Mugabe targets 15 critics for travel ban

Mugabe targets 15 critics for travel ban

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• US says Zim moves 'a sad step backwards'

• Rights groups condemn constitutional moves

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By Lebo Nkatazo

FIFTEEN Zimbabwean critics of President Robert Mugabe's regime have been hit with a travel ban on allegations of threatening the country's "national interest", New Zimbabwe.com can reveal.

The group which includes opposition officials, businessmen and journalists are the first to face such an order following an amendment to the Zimbabwe constitution in September.

The amended Section 22 of the constitution allows the government to restrict the right to freedom of movement by denying a passport to a Zimbabwean wishing to travel outside the country "where it is feared or believed or known that the Zimbabwean in question will, during his or her travel, harm the national interest or defence interest or economic interest of the State."

Immigration sources told New Zimbabwe.com that a memo has been sent to all exit points and border posts for immigration officials to seize the passports of the people on the travel ban list.

Zimbabwe's Deputy Minister of Information, Bright Matonga, professed ignorance of the list seen by New Zimbabwe.com.

"I don't know anything like that because the government wouldn't make it a secret. Maybe you guys are only trying to seek asylum and want to use that story. But I will check, contact me later," said Matonga.

Following the constitutional amendment, Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told journalists: "There are people who gallivant across the globe calling for sanctions against the country. Those are the ones we are targeting. I don't want to mention names because they know themselves. If you are one of them, you are in for it."

Immigration sources at some of the country's border posts, including Harare International Airport, confirmed the existence of the names of the people in the travel ban.

The sources said all immigration officials at the country's border posts have been instructed to seize passports of the people on the list "with immediate effect" if they try to either leave or enter the country.

The sources said the list is likely to be expanded. Those on the current list include former Daily News editor-in-chief Geoff Nyarota and the paper's last editor, Nqobile Nyathi.

Lloyd Mudiwa, a former reporter for the same paper who wrote a story that was later proved to be a CIO hoax of a Magunje woman who was allegedly decapitated by Zanu PF supporters is also on the list.

Other journalists on the list include Basildon Peta, currently working in South Africa and Caroline Gombakomba a former ZBC news presenter now working for the Voice of America's Studio Seven.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change's national spokesman, Paul Themba Nyathi and the party's European Union representative Grace Kwinjeh are the only two members of the opposition on the list.

Human rights lawyers, Beatrice Mtetwa, who was recently in the United States to receive the International Press Freedom Award and Gabriel Shumba are also on the travel ban. Shumba is currently suing the Zimbabwe government for torture before an African Human Rights tribunal in the Gambia.

Poet, trade unionists and teacher Raymond Majongwe's name is also on the list and so is that of business mogul Strive Masiiyiwa.

The National Constitutional Assembly chairman, Lovemore Madhuku is also one of the people whose passport must be seized if he tries to enter or leave the country.

The Crisis Coalition chairman, Brian Kagoro is also on the list, together with Noble Sibanda a relentless campaigner for asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.
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