Zimbabwean court lifts ban on protests in Harare

HARARE

Zimbabwe’s High Court on Wednesday overturned a police ban on protests in the capital Harare after a challenge from activists involved in a surge of demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe.

Mr Mugabe has vowed to crack down on the protests, which have erupted over recent months as Zimbabwe has been pitched into deepening economic crisis.

“The court has said the ban was unlawful,” Tendai Biti, a lawyer and opposition party leader among those who brought the case to court, told journalists.

“The judgement is a very brave judgement. We are very proud that the court recognised the power it has (and) importantly that courts will adjudicate matters without fear and favour.”

President Mugabe, who has routinely crushed dissent since he came to power in 1980, recently criticised the country’s courts after several anti-government protests turned violent.

Judges authorised an opposition demonstration in Harare on August 26 which degenerated into clashes between opposition supporters and security forces.

SUFFERED ECONOMIC CRISIS

Zimbabwe has suffered an economic crisis since the start of the century, with 90 percent of the population now not in formal employment.

The cash-strapped government has been slow to pay the salaries of public sector workers, including the military, while banks are running out of cash.
Meanwhile, a rights body said today President Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party has prevented opposition supporters receiving emergency food, as the country reels under severe shortages.

A drought across southern Africa has pitched Zimbabwe further into economic crisis, with public anger over lack of food helping to fuel a series of recent protests against veteran leader Mugabe, 92.

“Ruling party members were the major perpetrators in violations linked to distribution of food,” Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) chairman Elasto Mugwadi told a news conference in Harare.

ZANU-PF youths “openly told those affiliated to the opposition (they) would never get food aid,” Mugwadi said, adding the problem affected several rural areas across the country.

“Investigating officers were informed (that) youths from the ruling party who are not even part of the distribution committees are involved in the distribution of food aid.”

PREVENT HUNGER

Mr Mugwadi gave no exact figures but said that “huge numbers of people” were affected. The ZHRC was established under the 2013 constitution.

Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has often accused the government of channelling food supplies to Mugabe supporters.

“Officials (must) desist from using political affiliations as yardsticks and guarantee impartiality in any food aid,” Mugwadi said.

Earlier this year, Harare appealed for $1.5 billion of foreign donations to help prevent hunger, saying 4.5 million people — half of the rural population — faced starvation.

Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique have all issued drought alerts this year, as thousands of cattle die, reservoirs dry up and harvests fail due to drought caused in part by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

Mugabe has vowed to crack down on the protests that have demanded his resignation.

ZANU-PF party spokesmen were not immediately available to comment on the ZHRC findings.