Cape Town – Zimbabwean activist Patson Dzamara has said that President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has remained "mum" over his brother Itai's disappearance nearly 3 years ago.
Itai went missing on March 9, 2015, after bravely staging lone protests calling on then president Robert Mugabe to step down in central Harare's Africa Unity Square.
In an interview with News24, Patson said that although he had petitioned Mnangagwa’s government to speed up the search for his brother, the government remained tight lipped.
He said that the Dzamara family remained committed to finding out the truth about Itai and was hopeful he would be found.
"We are still persistent towards finding out what happened to Itai. We gathered last month at the Itai Dzamara square (Africa Unity/Robert Mugabe square) to keep on pressuring the government to find him dead or alive. We want the government to account for what happened to my brother," said Dzamara.
Lack of action
In his latest attempt in finding justice and solace over his brother, Patson petitioned the new president demanding that his government launches an "urgent" and "sincere" investigation into the case of missing Itai and account for his disappearance.
Patson said at the time that he was "concerned" over the lack of action from government regarding Itai's whereabouts.
"The government must account for everything. We want the new government to take care of Itai's wife and children, as my brother was their source of income. We want reparations and they must bring him back to his wife and kids dead or alive," said Patson.
This came after a former minister in ex-president Mugabe’s administration in recent months said on his Twitter page that the military intelligent were responsible for Itai’s disappearance.
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Professor Jonathan Moyo accused Vice President Constantino Chiwenga of being behind the disappearance of human rights activists that included Itai in 2015.
See tweets below
"For us, it's important to go back to what we have been saying for the past 3 years, so what Moyo is saying is nothing new. We have been saying that since Itai went missing. It is, however, important to put this in a context. Remember, the police were even sanctioned by the court to speed up the investigations, but until today there is nothing. Their report does not make sense and probably because it was blocked by someone high up," said Patson.
#StopImpunity. Mnangagwa, Chiwenga & Mohadi MUST for starters #ACCOUNT not only for #ItaiDzamara but also for????:#BloodyCoup #Gukurahundi#GodfreyMajonga#RashiweGuzha#DRCLoot#Murambatsvina#2008PollAtrocities#2008MarangeAtrocities#SolomonMujuruMurder#$15bDiamondPlunder pic.twitter.com/P9mOwBI4qn
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) January 31, 2018In #March2015 #Mohadi told Govt #Dzamara was likely abducted & taken out of Zim in a staged antiGovt plot. That March #ED told #Parly #ZRP were after culprits. It later transpired #Dzamara was abducted by #MID under #Chiwenga, now #VP with #Mohadi. So #ED & his VPs must #ACCOUNT! pic.twitter.com/MytFUpc8f0
— Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) January 30, 2018
