The recently elected Mayor of Harare, Emmanuel Chiroto, says his wife who was murdered by state agents last week was buried on Wednesday, without him or any of her family at the funeral. Abigail Chiroto had been abducted from their home in the Hatcliffe area of Harare, along with their 4 year old child. Her body was found dumped at a nearby farm a day later. The child was unharmed. Chiroto was not home at the time of the abduction and has been in hiding since.

The grieving MDC official said roadblocks had been mounted near his house and around the Hatcliffe area, where people were being interrogated about the funeral and warned not to go. Cars were stopped and searched as the police hunted down Chiroto or any of his family members on their way to the funeral. He said the funeral was held in Chitungwiza at the home of his in-laws.

He said Mai Bwititi, the ZANU-PF candidate that he defeated for the ward 42 council seat in the March 29 elections, has been intimidating the Chiroto family and fellow church members. She has made public statements, threatening that those who planned on attending the funeral in Hatcliffe would be dealt with severely.

Chiroto also accused Zvandasara, another ZANU-PF candidate who lost to the MDC in the March 29 elections, of threatening his family members and fellow church goers. He said Zvandasara has even been boasting that the murder of Chiroto’s wife ‘was a job well done’. “Kusanyara” he added, meaning “They have no shame.”

The MDC reported that Concilia Chinanzvavana, the MDC women's chairperson for Mashonaland West, was attacked at her home by ZANU-PF militia on Tuesday. The violent youth destroyed her house, shattered windows, broke down the doors and looted her property. Chinanzvavana was seriously injured during the attacks but she managed to escape and is in hiding in Harare.

Zanu PF militia also terrorised MDC councillors in Chinhoyi. They destroyed their houses and looted their property. Most fled from their homes after being beaten and are in hiding.

The home of the MDC treasurer for Mashonaland West province, Biggy Haurovi, was invaded by ZANU-PF militia who attempted to beat him up. The MDC said he managed to escape and has been hiding at the police station for the past two days.

Meanwhile an MDC parliamentary candidate, Zvishavane Ngezi, is reported as missing. He was arrested at a police roadblock this weekend in Ntabazinduna, outside Bulawayo. His wife said she last spoke to him on Sunday afternoon when he called and said that he had been arrested at a police roadblock for carrying an MDC poster in his car.

On Tuesday afternoon MDC driver Joshua Bakacheza was abducted in Msasa, Harare by 4 armed men in a twin cab with no number plates. He is still missing.

ZANU-PF’s violent attacks against the MDC have continued, despite the announcement by MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai that he was not participating in the runoff election on Friday. The ruling party’s mobs have destroyed and looted more houses, and assaulted MDC officials around the country, showing blatant disregard for the rule of law. There have also been more assaults and abductions, while other areas report forced attendance at Zanu PF rallies.