CCDZ is a CSO that aims to promote democratic citizen particiaption in governance and strenghthen the capacity of communities to cope with human rights and development challenges through holding civic forums, Three members of the organisation, namely George Makoni, Reverend Deve and Gift Konjani were arrested in Chegutu at the weekend while conducting voter education in the area.
The three are being charged under the Public Order and Security Act.
In a telephone interview on Monday while emerging out of an urgent board meeting to deliberate on the arrest of their members, the organisation’s Director, Phillip Pasirayi said CCDZ would seek audience with state security and point out that were a legal organisation that had not breached any law..
“We are a registered trust whose mandate is clear, which includes what our members were doing in Chegutu. They were educating people on their right to participate in the forthcoming referendum, and nothing else.
“As an organisation, we are going to engage likeminded organizstions and approach government over this development,”Pasirayi said.
National Constitution Assembly Chairperson Professor Lovemore Madhuku recently called on government to suspend POSA during outreach programme to educate the people on the constitutional set for a referendum on 16 March.
Civic society organisations last week complained about a protracted clampdown by the police that has seen members from several CSOs being arrested and detained in recent months.
The crackdown has been widely condemned by diplomats and human rights defenders who fear an upscale in arrests as elections set for after the referendum approach.
Post published in: News