Zimbabwe constitution demo thwarted

Mugabe opponents arrested as they march for new constitution

By Night Staff/AFP
23/10/03
ZIMBABWEAN police have arrested scores of pro-democracy marchers and opponents of President Robert Mugabe's government in downtown Harare, and lawyers said they were denied access to their clients.

MUGABE

Lovemore Madhuku, chairman of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), a loose coalition of civic and rights bodies, said more than 170 protesters had been arrested.

"It was the usual demonstration, pushing for a new constitution," he told AFP from a police cell where he was being held minutes after he was arrested.

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said about 100 marchers had been arrested for taking part in an illegal demonstration.

"About a hundred have been arrested for an illegal demonstration, and they will charged either under the Public Order and Security Act or Miscellaneous Offences Act," Bvudzijena told AFP.

A witness told AFP he saw police loading into vans dozens of protesters who had demonstrated for a few minutes in Africa Unity Square calling for a new democratic constitution.

Speaking on his mobile telephone, Madhuku said he was taken straight to a cell without recording a statement or any other formalities, and claimed to have been separated from the rest of the marchers.

One of the several lawyers who went to the Harare central police station shortly after the arrests were denied access to their clients and ordered out of the building.

"Police said we were not wanted and they pushed us outside," said one lawyer, Alec Muchadehama.

"They are about eight of us (lawyers), we were pushed out of the charge office.

"We are waiting outside and hoping they will eventually allow us in to see our clients and ascertain how many they are and why they have been arrested," said Muchadehama.

He said they had been waiting outside the police station for more than 90 minutes.

More than 200 NCA protesters were arrested on September 17 for demonstrating outside parliament for a new constitution. They were released after paying fines for allegedly breaching security laws.

The group had not obtained permission to hold the demonstration as required under the southern African country's strict security laws.

Madhuku vowed that his organisation would not be deterred by the arrests and would continue demonstrating for a new constitution.

"I think it will increase the commitment. It will work eventually. There is more determination," he said.
editor@newzimbabwe.com