By-A dozen of Zanu PF supporters were imprisoned on Thursday for their alleged involvement in public violence at the party’s headquarters in Harare.

They had participated in a demonstration demanding the dismissal of Zanu PF’s Harare Youth Chairperson, Emmanuel Mahachi. The accused appeared before Harare Magistrate Appollonia Marutya and were remanded in custody. They will return to court on Friday for a bail hearing.

According to the State, on September 19, the twelve individuals gathered at the Zanu PF headquarters, where they chanted party slogans and held placards calling for Mahachi’s removal. Despite police warnings to cease their activities, they continued to disrupt the peace. Their prepared charge sheet stated:

The accused persons unlawfully… disturbed the peace, security or order of the public by chanting Zanu PF party slogans and chanting ‘Mahachi must go,’ ‘Pasi neGwekwerere’

They were wearing black T-shirts inscribed ‘Mahachi must go’. The accused persons were told by the police to stop what they were doing but they turned a deaf ear and continued to act in common purpose to disturb the peace.