Mugabe has no right to stop demonstrators- ZPP

Zimbabwe Peace Project has said President Robert Mugabe has no right to stop people from demonstrating.

This came after Mugabe recently ordered the ruling Zanu PF supporters to stop demonstrating against the party's national commissar Saviour Kasukuwere whom they accused of fanning divisions in the party.

The ZPP in its latest report reported that there were intra-party violence cases reported particularly in the ruling Zanu PF party where succession disputes are reported to have left Political Commissar Saviour Kasukuwere on the verge of being ousted.

"The process has often been a violent one characterised by intimidation, harassment and in some instances physical violence. In Harare, three people suffered broken limbs after pro-Kasukuwere and anti-Kasukuwere supporters clashed. A ZPP team member who was taking pictures of the marches was taken into a police van and ordered to delete pictures before being released," said ZPP.

"Supporters on either side have tried to prevent the other from marching and in some cases arrests have been made. President Robert Mugabe is on record prohibiting party members from demonstrating and issuing a directive through Mashonaland Central Provincial Affairs Minister Martin Dinha to stop all demonstrations."

ZPP stated that neither President Mugabe nor Provincial Affairs Minister Dinha has constitutional powers to prevent demonstrations or to authorise them.

"Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's remarks that his ruling party was ‘fumigating' itself have also been criticised by political observers as inflammatory especially with some of the political conflicts becoming violent. The use of such inflammatory language has the potential to trigger and fuel violence. Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko invited the military to deal with critics of President Mugabe within the ruling party despite the constitution being clear that the military may not be deployed for such purposes," ZPP reported.

"The Chronicle reported that Minister of Agriculture Joseph Made was commended by the ruling party for securing rice at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) which was distributed to Zanu PF supporters in the run up to the Mwenezi East by-election despite denials in the past by government that the distribution of food and other aid is being politicised. Cases of food violations have been noted to have gone down in the month of April. This may be because April is the month when most people harvest and it seems in some areas people are recording bumper harvests."

ZPP said in incidents of intra-party violence reported in the MDC-T in Chinhoyi and Chegutu, party Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora said the party had not received such reports but if there was any truth in the reports, his party does not condone violence and would investigate the cases.

"President Mugabe urged citizens to respect other citizens' right to freedom of association although people particularly opposition party supporters continued to be intimidated and harassed by ruling party supporters without the police taking action in most of the cases," reported ZPP..