Police violently stop NCA protest in Harare

By Tichaona Sibanda
7 December 2007

The National Constitutional Assembly reported Friday that 300 of its activists staged a demonstration in central Harare, before heavily armed riot police officers violently stopped it.

In a statement the NCA said in an act of ‘clear determination and courage,’ their activists walked from the city’s Copacabana area to the Parliament Building.

‘They were however violently dispersed by riot police who were heavily armed. The police launched a severe attack on the activists and the general public who were in the vicinity of the area that they were marching,’ the statement said.

The activists chanted songs about the need for a new constitution braving the wet weather to march. The demonstration was against Constitutional Amendment Number 18, as well as the deteriorating situation in the country.

‘The struggle to have a new, democratic and people driven constitution will continue as long as the issue remains unaddressed. We say no to willy-nilly amendments of the constitution. Rather, the people of Zimbabwe should be consulted so that they contribute to the process of making a new constitution,’ the NCA said.