By Innocent Mujeri

Political analysts have dismissed the alleged abduction and subsequent torture of the three MDC members as a tired and choreographed act meant to tarnish the country’s image.

The three MDC members namely Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marowa are alleged to have been abducted at a police roadblock near Harare Showground on Wednesday after participating in an illegal demonstration in Warren Park

The trio allege to have been assaulted and later dumped at Muchapondwa Business Centre in Mashonaland Central on 14 May 2020.

However, analysts said a thorough analysis of the trio’s statements to the police clearly showed that the abduction story was poorly choreographed.

In their statements to the police, the three said they were abducted by the police while coming from their work places while driving in Mamombe’s vehicle. The statement was dismissed as incorrect and false as social media images clearly showed that the trio participated in an illegal demonstration in Warren Park on Wednesday.

Furthermore, analysts said the assertion that the trio were driving from workplace was also false as Cecelia Chimbiri is known to be unemployed.

In their statement to the police, Mamombe, Chimbiri and Marowa said their car was tear smoked by the police before they were arrested. No one has to date came in the open to claim that indeed the trio’s car was tear gassed. The lack of eye witnesses has rendered the trio’s statement false and fake.

Another political analyst, Mr Tashinga Chabayanzara said the abduction story might have been created to attract the attention of the international community.

‘It is known that the MDC will always want to tarnish the country’s image to score cheap political points. I strongly believe that the alleged abduction of these three girls was pre planned so as to attract the attention of the International community. Remember last week Sikhala (Job) said the MDC would cause pandemonium in the country and this alleged abduction is one way of causing that pandemonium.

Linda Masarira dismissed the alleged abduction as childish political gimmicks.

‘We have seen this before (the alleged abduction).But now is not the time for childish political gimmicks,’ said Masarira.

Meanwhile, Nelson Chamisa visited the trio at Parktown Private Hospital yesterday and he insinuated that the trio were spent the whole night being assaulted.

Chamisa’s statement was dismissed by analyst Nobleman Runyanga who said the pictures of the MDC girls does not suggest people who were severely assaulted.

‘The girls had no visible body marks to suggest that they have been assaulted. Moreover, there was no dirty in their hair save for their clothes and this clearly shows that the torture and assault story might not be true,’ said Runyanga.

The MDC is currently embroiled in factional battles and each faction is trying hard to outdo each other. The said abduction story might have been pre planned by the Chamisa faction to solicit for people sympathy considering that many party members are ditching him in favour of Thokozani Khupe.