ZAPU deplores ZANU PF Police brutality against Itai Dzamara

The new Constitution of Zimbabwe allows for peaceful demonstrations and petitioning of public bodies.

ZAPU's ideology of Human Rightsism promotes the observance and upholding of Human Rights regardless of the situation at hand. The entrenchment of Human Rights values and principles enables governments to act in a dignified manner when challenged by citizens.

ZAPU sees Human Rights as inalienable and unconditional, in that vein ZAPU would like to categorically express its disapproval of disproportionate actions by the ‘ZANU PF police' against peaceful demonstrations by a very miniscule group which did not pose any serious threat to the government.

The beating up of Itai Dzamara and his colleagues is demeaning and degrading. It reduces them to objects of ridicule. These are peaceful people who are confronted by violence and force. In any civilised country beating up of another human being by another should never be acceptable regardless of circumstances.

To all the Citizens, ZAPU encourages solidarity with the abused, but also implores organisations and individuals to start working together to confront the challenges facing the country. The government has always thrived on divide and rule principle, the principle they learnt so well from the Rhodesians.

The collaborative process should take the form of informing and persuading other organisations to take part. The collaboration should also be on planning and executing the demonstrations together.

The bigger the demonstrations the bigger the impact. We are aware as ZAPU that the MDCT is contemplating to engage the government on the streets in the near future, however as a party we haven't been formally invited to participate. When ZAPU finally takes to the streets, it will ensure that all stakeholders are invited to partake in the demonstrations.

ZAPU will defend the rights for peaceful demonstrations; this is the only way to engage with an arrogant and big headed government.  If the government does not allow people to peacefully demonstrate it will leave people with no choice, but to go underground and resort to other means of engaging it.