Court okays MDC-T demo against Mugabe

MDC-T supporters are expected to flood the streets of Harare today in a landmark protest against President Robert Mugabe's misrule after the High Court yesterday overturned a police ban on the demonstration.

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to lead the demonstration from the front.

Justice Happias Zhou yesterday ruled in his chambers that the MDC-T demonstration should proceed as planned and ordered police to foot the party's legal costs.

He said the police had failed to prove that the protests would disturb public peace and were a threat to national security.

MDC-T lawyer, Sharon Hofisi said the judge ruled the claim by the police that the demonstrations would disturb human and traffic flow in the city centre were baseless at law.

"The court ruled that the assertion that the demonstration would disturb traffic and human flow had no merit at law and were unsustainable by the police. The judge also ruled that the excuse that most of the officers are engaged in Independence Day preparations was illegal, as they should provide security once they are sure the protest would be a threat to national security," she said.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on Tuesday ordered the MDC-T to stop its planned demonstration, claiming its officers were unable to provide security, as they were busy preparing for Monday's Independence Day celebrations.

But Justice Zhou, according to Hofisi, ruled that the ZRP should provide security to the protesters as stated in the Constitution.

"The police were also ordered to pay legal costs of the case and the judge also interdicted the police from interfering with an MDC-T protest against rising poverty and the corruption scourge in
Zimbabwe other than providing security," Hofisi said.

MDC-T secretary-general, Douglas Mwonzora said people had the right to demonstrate.

"We must come in our numbers to assert the people's right to demonstrate. We reiterate that this is a peaceful demonstration and we expect the highest standards of behaviour from our members and friends. There will be no violence and looting. We know the enemy may try to plant criminals in our midst. Our marshals and security officers will deal with these so that the public is protected.

"Among the issues we are demonstrating against is the grinding poverty that Zimbabwe has been plunged into by this regime," Mwonzora said.

"We are demonstrating in outrage at the $15 billion (diamond revenue) that was stolen by State officials and their criminal associates. The unemployment situation that has left most Zimbabwean graduates consigned to vending is also among the issues."

The MDC-T yesterday launched a fundraising campaign requesting for at least $1 from its membership and other groups to cater for transport for those attending the march.

MDC-T deputy treasurer-general, Chalton Hwende used his Facebook page to appeal for funding for the event before announcing that the Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe, led by former party stalwart Elton Mangoma, had made a $50 contribution through its spokesperson, Pishai Muchauraya.

The money, according to Hwende, was being channelled through a mobile money transfer account that was being administered by Tsvangirai's secretary, Edith Munyaka.

Muchauraya confirmed that his party would participate in today's demonstration and urged other opposition parties to mobilise their members to join in today's protest march.

"We support any initiative that would mean getting rid of Zanu-PF. We all want a better life and indeed this demonstration is going to push Zanu-PF to the edge. We appeal to our members to support this initiative and participate," Muchauraya said.