Officials of Zimbabwe's embattled opposition Movement for Democratic Change said Wednesday that the the body of abducted activist Tonderai Ndira was found Tuesday in a Harare hospital mortuary, bringing the death toll among officials and members of the party to 45 amidst continuing deadly political violence across the country.
MDC sources said the body was found when party members went to the Parirenyatwa Hospital mortuary to recover the bodies of two other activists. Ndira was abducted last week from his Mabvuku, Harare, home last week by 10 armed men, they said.
Elsewhere, several truckloads of supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party disrupted a funeral at the Warren Hills cemetery in Harare on Wednesday. Some of the mourners, who were burying slain opposition activists Godfrey Kauzani and Cain Nyevhe, were injured as they attempted to flee from the attacking militia members.
Opposition member Wisdom Mujeri, one of those attacked by ZANU-PF militia at the cemetery, told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that mourners were so terrified that they were unable to defend themselves.
In Buhera West constituency in Masvingo province, a source said Mazungunye School was shut down Wednesday morning after ZANU-PF militia beat teachers.They said school children scurried for cover as teachers were beaten, the source said.
In Manicaland, opposition sources said more than 30 people had sought refuge at the party’s provincial offices in Mutare after fleeing violence in rural areas.
The Movement for Democratic Change headquarters in the Harvest House office block in Harare continues to receive inflows of refugees from political violence, which has created a small-scale humanitarian crisis in the building amid concerns that inadequate sanitation could lead to an outbreak of disease.
Harare correspondent Sylvia Manika reported on the humanitarian response.
