MDC activist 'buried at home'
19/03/2007 15:02  - (SA)  

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Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

Harare - Zimbabwean authorities have denied reports that the secret service this weekend buried an opposition activist shot dead by police in Harare, it was reported on Monday.

The official Herald newspaper said Gift Tandare had been buried peacefully at his rural home in Mount Darwin, northern Zimbabwe on Sunday.

The paper quoted the father of the slain activist who said media reports claiming his son's body had been seized by central intelligence organisation (CIO) operatives from a Harare funeral parlour were unfounded.

Tandare, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was shot dead by police in Highfield township on March 11, when skirmishes broke out following the arrest of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and a number of party officials.

The party had declared Tandare a national hero and had wanted to give him a big funeral in Harare.

There were reports this weekend that the CIO had secretly buried Tandare's body because of fears of rioting at his burial.

But the Herald said Tandare had been buried in Mount Darwin after payment of cattle to the local chief.

'State agents kidnapped Tandare's body'

A ruling party legislator helped meet funeral expenses and provided a suit for burial, the paper claimed.

An MDC spokesperson maintained that state agents had kidnapped Tandare's body.

"The CIO kidnapped the body of the late Tandare without the consent of his wife and so you should go and ask them (the CIO), not us," said William Bango.

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