Zimbabwe MP arrested....for walking!

Zimbabwe MP arrested....for walking!

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By Violet Gonda

ONLY in Zimbabwe are people arrested for doing what is normal. We have reported on how people have been arrested simply for singing, praying or waving their hands. The latest addition to the list is walking!

That’s right, walking in Zimbabwe Wednesday resulted in the detention of the MDC MP for Budiriro Gilbert Shoko and 20 others.

Thousands of people have been forced to walk to work, daily, as a result of the crippling fuel shortages affecting the entire country. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai now daily walks to work in solidarity with the suffering Zimbabweans.

Lawyer Alex Muchadehama confirmed that his clients were arrested for walking. He said the 21 individuals, including the MP, were walking on foot from Budiriro along the Willowvale Road in Harare when they were intercepted by 7 police officers and bundled into trucks.

The group, all MDC activists, are facing a charge under Section 19 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), relating to a gathering that can be construed as riot disorder. Muchadehama said, “The police allege that the group had gathered in circumstances which were conducive to riot, disorder, intolerance and disturbing the peace.”

The MDC activists, who were all still in police custody at Southerton Police Station Wednesday night, said they were walking to work because they did not have transport to go to work because of the fuel crisis.

Several MDC MPs have been walking to work in solidarity with the people – a campaign started last month by Tsvangirai.

The lawyer said it appears the police are starting to get alarmed because various people associated with the MDC have been walking into town and they now want to put a stop to it, despite the fact that there is a fuel crisis.

He said the allegation against Shoko and the others were false because a person simply walking to work does not conduct himself in a riotous manner.

"The police have no reason to arrest them and that is why they are still trying to make sense of the exact charges to level against the group.”

Southerton Police refused to comment about the arrest - SW Radio Africa
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