Zim opposition party official kidnapped
An official of Zimbabwe’s opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is alleged to have been kidnapped on Wednesday afternoon and his whereabouts are still unknown.
The party said in a statement on Thursday that its Provincial Secretary for Security in Matebeleland South, Elliot Shelton, was abducted by suspected state security agents driving in two white double cab vehicles without registration in the town of Gwanda on Wednesday afternoon.
“Efforts by the party to locate Shelton since yesterday have been fruitless and we fear for his safety in light of how the state has in the past abducted political and human rights defenders,” the party said.
The party said it held the state and Zanu PF responsible for the suspected abduction of Shelton, and demanded that his abductors release him.
“As the PDP, we demand that Shelton’s abductors must release him to his family and we will make all efforts to secure his location and safe release. Zimbabwe cannot continue to feign being a democracy, yet its citizens who dare criticize the rotten ZANU PF leadership are not guaranteed of safety,” the party said.