Zimbabwe Court Grants MDC-T Permission to Stage Protest
Mathonsi stated that the constitution is clear on guaranteeing citizens the right to demonstrate peacefully, adding that provisions of the Public Order and Security Act cannot be used to deny that right.
BULAWAYO — Despite fears over what police say is a volatile situation in Zimbabwe, the High Court in Bulawayo has given the Women’s Assembly of the Movement for Democratic Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai the green light to stage a peaceful demonstration over challenges faced by most households in the country currently struggling to make ends meet. Lawyer Kholwani Ngwenya who represented the MDC T, told Studio 7 that High Court judge Nicholas Mathonsi acceded to an urgent application by the MDC T women’s wing to bar the police from stopping a march which they intend to hold tomorrow. Ngwenya said Mathonsi stated that the constitution is clear on guaranteeing citizens the right to demonstrate peacefully, adding that provisions of the Public Order and Security Act cannot be used to deny that right. The MDC-T Women’s Assembly had made an urgent application to the High Court after Bulawayo police, citing what they said was a volatile situation in the country, indicated that they did not have adequate manpower to monitor the demonstration dubbed “beat the pots campaign.” MDC-T vice president Thokozani Khupe told Studio 7 that she is happy with the court’s decision, saying it upholds the superiority of the constitution. Khupe said the MDC-T Women’s Assembly is ready for tomorrow’s demonstration. She said the women want to clearly send their message to President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF government that they have had enough of the suffering in the country, emphasizing that the protest shall be peaceful. The beat-the-pots demonstration is meant to show women’s disgruntlement over the ongoing economic crisis that is causing hunger in the homes of ordinary Zimbabweans. Similar marches expected to be held across the country in the following weeks.