Protest At Zanu PF Headquarters Lands 12 Party Activists In Court
Twelve activists from the Zanu PF party were arrested after protesting at their headquarters in Harare on Tuesday.
The group now faces charges of public violence.
The accused persons, including 27-year-old Melisa Master, organized a protest demanding the dismissal of Zanu PF’s Harare Youth Chairperson, Emmanuel Mahachi.
12 Zanu PF Activists Arrested For Protest At Party Headquarters
The twelve accused individuals appeared before Harare Magistrate Apolonia Marutya and were remanded in custody.
They were not asked to plead and are set to return to court for their bail application.
Master’s accomplices are Ireen Makuvire (50), Ernest Thuola (35), Tinashe Nheya (27), Prince Chatendeuka (36), Tafara Rusere (30), Edson Chabvuta (30), Larson Masenda (43), Rosewiter Munhava (34), Wellington Mutsvangwa (32), Blessed Kadumba (28), and Portia Mhishi (35).
Allegations of Disturbing the Peace
The State alleges that on September 19, the group gathered at the Zanu-PF headquarters.
They chanted party slogans and called for Mahachi’s removal.
They allegedly disrupted public order and security by persistently chanting phrases like “Mahachi must go” and “Pasi neGwekwerere.
They were holding placards written the same.
Court papers state,
“The accused persons unlawfully… disturbed the peace, security or order of the public by chanting Zanu PF party slogans and chanting ‘Mahachi must go,’ ‘Pasi neGwekwerere’.”
“They were wearing black t-shirts inscribed ‘Mahachi must go.’
The accused were told by the police to stop what they were doing, but they turned a deaf ear and continued to act in common purpose to disturb peace”.
The suspects were arrested at the scene of the crime and subsequently held at Harare Central police station.