By Enyichukwu Enemanna
An opposition activist in Zimbabwe abducted at the weekend while campaigning ahead of key by-elections has been found dead, his party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) said.
The decomposing body of Tapfumanei Masaya was found on the outskirts of the capital Harare, CCC stated.
“We demand the police to investigate this heinous crime and bring the perpetrators to justice,” the party said on X.
The police confirmed the location of a body but said the identity of the dead person was yet to be established and more details would be released later.
The activist had been forced into a vehicle by armed men on Saturday while campaigning for a party candidate ahead of the 9 December polls, CCC alleged.
The by-elections are being held following what the party said was an “illegal and fraudulent” recall of its members.
Last month, over a dozen opposition MPs lost their seats after a man, who declared himself as the party’s interim secretary-general, said the MPs were no longer members.
The CCC now says the recall of its elected members had resulted “in the death of our change champion”.
The death of the activist follows a pattern of abductions of opposition politicians and human rights activists in Zimbabwe.
The CCC has blamed state agents for the violence against its members, an allegation the ruling Zanu-PF party has denied.
