The Zimbabwe chapter of MISA said Kudzai Musengi, who is based in
Gweru, 275 km west of the capital Harare, did not return home on
Tuesday, prompting his wife to check with colleagues as to whether they
knew of his whereabouts. He was last seen by his colleagues Tuesday
afternoon after attending a meeting to plan for this year's World Press
Freedom Day commemorations scheduled for May 3. MISA said it had since
enlisted the assistance of the Media Lawyers Network who could not
locate the missing journalist at the police stations and hospitals in
Gweru. The media watchdog said the lawyers had even visited the offices
of the Central Intelligence Organisation in the town but could not find
the journalist. A member of Media Lawyers Network, Tonderai Chitere,
said Musengi had on March 26 received threats from unidentified persons
over stories he had written on fresh invasions of commercial farms in
the town.
MISA said it was gravely concerned about Musengi's safety and security
as his disappearance comes against the backdrop of the abductions of
former television news anchor Jestina Mukoko and freelance
photojournalist Shadreck Manyere in December 2008. Mukoko and Manyere
were allegedly tortured by their abductors when they went missing on 3
and 13 December 2008, respectively, as their whereabouts remained
unknown until their appearances in court on 24 December 2008 together
with alleged Movement for Democratic Change activists on alleged
charges of banditry. "MISA-Zimbabwe strongly appeals to the authorities
and law enforcement agencies to do everything within their powers and
means to ensure that they find Musengi and, in particular, issue stern
warnings that the abductions, threats and harassment of journalists
conducting their lawful professional duties will be met with the full
wrath of the law," the media body said.