A Central Intelligence Organization operative identified as Lizwe Mapahla, June 6 caused a scene at Redcliff Hotel, owned by Robert Mugabe’s chief election agent and Zanu (PF) heir, Emmerson Mnagagwa. Mapahla confiscated a copy of Midlands News (an independently owned community newspaper) from the hotel’s reception and banned staff from reading it. He accused the paper of an anti Zanu (PF) stance.
Mapahla, stationed at the Kwekwe President’s office, uttered threats for individual reporters: Group Editor Owen Matava and News Editor, Blessed Mhlanga. He is reported to have said that they would be effectively dealt with. According to eye-witnesses, the CIO operative was in a drunken stupor, and was incensed when a hotel employee read a copy of the newspaper at the front desk.
 He threatened to deal with Matava and Mhlanga saying the two were working against the struggle. The guy was very abusive and most of us thought he was going to assault the receptionist. Security had to be called in to deal with the situation. We were later told that the guy is a CIO operative, an eye-witness said.
On June 6 a war veteran delivered a death threat to the Editor of another community newspaper based in Kwekwe. He told Flata Kavhinga of The Midlands Observer that there were plans to eliminate him. The war vet accused him of publishing anti-Mugabe stories and working against the struggle. Kavhinga is reported to have gone on leave for fear of his life.
 Ask Iden Witheral (of the Zimbabwe Independent) whether Zanu (PF) has the capacity to deal with you. If you continue writing like that we will deal with you. I am not a person you can play around with, Valentine Makombe, the Kwekwe Rural District Chairman of Zanu (PF), threatened Matava.
Reports continue to show that reporters have either disappeared or were found dead following abductions by the CIO.
Post published in: News