Relatives of an operative of Zimbabwe’s spy network, the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), on Saturday held a memorial service in Harare for Peter Munetsi, who was allegedly killed when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces seized key state institutions last November resulting in the toppling of former president Robert Mugabe.
A large number of people attended the memorial service and relatives refused to shed light on the death of the senior CIO officer linked to former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s Generation 40 faction of the ruling party, which wanted Mrs. Mugabe to succeed her husband before the military intervention that catapulted Emmerson Mangagwa to the presidential post.
Munetsi’s wife, Rose, and other close relatives refused to comment about his death at the memorial service, where some well-known CIOs were said to be monitoring the event.
Efforts to contact presidential spokesperson George Charamba were fruitless.
Some legislators say President Mnangagwa should appear before parliament where he will be pressed to release the figure of people who were killed when the Zimbabwe Defence Forces teamed with him to remove Mr. Mugabe from power.
Critics say it is unlikely that Mnangagwa would release the number of people who were killed by the army as the country is preparing for a crucial election to be held within the next few months.
Apart from the army, Mnangagwa was supported by war veterans and related groups to unseat Mr. Mugabe.
He has repeatedly said Zimbabwe will hold free and fair elections though the situation on the ground remains the same as during Mr. Mugabe’s 37 years of iron-fist rule.