A press conference by the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) on Saturday was disrupted by over 10 suspected state agents who appeared to be trying to abduct the new party spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi.
Mkwananzi was delivering an update to the gathered media on how the elections had been beset by irregularities and vote rigging when an unidentified man snatched his speech from his hands and appeared intent on taking him away.
Ten other state agents in unmarked vehicles were parked outside as the commotion ensued. They later sped off after being confronted.
Mkwananzi said “It’s an embarrassment that some people are trying to abduct a whole national spokesperson for a political party. We don’t know who they are but we suspect it’s those who do not want the public to be told the truth. That is why they sent people to abduct me but God has always been on our side.”
Gladys Hlatshwayo who is the CCC Secretary for Foreign Affairs said: “This is regrettable. We have every right to address the press and give our position on this sham of an election we had in Zimbabwe.
“We just wanted to respond to the various election observer missions’ preliminary reports and to give our position on what is happening at the current moment in Zimbabwe but it’s really shocking that Zanu PF functionaries were here trying to disrupt our press conference.
“We have a constitutional right, we didn’t do anything that is illegal, we were just trying to address members of the press and to let the nation know about our position in relation to these elections.
“It’s quite obvious that these are Zanu PF functionaries. They are doing whatever they are doing in the interests of Zanu PF.”
With the video of the disruption going viral, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime tried to spin the narrative that there was an outstanding warrant of arrest for Mkwananzi.
“Please be informed that I don’t have a warrant of arrest. I was cleared of all the flimsy charges that had been preferred against me. All these are lies, laughable desperation to intimidate and restrict people’s freedoms,” Mkwananzi tweeted.