Journalist Ndebele to appear in court today

POLICE yesterday arrested journalist Zenzele Ndebele for conduct likely to breach the maintenance of public peace at a meeting held at State House in Bulawayo where President Mnangagwa was meeting civil society leaders based in Matebeleland.

Sources said alert security officials recovered items that could threaten public peace as Ndebele drove into the State House.   

Ndebele is also a political activist and director of Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE), an online media organisation.

A security source said the journalist was found with articles used by security agents, but could not elaborate further.

"(His arrest) it has to do with his conduct that was likely to breach the maintenance law and order.  He was likely to breach maintenance of public peace considering that this was a public gathering. So he had no reason at all to go into that gathering carrying some items which in actual fact are items which are used by security services and he is not a member of the security services," said a security source.  

Unconfirmed reports said Ndebele was allegedly found in possession of teargas cannisters in the restricted area in a city where President Mnangagwa escaped an assassination attempt in June last year.  

The security source added: "The law is very clear no one should go into any public gathering carrying items which legally no one would be allowed to be in possession of. He had no reason at all to carry those items to the gathering. Whatever he was carrying he had no reason to be in possession of those items."  

He said Ndebele is likely to appear in court today.