'Magaisa spurned Zanu-PF co-option,' claims Hopewell Chin'ono

LATE constitutional law guru Alex Magaisa reportedly spurned Zanu-PF attempts to lure him to support the ruling party following the 2017 coup.

Magaisa died from a cardiac arrest in the United Kingdom on Sunday at the age of 47.

Addressing guests at Magaisa's memorial lecture held in Harare on Thursday, journalist-cum activist Hopewell Chin'ono said: "Contrary to the nonsense I was reading on social media, they (Zanu-PF) approached Alex and I just felt that out of respect, after the period of mourning if they continue, I will set the record straight."

"We know the people. We have got names and some of them came through me. But Alex said, ‘No. I am a Zimbabwean. If you do things right, you do not need Magaisa's support. Do not look for individuals. Do the right thing and the whole country will support you'."

Top human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said: "I believe that we should have regular lectures to celebrate each other. Alex was a vital core in the Constitution-making process which culminated in what we now have which I consider a decent Constitution."

The Constitutional Law Centre, which he founded, declared Magaisa, the people's national hero and set aside five days of mourning, with various activities including the Big Saturday march in remembrance of his famous blog the Big Saturday Read.

But police refused to sanction the Saturday candlelight commemoration that was scheduled for today in the Harare Gardens.

In a letter dated June 9, 2022, police said, Heal Zimbabwe, a civic society organisation that had sought authority for the march, had not complied with provisions of the Maintenance of Peace and Order.