Flag demo ban unconstitutional, experts

Constitutional lawyers yesterday said government's decision to regulate possession and use of the national flag through a 1987 statutory instrument was likely to be challenged in court, as the Act supporting it was vague.

On Tuesday, Justice ministry permanent secretary, Virginia Mabhiza invoked Statutory Instrument 184 of 1987 to ban the manufacture, sale and possession of replicas of the national flag.

The move came at a time anti-government protesters were using replicas of the national flag as a symbol of national resistance against the Zanu-PF regime's alleged misrule. But, constitutional lawyer Alex Magaisa said it was unconstitutional to limit the rights of citizens through subsidiary legislation.