The abduction of Dr. Edison Furatidzwayi Chisingaitwi Sithole in 1975 remains one of the most painful disappearances of a prominent African nationalist. Dr. Sithole, a 40-year-old lawyer and Publicity Secretary of Abel Muzorewa’s African National Council (ANC), was kidnapped by Rhodesia Special Branch officers outside the Ambassador Hotel in Salisbury, along with his personal assistant, Miriam Mhlanga.
During the white colonial rule in Rhodesia, disappearances of politically active Africans were common, with anyone suspected of being a “bad influence” being targeted and often never found again. As the agitation for majority rule grew in the mid-1970s, the Rhodesian government became more desperate and began targeting prominent black nationalists for imprisonment, assassination, or forced disappearances.
Dr. Sithole, known for his frank criticism of both the nationalist movement and the Rhodesian authorities, was seen as a threat to the illegal white minority regime. His abduction and subsequent disappearance had a significant impact on the political landscape at the time, with many believing that had he not disappeared, the ANC would not have drifted to the right and eventually entered into a settlement with the Rhodesian regime.
Recent investigations by Tendai Hildergrade Manzvanzvike have shed new light on the circumstances surrounding Dr. Sithole’s disappearance. Excerpts from memoirs and texts written by former Rhodesian personnel suggest that Dr. Sithole was taken to Fort of Inkomo Barracks near Harare for interrogation after being kidnapped, with plans to reintroduce him to society. However, the sudden publicity surrounding his abduction thwarted these plans, and Dr. Sithole was never seen again.
Despite efforts by the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace to track Dr. Sithole’s whereabouts, witnesses and informants were silenced through arrests, disappearances, and accidents, pointing to a coordinated effort to conceal the truth about his fate. Nearly five decades later, the Sithole family continues to seek closure, and Zimbabweans deserve to know the truth about the fate of this pioneering African nationalist.
The legacy of Dr. Edison Furatidzwayi Chisingaitwi Sithole, the first black person in Southern and Central Africa to obtain a Doctor of Laws degree, remains shrouded in mystery. As the search for answers continues, it is clear that there are still individuals who hold the key to unlocking the truth about his disappearance, and the quest for justice and closure remains ongoing.
