Patrick Nabanyama was abducted on the afternoon of 19 June 2000 by a group of so-called 'war veterans'. The 'war veterans' went to his house and abducted him in the presence of his wife and Children's rights. To date his whereabouts remain unknown.

Mr Nabanyama, a former member of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Patriotic Front) (ZANU-PF), was working as a polling agent for David Coltart, a candidate from the opposition party MDC, in Bulawayo when he was abducted.

'The state-sponsored terror that characterized the run-up to the elections should not be allowed to continue,' Maina Kiai said. 'The whereabouts of Patrick Nabanyama must be clarified and his safety guaranteed.'

The risk Mr Nabanyama faced was public knowledge. In response to the death threats he received, he wrote a letter to Dispatch, a Bulawayo newspaper, highlighting his situation which was subsequently published. He had drafted a second letter on the morning of 19 June but did not manage to send it before he was abducted.

Amnesty International knows of at least 14 kidnappings of MDC supporters in Bulawayo during the pre-election period, all except Patrick Nabanyama have been released.

'Where is Patrick Nabanyama? The Government of Zimbabwe should do everything possible to try and answer it,' Maina Kiai said.

Background Zimbabwe held its parliamentary elections on 24 and 25 June. The election campaign was characterised by violence and intimidation, where most of the victims were real or perceived opposition supporters and members, while most of the perpetrators were from the governing ZANU-PF party and government structures.