A senior journalist for Zimbabwe’s Financial Gazette, Cyril Zenda, has reported to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) that he was robbed and attacked by a vigilante group in Harare last week. Zenda told MISA-Zimbabwe that he was spotted by a vigilante group known as Chipangano when he got off a bus at the main bus terminus in Harare.
He said that the group pulled him to a secluded spot and began interrogating him over a message on a Misa-Zimbabwe T-shirt he was wearing.
The T-shirt bore the message ”Free My Voice: Free the Airwaves”.
He told Misa-Zimbabwe that the group demanded to know what the message meant and why he was wearing a T-shirt with an anti-government slogan.
Zenda said he lied to the group, telling them that the T-shirt had been a gift from his younger brother.
According to Zenda the group then proceeded to tear the T-shirt from his body and burn it.
The group also robbed him of 5 000 Zimbabwe dollars and his cellphone.
Chipangano is a vigilante group associated with the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).
Despite numerous complaints of harassment from members of the public and opposition members, no concrete action has yet been taken by the police to disband the group, Misa said. – Sapa