Opposition plans more demos as protest ban expires

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Opposition political parties have put President Robert Mugabe’s government on notice of a new wave of demonstrations after the expiry of a protest ban on 15 October.

Government, through the police, imposed a one month ban on citizen and political protests in central Harare until 15 October.

The decision followed a series of angry protests from July as citizens protested against Mugabe’s unpopular policies, a worsening economic crisis, lack of electoral reforms and human rights abuses.

Political parties, residents and civil society challenged the ban but a High Court judge, George Chiweshe, upheld it.

Obert Gutu, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) spokesperson, told the local media that his party was planning more demonstrations.

“Demonstrations will continue unabated throughout the length and breadth of the country. There is neither retreat nor surrender. The Zanu PF regime is collapsing and I can bet my bottom bond coin that the regime will be history even before 2018,” he said.

His statement was echoed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) information secretary, Jacob Mafume.

“We plan to converge with all parties on the National Transitional Authority platform and any other platforms and reignite citizens to take to the streets and protest. The demonstrations will take place in the next few days. The planning meetings are underway as we speak,” he said.

The MDC-T national youth assembly said it has used the period when the ban was in effect to re-strategise.

The youth wing leader, Happymore Chidziva, accused the police of pushing for the ban so as to replenish its ammunition.

“While they have been restocking, we have been regrouping and preparing to face any threat to our civil liberties head-on. It was a well-deserved break for us and we are ready to re-engage so that we liberate our nation. With people looting government coffers to fund party and personal interests, democratic resistance can never be more ripe (sic) than now,” he said. Nehanda Radio