MDC leaders in court over 2016 demo

MDC Alliance leaders Trevor Saruwaka and David Chimhini have been summoned to the Mutare Magistrates' Courts over a 2016 charge of promoting public violence.

Saruwaka, Mutasa Central MP, and Chimhini - the opposition party's outgoing Manicaland provincial chairperson - are wanted in court for trial over the September 2016 protest over Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) conduct. Saruwaka and Chimhini spent three days behind bars when they were initially arrested.

They were arrested in the eastern border city's central business district for mobilising people and participating in an unsanctioned demonstration. Their matter was removed from the court roll before they were sanctioned to reappear in court to answer to the charges in June last year but their trial was again halted and again removed from the roll.

Their lawyer, Chris Ndlovu, told journalists then that prosecutors said they were not ready to proceed with trial. The current summons wants the duo to appear in court next week Friday. It is the State's case that Saruwaka and Chimhini mobilised a group of about 30 opposition supporters and staged an unsanctioned demonstration in Mutare.

According to State papers, the MDC wanted to demonstrate against what they called the slow pace by Zec in implementing electoral reforms.

Their actions, according to the State, had the potential to disturb the peace, security and public order.