MDC-T youths arrested after registering to vote

By Alex Bell

BULAWAYO – Three youth members of the MDC-T were arrested on Wednesday morning, with police accusing the group of attempting to ‘usurp’ the powers of the Registrar General’s office. 

Cabangani Tshuma, Willard Nsingo and Masiza Ndlovu were arrested at Mahlathini Primary School in Cowdray Park after registering to vote. It is understood that police targeted the three because they had copies of their registration receipts.

SW Radio Africa’s correspondent Lionel Saungweme reported that the youths were held at Bulawayo Central Police Station throughout the day and questioned. By Wednesday evening, no charges had been formally brought before the three.

“Their lawyer said the three had got some donations from well-wishers to go and register, so they had the copies of their registrations receipts so they could show people. The police are now accusing them of trying to usurp the power of the Registrar General, but they haven’t been formally charged,” Saungweme said.

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, a group of other youths from the Mthwakazi Youth Leaders Joint Resolution group handed themselves over to police in Bulawayo. The group’s leader, Mqondisi Moyo, was ordered by two Bulawayo inspectors to answer to the cops over an incident at a Plumtree primary school in January this year.

Saungweme reported that the youth group had gone to Makuzeze School to support the local Parent Teachers Association (PTA), who had complained about alleged embezzlement of funds there, and the teaching standards.

“There had been accusations of misappropriation of funds and that the headmistress had transferred the only Ndebele teacher at the school away, leaving only Shona speaking teachers. The youths went there and supported the PTA. Now there are accusations from the school authorities to say that they (the youths) grabbed the school keys from the headmistress and were violent,” Saungweme reported.

On Wednesday morning it is understood that police were planning to arrest all the youths involved in the incident in Plumtree by raiding their houses. The group however made a joint decision to hand themselves over and face questioning, with the presence of a lawyer.

“By the end of the day (Wednesday) all their phones were switched off and it wasn’t clear if there are any charges being laid against them,” Saungweme said. SW Radio Africa