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Joseph Madzimure Senior Reporter

POLITICAL analysts have described the self-abduction tricks by the former Harare mayor, Hebert Gomba, of the Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) last weekend as an overused and outdated scheme meant to tarnish the image of the Second Republic.

On Saturday, CCC national spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere, tweeted that former Harare Mayor Herbert Gomba had gone missing.

She later posted that Mr Gomba had been found and was in the custody of his family.

But political analysts said the flip-flopping in the CCC is just a continuation of the party’s ritualised tales of abductions meant to soil the country’s image and curry favour with their Western handlers.

Activists Cecilia Chimbiri, Joanna Mamombe and Netsai Marowa claimed that they were abducted by alleged State security agents in May 2020 but the claims have since been dismissed and are the main cause of their pending case before the courts.

The self-abduction tricks by CCC have been overused since September 2019 when some Western embassies organised to have former acting Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association President, Dr Peter Magombeyi “abducted” to create the impression that the Government was trying to silence him for leading a doctors’ strike.

Zanu PF director for Information and Publicity, Cde Tafadzwa Mugwadi, said the CCC- an MDC faction, has learnt nothing and forgotten nothing from history.

 “This strategy of trying to fake abductions which are followed by fake news and fake alerts might have worked for some time but fortunately, ever since it was busted on Magombeyi, Samantha Kureya and lately the trio of Joana Mamombe and crew, it is now a tired script.

 “What Hebert Gomba is not aware of is that his actions border on criminality and the sooner he realises that, it will be too late. Zimbabwe has paid a huge price in its global reputation owing to these shenanigans and this tomfoolery must stop forthwith,”.

“The arms of the law must be long enough to stretch to those shenanigans. Investigations should be carried out and I am sure that these puppets will be exposed for what they are.

 “In all earnest, how does the CCC spin-nurses allege that a person supposedly missing out of an alleged abduction is suddenly found in the comfort of the so-called custody of his family?

“Their advisors must have paid a visit to thin air, that is why they are running out steam ahead of 26 March by elections,” said Cde Mugwadi.

Over the weekend, Mr Gomba was busy with another stunt, which Zimbabweans and the world were already expecting since the country is set to hold by- elections in two weeks’ time

A political analyst Mr Caution Torovei said those who are familiar with the CCC, know that it has become the tactless.

“The stunts, which have now become tired, ineffective and monotonous, are carried out to tarnish the image of the country,” said Mr Torovei.  

Of late, the West has been desperately trying to use the fake abduction to justify the United States sanctions against Zimbabwe by claiming human rights abuses, which do not exist.

Since the Magombeyi incident, a number of former MDC Alliance faction members have performed self-abduction stunts for the same purposes.

Another political analyst and researcher Mr Alex Munyonga weighed in saying the good news is that Zimbabwean politics will always be determined by the electorate in the periodic democratic process of elections in line with the constitution.

“As the by-elections and the 2023 harmonised elections draw nearer, the West’s agents should be reminded that despite their silly stunts, their handlers do not participate in Zimbabwean elections. Only deserving political parties with sound policies will emerge victorious and not those self-abducting ones,” said Mr Munyonga.

The alleged abductions have been described as a new method created to tarnish the image of Zimbabwe and slow the re-engagement exercise embarked on by the New Dispensation.