BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE The MDC Alliance has launched an investigation into the allegation that Bulawayo province women assembly chairperson Tendai Masotsha played a part in the abduction of Tawanda Muchehiwa, a journalism student and opposition activist. MDC Alliance secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the party had directed its organising and security departments to look into the issue and would issue a statement on their findings. Masotsha is alleged to have played a part in the abduction of Muchehiwa who is the nephew of ZimLive editor, Mdudusi Mathuthu. Muchehiwa was abducted from a vehicle in broad daylight by five armed men who tortured him for three days before dumping him near his home badly injured. “We have noted the allegations made against our chairlady of Bulawayo province and we have referred the matter to both our organising and security departments for further investigations,” Hwende said. On the day of his abduction, Muchehiwa said he received a call from Masotsha, who said she had flyers that were supposed be used in the July 31 protests. “I am not in any political party structure, but I had developed a friendship with some MDC Alliance youths activists and through them, I met Tendai Masotsha, the party’s women assembly chairperson in Bulawayo province,” Muchehiwa said. “Around mid-morning, on July 30, my cousin Advent Mathuthu was driving to a hardware shop and I asked to accompany him. “While in town, I received a call from Masotsha who said she had flyers that could be used in the protests the next day. She parked her vehicle and jumped into our BMW carrying only a handbag.” Muchehiwa revealed that his two cousins were arrested and later released yet Masotsha, who had brought the flyers, was neither charged nor arrested. “I had one question for my captors,” Muchehiwa said. “Why was I being treated this way over some flyers that purportedly came into the vehicle with Masotsha? “One told me that the MDC Alliance women’s chairlady was innocent and was sleeping comfortably at her home.” The events led to suspicion that Masotsha, either voluntarily or under duress, led the abductors to Muchehiwa.