail.
“We have two senior citizens who are both way past retirement age.”
“Levson Ncube and Tinos Nkomo are two elderly men that have been arrested.”
Moyo said MRP is assisting the families of those who have been arrested.
“We have been providing for their families with some basic stuff as many of those who were arrested are the breadwinners in their family”.
Sibongile Bhanda and Busi Ncube are the only women among those who have been detained and are currently detained at Mlondolozi Prison.
Moyo said the nine members of the party are expected to appear in court on the 16th of April 2021.
