3 MDC youth leaders arrested

By Brenna Matendere

Police yesterday swooped on main opposition MDC Alliance youth leaders and arrested three of them over a flash demonstration they held in Warren Park, Harare.

The youths, who were raising placards, intended to march into the city centre protesting against poverty and hunger battering Zimbabweans at the hands of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.

Stephen Chuma, MDC Alliance youth spokesperson confirmed the arrests.

“The MDC youth assembly condemns in strongest terms the illegal arrest of national vice-chairperson Cecilia Chimbiri, deputy organising secretary Netsai Marova and secretary for policy and research, Joanah Mamombe (Harare West MP),” Chuma said.

“The trio are currently illegally held in custody at Harare Central Police Station.”

He said police had not placed charges on the three.

“As an assembly, we are not going to be intimidated in our resolve to pursue the national democratic agenda. We declare and demand for the unconditional release of our leaders,” he said, warning failure to comply would be provocative to the hungry masses.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi was unavailable for comment.

Before Mnangagwa placed the country on lockdown on March 30 to control the spread of COVID-19, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC Alliance had resorted to flash demonstrations after several attempts to seek police clearance had been spurned.

The lockdown now outlaws any gathering of more than 50 people. News Day