NCA activists still in custody, 7 days on without charge
By Lance Guma
20 November 2008

Eight activists from the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) who were arrested last Thursday, are still locked up in Mutare Remand Prison, even though they are yet to be formally charged. NCA spokesman Madock Chivasa told Newsreel police in Mutare picked up all the known activists from the group, without offering any explanation or justification for the arrests.

Last week Tuesday the group embarked on a series of countrywide demonstrations, demanding a transitional authority to solve the political crisis. Students and NCA activists combined to march on the streets, but were met by a brutal response from the police, who beat up and arrested several protesters. Even innocent people in bank queues were beaten up.

Although all the activists arrested during Tuesday’s demonstration were released on bail, the police in Mutare followed up on the victimization by going house to house and arresting prominent leaders. The NCA have vowed to demonstrate every Tuesday until a transitional authority which will also oversee a new people driven constitution is put in place.

Chivasa told Newsreel they only skipped demonstrating this week because most of their key leaders were in custody and a police ‘witch hunt’ for other members hindered their plans. He called on all Zimbabweans to join them next Tuesday in another series of countrywide demonstrations. Asked if their demands for a transitional authority were realistic, given Mugabe’s intransigence, Chivasa said ZANU PF behaved that way because there was not enough pressure coming from the ground.

Meanwhile 12 MDC activists abducted from Banket towards the end of October are still missing. Their whereabouts remain unknown 22 days after they were abducted. ‘The MDC fears for the lives and safety of its members as ZANU PF and the police have failed to account for their whereabouts,’ the party said in a statement. The 12 were abducted from Banket and Chinhoyi in pre-dawn raids on their homes. Lawyers and relatives have been denied access to them triggering fears they may have already been murdered.

High Court Justice Charles Hungwe on the 11th November ordered the police to produce the detainees in court, but 9 days later the police continue to defy the order. Those missing include Concilia Chinanzvavana, the Women's Assembly provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West and her husband Emmanuel Chinanzvavana who is a councillor in Banket.