MASVINGO - More than 300 youths from the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) last week held a public march here to protest against failure by the unity government to fully implement the global political agreement (GPA).
The youths, who defied a last minute police directive not to hold the march, also called on the government to end political violence and lawlessness in some parts of the country. The police had earlier authorised the demonstration but cancelled it in the last minute, saying they had received orders from above to stop the protest. ??
MDC-T provincial spokesperson Tongai Matutu said the police went back on their order authorising the protest 30 minutes before the youths were to begin marching. He said: We were just informed by the police 30 minutes before the demonstration that they had cancelled our clearance, and threatened to arrest the youths but the activists, however, said they were not moved by such a partisan action.
Police spokesperson Prosper Mugauri said the order to cancel the march was issued by police commanders from Harare but refused to take more questions on the matter. That was a directive from Harare, phone our headquarters for a comment, Mugauri said, before hanging the phone. ??
Matutu, who is also the legislator for Masvingo Urban constituency, slammed the police for wanting to bar the MDC marches while supporters are allowed to hold public demonstrations at will and often under police escort.
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