Zanu-PF says detained activists can now be freed

The ruling Zanu-PF party has indicated that opposition leaders, activists, and human rights defenders who were detained in the lead-up to the 44th Sadc summit may be released now that the event has concluded. Over 160 individuals were arrested since June 16, with accusations of plotting protests and disrupting the summit.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa defended the detentions as necessary for maintaining order during the summit, suggesting that the activists were held as a precaution to ensure the smooth running of the event. He stated that with the summit successfully completed, there is no longer a need to keep these individuals in detention.

Mutsvangwa's comments have sparked controversy, with critics questioning the legality and motives behind the arrests. Human rights groups and opposition parties have accused the government of using the summit as a pretext to stifle dissent and intimidate civil society.

Legal expert Aaron Hamauswa argued that the arrests lacked a legitimate legal basis and were politically motivated. He pointed out that the authorities' willingness to release the detainees now that the summit is over suggests the detentions were intended to suppress opposition voices rather than address genuine security concerns.

Mutsvangwa dismissed these claims, emphasizing that the government's priority was to present Zimbabwe as stable and secure during the summit, and that the release of detainees would be a matter for the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Justice to decide.