Political Activist Abductions in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has seen a number of its political activist abducted over the years. In some cases the abductors have never been identified but suspected to be state security agents. In others, it turned out it was them after the abductee was revealed to be in state security agents' custody.

This page lists the known abductions:

Ishmael Kauzani, December 2016

In December 2016, a mini bus Ishmael Kauzani was travelling in was followed by unmarked truck and later ordered to stop. Men in the truck asked for Kauzani to come out of the car and join them. Other passengers in the bus refused to allow his assailants to take him but the men produce guns and fired into the air which caused the bus passengers to scurry for cover. They then took Kauzani away. Kauzani narrated what happened next: Kauzani narrated what happened next:

"They bundled me into their truck and started beating me with logs as they drove to a forest where they further severely assaulted me and left me there. They came back some moments later and found me still there, as I could hardly stand. They ran their car over my legs and took away all my clothes, leaving me naked. After that they then drove me close to a nearby bar where I was assisted by some Good Samaritans to get to this clinic,"^[1]

Patson Dzamara, November 2016

During the early hours of 18 November 2016, unidentified armed men blocked a vehicle in which Patson Dzamara (brother to missing abductee Itai Dzamara) was travelling in. Some of Patson Dzamara's colleagues fled but the armed men succeeded in blindfolding Dzamara and bundling him into a truck before setting his vehicle on fire. Dzamara was assaulted on the back of the head and all over his back with spikes which had been thrown in front of his vehicle before being driven to a place which he strongly suspects to be Lake Chivero.

Dzamara suspected that the unidentified men intended to throw him in Lake Chivero but they eventually tied up his hands and dumped him undressed near Snake Park in Norton and along the Harare-Bulawayo highway after tearing up all his clothes and further assaulting him. Dzamara managed to crawl to the Harare-Bulawayo highway, where well-wishers eventually rescued him. He was later hospitalised.

Itai Dzamara, March 2015

Itai Dzamara in hospital after being assaulted by police

On the morning of 9 March 2015, Itai Dzamara was abducted by five unidentified men while at a barber shop in Harare's Glenview suburb. Itayi had led a number of protests against the government and president Robert Mugabe. he had also a petition requesting that the president step down from office. Dzamara is still missing and the family has said they have received little support from the state in locating him.

Jestina Mukoko, December 2008

On December 3, 2008, early in the morning, men in an unmarked vehicle came to the Norton home of human rights activist, Jestina Mukoko and bundled her into an unmarked vehicle. She went missing for 21 days. Mukoko’s family visited government offices for assistance and got none, searched hospitals and morgues and said they felt hope and despair whenever the body of a woman was found. On December 24, it was revealed that she had been abducted by state security agents when she suddenly appeared in court on charged with attempting to recruit people for military training to try to overthrow the government. SHe appeared in court with other abductees, some of who had apparently been missing for 76 days; Chris Dhlamini, the head of security for the opposition MDC-T, Collen Mutemagawo and Violet Mupfuranhehwe.

Mukoko narrated in tears to a paper:

"This is all I recall in respect of my ordeal from the 3rd of December 2008 when I was abducted from my house until the 22nd of December when I ended up appearing at a police station and being charged of offences which I denied committing. My kidnappers are still roaming free." ^[2]