MDC polling agent abducted in Bulawayo
PATRICK Nyabanyama, one of the polling agents for David Coltart, the parliamentary candidate for the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who was contesting the Bulawayo South seat, was allegedly abducted last Monday by war veterans and Zanu PF supporters from his house at 791 Nketa 6.
Police at Nkulumane confirmed having received the report and said investigations were still underway to locate both Nyabanyama and the abductors.
Coltart, also the MDC secretary for legal affairs, said that his polling agent was abducted last Monday by a war veteran he named as Simon Rwodzi.
“We have been searching all over Bulawayo for Nyabanyama since Monday when he was reported missing but we cannot locate him,” Coltart said.
“Police now know the people who abducted my polling agent but they have not made any arrests so far. They said they were still carrying out investigations.”
Nyabanyama, formerly a staunch supporter of Zanu PF, was said to have crossed over to the MDC and brought with him the entire Zanu PF structure in his constituency, a move which apparently did not go down well with some senior officials of the ruling party.
Nyabanyama was the MDC organising secretary for Ward 25 in Bulawayo South.
Coltart said Nyabanyama’s wife and children were taken from Nketa to a safe house in Bulawayo.
There were unconfirmed reports that Nyabanyama was being held at a war veterans’ camp in Entumbane and that he was severely assaulted.