Vusumuzi Dube
Vuyisile Mlilo, Sunday News Reporter
Business owners along Sixth Avenue in Bulawayo’s Central Business District (CBD) are raising alarms over the safety of fellow businessman Mr Shadreck Nyoni, who operates a popular restaurant in the area.
Concerns have escalated following reports of Nyoni’s alleged abduction, which many believe is linked to his establishment’s recent popularity among supporters of the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
According to a fellow business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, Nyoni’s restaurant had increasingly become a favoured spot for CCC supporters seeking lunch.
“Shadreck has never been involved in politics, but the sheer number of CCC members frequenting his restaurant made it look like a meeting place for the opposition,” the businessperson explained.
This unintended association seems to have placed Nyoni in the crosshairs of political tensions.
Tragically, it is alleged that Nyoni was recently abducted, and purportedly arrested for organizing and holding illegal political gatherings.
After his release, he confided to colleagues about the severe beatings he endured and was reportedly ordered to cease all associations with the CCC.
Since then, Mr Nyoni has gone missing, leaving his popular restaurant unattended, and fellow business owners are left wondering whether he is in hiding or has faced yet another arrest.
Adding to the tension, individuals claiming to be police officers have been spotted in the area, searching for Nyoni and intimidating his employees.
“This is an unfair treatment of Shadreck,” the business owner lamented. “He is an apolitical person focused on growing his business. His situation is not just affecting him; it is impacting his wife, Nozipho Roxana Ndlovu, and their children as well.”
The local business community is calling for urgent action to ensure Nyoni’s safety and for a broader dialogue about the implications of political affiliations on business operations in the area.
Many fear that the ongoing harassment of Nyoni could set a dangerous precedent for other business owners who may find themselves caught in the political crossfire.
As concerns mount, the community hopes for Nyoni’s safe return and for the restoration of a business environment free from political intimidation.
Bongani Ndlovu