HARARE The banning of political rallies, arrests and protracted detention of human rights activists and his partys MPs have been described by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai as an attempt by Zanu (PF) to informally ban the MDC.The leader of the MDC defended his Minister of Home Affairs Theresa Makone saying she did not have the power over partisan police commissioner Augustine Chihuri who reports directly to President Robert Mugabe. Appearing before parliament recently Chihuri accused the MDC as being the perpetrators of violence and vowed that the police would clampdown on the former opposition movement.
Chihuri also accused Makone of trying to interfere with the work of the police force which is widely regarded as pro-Zanu (PF). The banning of meetings of the MDC has also put a dent in the partys preparations for its congress, scheduled to be held in May.More than 73 have either been banned or disrupted by the police. What has happened is an informal attempt to ban the MDC, democratic groups and the peoples freedoms of assembly, movement and association. In short, this is pure and naked politicide, said the former unionist.
Pro-democracy groups such as the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and the International Socialist Organisation (ISO) have all suffered from political persecution by the partisan police.
Post published in: News