Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe cleric and Secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) has Reverend Dr Kenneth Mtata has highlighted the risks of banning official demonstrations in Zimbabwe.
Posting on his Twitter on Friday morning platform, the Rev, who after meeting Movement for Democratic Change leader on Thursday echoed that the church sees protests as a constitutional right which must be exercised peacefully, wrote:
“Risks of stopping official demonstration
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No leadership accountability
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Unaccountabity deteriorates into lawlessness
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Criminal elements and so-called “Third force” take advantage
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Chaos scare international investors
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With time law enforcement agencies lose focus”
The remarks come after the High Court dismissed an urgent chamber application by the MDC seeking nullification of a prohibition of the party’s planned demo.
The demonstrations were aimed at pressuring President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government to rectify the economic crisis in the country, characterised by a debilitating liquidity crunch, foreign currency shortages, rising inflation, spiralling basic commodity prices, erosion of disposable incomes, power outages and low productivity.
But the Zimbabwe Republic Police, on Thursday evening, announced they were banning the protests as they had concrete evidence showing that MDC-Alliance had plans to roll out violent demonstrations, considering the assortment of weapons it has allegedly been smuggling into town. The police said the protests would not be peaceful, contrary to the claims of the opposition party.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) informs the nation that based on the notifications given by MDC A to regulating authorities to hold demonstrations in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Mutare and surrounding towns on August 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22, intelligence and concrete evidence on the ground has revealed that indeed these so called ‘peaceful’ demonstrations will turn out to be violent,” Police national Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has said.
On Friday morning, the MDC applied to the High Court to overturn the police ban, but a judge upheld it.
The judgement by Justice Joseph Musakwa means that the demonstration remains prohibited.
Speaking to reporters outside the High Court where the party was seeking permission to stage the protests after the police revoked some provisions of the Public Order and Security Act to stop the public march in the city, MDC lawyers and party officials said the party would not appeal and that the ban had exposed the government’s “true colours”.
One attorney representing the party, Tendai Biti, who is also MDC vice president said state security agents had sealed off the city and surrounding areas and that it would have been impossible to even stage the march if the High Court had granted it permission to take to the streets.
“The constitution guarantees the right to a demonstration… yet this fascist regime has denied and proscribed this right to the people of Zimbabwe. We have jumped from the frying pan into the fire after the coup… We don’t accept the conduct of this regime, the conduct of [President Emmerson] Mnangagwa,” he said, quoted by Reuters news agency.
The MDC has since called off the demo protests after the police said that participation in the demo is an offence. However, party spokesperson Daniel Molokele said because of the right security situation in Harare, residents are urged to stay indoors, and that protests planned for next week in other cities would still go ahead.
“ln the meantime, heavily armed police have cordoned off all the major roads leading into the city centre. The junta has also deployed a huge police contingent at both the Africa Unity Square and the MDC headquarters. This effectively means that the junta has now forcibly declared a total shutdown of Harare today.
So, for now, the people must remain calm, avoid any form of violence and stay safely at home. Stay at home and be safe. We are proceeding with the protest next week. We are not backing down the struggle continues,” he said.
Protesters who had already gathered in the city were violently dispersed by riot police, with journalists being shoved aside and denied to cover the incident.
Police have been ferreting out and at some instances blocking people from going to the Harare Central Business District.
Unconfirmed claims by the MDC indicate that at least 15 people were arrested in Mabvuku and a large number of other residents in different parts of Harare.
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