Civic society groups threaten more demos over Dzamara

via Civic society groups threaten more demos over Dzamara – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 17, 2015 by Moses Matenga

CIVIC society groups and political parties in Harare yesterday threatened to continue holding demonstrations against government following the alleged abduction of journalist-cum-human rights activist Itai Dzamara by suspected State security agents last week.

Addressing journalists in the capital, representatives of groups such as Occupy Africa Unity Square, Zapu, Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn, National Youth Action Alliance and several others which worked with Dzamara said they would continue their protests until his alleged abductors have brought him back.

Patson Dzamara, brother of Itai, said they were pursuing legal action against musician and Zanu PF activist Energy Mutodi who recently claimed that Dzamara was in Botswana after a “self-abduction”.

“So many people have spread malicious allegations. For anyone to use that, to use such malicious theories and unfounded versions we think it’s unacceptable and unfair to us as a family,” Patson said

“We are going through a tough time and we appeal to the nation that is ubuntu (humanity), you don’t throw petrol at your neighbours’ house on fire. We don’t know where Itai is, we don’t know his fate, but we are still clinging on to that hope that pretty soon, we will meet Itai,” he said. Mutodi claimed that Dzamara was hiding in a town called Selebi Pikwe in Botswana with a view to cause an uprising in Zimbabwe to dislodge President Robert Mugabe from power.

“We have engaged our legal team and I am sure before the end of day today (yesterday), some headway would have been made to hold them to account because they are claiming to know where the person we are looking for is,” said Patson.

Dzamara was abducted last week following a series of protests against the Mugabe regime.