By Political Reporter- Citizens in Bulawayo have taken to the streets in protest over the arrest of 78 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members, demanding their immediate release.
Social media posts show hundreds of citizens marching and calling for the rule of law to prevail in Zimbabwe.
The protesters are also urging the forthcoming Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit to address the issue of the allegedly stolen 2023 polls.
These protests follow the arrest of Kariba Member of Parliament John Houghton and 13 others in Mashonaland West on Friday.
They were detained for staging a peaceful demonstration against the continued incarceration of CCC faction leader Jameson Timba and 77 other party activists.
Former CCC deputy spokesperson, Gift Ostallos Siziba, confirmed the arrests, stating, “13 activists, including Honourable John Houghton, former Mayor George Masendu, Farai Mageva, and others, have been arrested for peacefully protesting with placards demanding the release of Honourable Timba and others. They are currently detained at Kariba Police Headquarters. This is Zimbabwe under Mnangagwa. The constitution has been suspended! The fight is on. Homeland or death!”
The arrest of the CCC activists in Kariba comes as the government intensifies its crackdown on dissent, seemingly to prevent potential protests that could disrupt the upcoming 44th SADC Summit scheduled to be held in Harare on August 17.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said, “14 Kariba residents, who are detained at Kariba Police Station, have been charged with contravening section 37 of the Criminal Code by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and are accused of participating in a gathering with intent to cause public violence.
ZRP officers allege that the 14 participated in an unsanctioned protest, holding placards demanding the release of CCC political party leader Jameson Timba and other Harare residents, who were arrested and detained in June.”
Timba and the CCC activists were arrested on June 16, 2024, while commemorating the Day of the African Child in Harare.
They face charges of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry, and disorderly conduct.
The High Court upheld the decision on July 17, leaving the detainees languishing in prolonged pretrial detention at Harare’s Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
A magistrate court on June 27 denied them bail on the grounds that the detainees were likely to commit similar offences if released.
Last week, police raided and disrupted a Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) meeting attended by over 60 students at the ZESA Training Centre in Belvedere, Harare.