News / National
Tsvangirai's office condemns the arrest of bookseller for selling PM's autobiography
24 Jan 2012 at 05:14hrs | Views
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Office has condemned the recent arrest of Victoria Falls bookseller, Sinikiwe Matore, for selling the PM's book, At the Deep End.
Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, described the move as a subtle way of banning the PM's biography, which started selling in Zimbabwe late last year.
Matore was arrested on Friday at her 'Rose Pet' bookshop and was still in police custody as of last night.
"It is barbaric to arrest someone for selling a book," he said.
"This is just a book by the Prime Minister about his life. How can you arrest them for selling literature?
"Is literature criminalised in this country? We have got to a stage where literature has indeed become criminal," he said.
Tamborinyoka said the arrest of the bookseller was likely to create the impression Tsvangirai's biography had been banned.
"We are beginning to see the unofficial banning of the book," he said.
Tamborinyoka said the PM's Office would continue to monitor the developments around the arrest of the bookseller.
"The person will go to court. We are watching the developments closely. That's all I can say for now," he said.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Eglon Nkala said he could not comment on the arrest as he was out of office.
Three days before Matore's arrest, police had allegedly raided the bookshop and confiscated all the 10 books in stock, before asking Matore and business partner Mlamuli Mabhena to produce invoices showing how they had purchased the books.
Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, described the move as a subtle way of banning the PM's biography, which started selling in Zimbabwe late last year.
Matore was arrested on Friday at her 'Rose Pet' bookshop and was still in police custody as of last night.
"It is barbaric to arrest someone for selling a book," he said.
"This is just a book by the Prime Minister about his life. How can you arrest them for selling literature?
"Is literature criminalised in this country? We have got to a stage where literature has indeed become criminal," he said.
"We are beginning to see the unofficial banning of the book," he said.
Tamborinyoka said the PM's Office would continue to monitor the developments around the arrest of the bookseller.
"The person will go to court. We are watching the developments closely. That's all I can say for now," he said.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Eglon Nkala said he could not comment on the arrest as he was out of office.
Three days before Matore's arrest, police had allegedly raided the bookshop and confiscated all the 10 books in stock, before asking Matore and business partner Mlamuli Mabhena to produce invoices showing how they had purchased the books.
Source - ND
