Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP, Prosper Mutseyami, has urged the government to accede to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED) to stop the culture of State-sponsored abductions.
ICPPED is an international human rights instrument established by the United Nations to prevent enforced disappearances, which, as defined in international law, constitute a crime against humanity.
“Enforced Disappearance” is defined as the arrest, detention, abduction, or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups acting with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of the State.
This is followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, which places such a person outside the protection of the law.
Mutseyami, who is the MP for Dangamvura, made the call in the National Assembly while raising a point of national interest on Thursday. Said Mutseyami (<a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200025711/govt-taken-to-task-over-abductions">via NewsDay</a>):
<blockquote>
My point of national importance is that we have an International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances on the 30th of August, 2024. Zimbabwe has neither signed nor acceded to the convention.
This convention applies to the victims who would have died as a result of the disaster, like Cyclone Idai, it applies as well to enforced disappearances like we have situations we had, of people like Itai Dzamara, Patrick Nabenyama, and many others who passed on then.
My appeal, through your office, is to find means as to how we can come up with the motivation for our government to accede to this convention since I believe it is an important convention which applies to us as a country.
</blockquote>
Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda ruled:
<blockquote>
We will engage the relevant minister and find out the modalities on how to handle your request.
</blockquote>
Nabanyama, who was a polling agent for the current Mayor of Bulawayo David Coltart in the June 2000 parliamentary elections, was reportedly kidnapped by suspected State security agents and war veterans from his home in Bulawayo.
He was never seen again and was in August 2010 declared dead by the courts.
Dzamara was a journalist-cum political activist who was snatched from a barbershop in Harare’s Glen View suburb by suspected State security agents on March 9, 2015.
The day before his enforced disappearance, Dzamara had addressed a rally in Harare where he called for mass action to address the deteriorating economic conditions.
In 2015, High Court judge Justice David Mangota ordered the government “to do all things necessary to determine Itai Dzamara’s whereabouts.”
However, the government has failed to give regular updates on Dzamara’s fate.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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