Zimbabwe: Gunmen Abduct Opposition Members Ahead of Planned Protest Opposition members in Zimbabwe were abducted by armed gunmen just hours before a planned protest was set to take place in Harare, according to statements from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, April 23, 2025, in Chitungwiza, a town southeast of the capital. The MDC reported that seven of its members were seized around 3 a.m. By individuals traveling in Mahindra vehicles. The abductors were described as heavily armed, carrying AK-47 rifles and pistols. Among those taken were Decent Dzaida, a member of the National Standing Committee and national chairperson of the Youth Assembly; Tonderai Cephas Makuyana, deputy national youth organising secretary; Austin Name, Chitungwiza provincial treasurer; and Shingirai Chitauro, St Mary’s district youth chairperson. Four additional provincial executive members were also reported missing. Relatives and colleagues have been unable to locate the abducted individuals, and the MDC stated that efforts to find them have so far been unsuccessful. The party condemned the abductions as politically motivated acts aimed at silencing dissent ahead of the planned demonstration. Hours after the abductions, Zimbabwean police issued a formal prohibition notice banning the protest, which had been scheduled to run from Robert Mugabe Square to Africa Unity Square in central Harare between 10 a.m. And 1:30 p.m. On Friday, April 24, 2025. The notice, issued under Section 8(9) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, cited “credible information on oath” suggesting the demonstration could lead to serious public disorder, including disruption of traffic, injury to participants or bystanders, and damage to property. The MDC has maintained that the protest was intended to be peaceful and lawful, arguing that the police ban and the abductions represent an escalation of state pressure against political opposition. As of the latest reports, no official statement has been issued by police regarding the abductions, and the whereabouts of the seven individuals remain unknown.
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