The opposition CCC said party leader Nelson Chamisa was physically barred from attending the funeral of Chief Mabhikwa, born Nichodemus Vusumuzi Khumalo, in Lupane on Saturday.
In a statement, CCC said officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and other state security agents blocked Chamisa from the late traditional leader’s funeral. The opposition party said:
Police [and] security forces have physically barred [Nelson Chamisa] from attending the funeral of Chief Mabhikwa who is closely related to several senior [CCC] members.
This is the second time that police, security forces and or ZANU PF people under the influence of [President Emmerson Mnangagwa] have physically barred [Nelson Chamisa] from attending a funeral.
The first was the 26 January 2019 funeral of music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
Coercive state apparatus are being used to exhibit behaviour which is NOT African. Talk of the absence of UBUNTU!
Chief Mabhikwa died on Monday after he was involved in a road traffic accident on Sunday in Jotsholo, about six kilometres from his homestead.
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga represented Mnangagwa at Chief Mabhikwa’s burial.
Mabhikwa was a ZanuPF member who graduated at Chitepo Ideological College, he was dedicated ZanuPF cadre indeed who would have chased Chamisa himself. Chamisa has so many people to mourn with.
This populist gesture is not good for CC C.