100 days pass since journalist disappeared
What you need to know:
- Mr Gwanda was last seen on October 21, 2017 in the company of four unidentified people, who drove him from his home in Kibiti District, Coast Region, in an unmarked vehicle.
Dar es Salaam. A hundred days have passed since Mwananchi Communications Limited (MCL) journalist Azory Gwanda disappeared.
Mr Gwanda was last seen on October 21, 2017 in the company of four unidentified people, who drove him from his home in Kibiti District, Coast Region, in an unmarked vehicle.
His family reported him missing on November 23 at the local police station.
Mr Gwanda’s wife, Ms Anna Pinoni, informed the MCL management about her husband’s disappearance on November 30. Ms Pinoni, who has since given birth to a baby girl, said four men driving in a white Toyota Land Cruiser arrived at Mr Gwanda’s workplace in Kibiti Township at around 8am and took him away, telling those who were with the journalist that they wanted to speak to him.
They then drove to the family’s small farm, where she was tending crops. Ms Pinoni was allowed to speak briefly to her husband, who was seated in the back of the vehicle. He told her he would be away on an emergency trip and that he would be back shortly.
The car then left the farm and headed in the direction of the family home.
When Ms Pinoni arrived home later, she found books and documents scattered on the floor, showing that the house had been searched.
She reported the incident at Kibiti Police Station and was given RB No. Kibiti/1496/2017. Police promised to investigate, but so far no information about his whereabouts has been released.
Mr Gwanda last communicated with his editors on November 20.
MCL managing director Francis Nanai is today expected to hold a news conference at the company’s head office in Dar es Salaam to mark 100 days since the journalist vanished.
