The MDC led Harare and Bulawayo City Councils have condemned and distanced themselves from the slashing of maize crop in high density areas. Harare councillors on Tuesday held an emergency caucus meeting and said the councillors had never made a resolution to slash the residents maize.
The MDC is a pro-poor political party and is fully behind all livelihod support programmes among them urban agriculture, the councillors resolved. Investigations have shown that senior council employees who are Zanu PF supporters have assigned junior employees to slash the maize on the pretext that they have been ordered by the councillors. However, the councillors are on a break and will only resume their meetings on 17 January 2011.
Meanwhile, the MDC has noted with concern an upsurge in the arrests and detention of its members across the country on flimsy charges. Today, the four councillors and five MDC youths who were arrested in Victoria Falls last week Thursday and Sunday have been granted a US$70 bail each. They are facing charges of disrupting a public council meeting. Paulos Chilewede, councillor for ward 5 in Victoria Falls was arrested last week on Thursday. The other three councillors; Bernard Nyamande of ward 1, Nkululeko Nyoni, ward 9, Taruvinga Makoti, ward 10 and the five youths were arrested on Sunday.
They were ordered to report every Friday at Victoria Falls Police Station and will appear in court again on 26 January. On Tuesday, Stephen Moyo, 30, an MDC member was granted bail at the Hwange magistrates court on allegations of resisting arrest. Moyo was arrested at his home on 22 December 2010 for playing MDC songs with police officers accusing him of disturbing peace. He was hospitalised for two days at Hwange hospital from injuries he sustained after being assaulted by police officers.
A report by Dr. Didymus Ngorora, which was produced in court yesterday, said Moyos deep wounds sustained on his body were as a result of police assault. One of the police officers implicated in assaulting Moyo was identified as Sergeant Thembisani Khumalo. Moyo was remanded to 27 January and is still having difficulties in walking.
In Mutare, Manicaland province, Charles Rapozvo, the Chikanga Dangamvura MDC director for elections was today granted a US$50 bail on charges of holding an illegal meeting at his house on Monday. He is expected back in court on 24 January.
Post published in: News