News / National
Police disrupt Tsvangirai's meeting
23 Jul 2015 at 15:03hrs | Views
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has said police disputed an MDC meeting at Queens Hall in Mutare today when they insisted on sitting through the private deliberations of an internal party meeting, contrary to the provisions of the law.
"The party had notified the police of the private meeting by President Tsvangirai and the party leadership, just as similar private meetings have been held with other provincial leaders in other provinces throughout the country," said Tamborinyoka.
"Eight officers came and insisted on sitting through the meeting after one of the officers who had initially sneaked into the meeting was chucked out by alert members of the provincial leadership."
He said even after President Tsvangirai had finished his presentation, the police insisted on coming back to sit through the remainder of the sensitive and private deliberations on election strategy.
"The provincial leadership alerted the police of the provisions of POSA which did not entitle them to attend private meetings that are not rallies but they said their superiors had told them to come and hear what Tsvangirai was planning for the party," he said.
"This left the provincial leadership with no option but to cancel the rest of the deliberations as the police kept insisting on sitting through the private deliberations, contrary to the provisions of the law."
He said the police action confirms what has become wrong with our politics.
"The police, who have often acted as appendages of Zanu PF, cannot insist on sitting through private, internal deliberations of a political party in contravention of the very rule of law they are supposed to uphold. Allowing them to sit through the private deliberations would have been the same as inviting the police into the national executive meeting of the MDC," he said.
"Meanwhile, President Tsvangirai will address a rally at Hauna growth point in Mutasa North tomorrow before proceeding to address another at Chimbudzi business centre in Buhera Central on Saturday."
Tamborinyoka said on Sunday, the President will wind up his Manicaland tour with another rally at Matsika business centre in Makoni West.
"The party had notified the police of the private meeting by President Tsvangirai and the party leadership, just as similar private meetings have been held with other provincial leaders in other provinces throughout the country," said Tamborinyoka.
"Eight officers came and insisted on sitting through the meeting after one of the officers who had initially sneaked into the meeting was chucked out by alert members of the provincial leadership."
He said even after President Tsvangirai had finished his presentation, the police insisted on coming back to sit through the remainder of the sensitive and private deliberations on election strategy.
"The provincial leadership alerted the police of the provisions of POSA which did not entitle them to attend private meetings that are not rallies but they said their superiors had told them to come and hear what Tsvangirai was planning for the party," he said.
He said the police action confirms what has become wrong with our politics.
"The police, who have often acted as appendages of Zanu PF, cannot insist on sitting through private, internal deliberations of a political party in contravention of the very rule of law they are supposed to uphold. Allowing them to sit through the private deliberations would have been the same as inviting the police into the national executive meeting of the MDC," he said.
"Meanwhile, President Tsvangirai will address a rally at Hauna growth point in Mutasa North tomorrow before proceeding to address another at Chimbudzi business centre in Buhera Central on Saturday."
Tamborinyoka said on Sunday, the President will wind up his Manicaland tour with another rally at Matsika business centre in Makoni West.
Source - Byo24News
