Concern as environmentalist remains missing

Colleagues,friends and relatives of environmentalist Nadia Vimbai Mabvirakire are concerned with her whereabouts since her abduction from her Chitungwiza home last week on Wednesday evening.

On Tuesday ,human rights activist Dr Abigale Mupambi will hold a press conference in the Capital   on Nadia’s disappearance as efforts to bring her back intensify.

“I am inviting all media houses to this important press conference.Nadia is one of us.We are deeply concerned with her disappearance,” Dr Mupambi said.

Circumstances sorrounding her disappearance involve a dispute over a nursery project in Murehwa North, which was established in partnership with the son of the late Minister Joel Biggie Matiza, Joel Batsirai Matiza, the current ZANU PF Youth Secretary for Environment and Tourism.

According to reports, Zanu PF director of Information ,Farai Marapira,facilitated Matiza into the Green Rebirth Project sometime early 2023. Matiza later pledged to support the project financially, but recently hatched a plan to take over the project behind the back of its original owners , leading to a fiery legal despute. Nadia won a High Court reprieve under case number: HCH 954/25 barring Matiza from hijacking the project but the latter has continued to disrupt the project, putting the livelihoods of 36 workers and the vulnerable project (plants) at risk.

What’s more alarming is that Nadia’s family reported her missing after she went outside her house to lock the gate around 7pm on March 5, 2025, and never returned. A police report has been filed under RRB number 7346710 at Makoni Police.

The circumstances surrounding Nadia’s disappearance are suspicious, and her colleagues believe that Matiza and his acolytes may be responsible. The project, which has mobilized and planted over 500,000 plants, is now suffering significant losses due to the disruption.

The community is calling for Nadia’s safe return and for those responsible for her disappearance to be held accountable.