Police block Mthwakazi demo

POLICE in Bulawayo yesterday blocked an anti-government demonstration organised by the secessionist Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP).

The MRP wanted to take to the streets to protest the persecution of its members by State security agents.

"Police did not only ban the march, but as per their culture of handling MRP matters, they also deployed heavily armed police officers in anti-riot gear ... prompting the party's security department to advise the defiant Bulawayo provincial leadership and members led by chairperson Bioz Makhalima to call off the march in order to ensure the security of members," the MRP said in a statement.

"The people's party leadership felt that it was not strategic and, therefore, unnecessary to let members of the party get arrested and brutalised at a time when others are already languishing in remand at Khami Prison for no apparent reason."

Currently, nine MRP activists are caged at Khami Remand Prison following their arrest for participating in a flash demonstration outside the Bulawayo Central Police Station early last month.

A Bulawayo magistrate last Friday shot down the activists' application for bail, insisting that the State had a strong case against them.