Dzamara was abducted from his Glenview home area by suspected members of the Central Intelligence Organisation, CIO, on 9 March. Prior to his abduction, had led protests in Harare demanding the resignation of President Robert Mugabe.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights made an urgent application with the High Court seeking for the release of Dzamara, which was heard by Justice David Mangota on 13 March.
The judge ordered the state to look for the rights activist and bring him back unharmed. Three weeks after Dzamara went missing government has failed to do this and the lawyers on Saturday said they wanted to government to be charged with contempt of the court.
“While others are enjoying the holiday break, in Zimbabwe, human rights lawyers have commenced Contempt of Court proceedings against Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Happyton Bonyongwe and State Security Minister for failing to comply with a High Court order issued on Friday 13 March 2015 by Justice David Mangota which obliges them to report after every two weeks on progress they have made in searching for the missing Dzamara,” said Kumbirai Mafunda ZLHR spokesperson in a statement.
Meanwhile a coalition of NGOs says it is planning to introduce a reward for anyone with information on the missing scribe. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said they were also going to start mobilising citizens to demonstrate against Dzamara’s continued disappearance.
“We are left with no option but to go in our numbers to government and demand that they must release Dzamara. Plans are underway and very soon you are going to see masses flocking the streets, demonstrating against this unfortunate situation,” said programmes manager Nixon Nyikadzino.
Post published in: News