Seven injured as police crush NCA demo in Harare

By Lance Guma
21 November 2007

The National Constitutional Assembly say 7 of their members were seriously injured on Wednesday after police crushed their demonstration in Harare’s city centre. The group was marching to Parliament in an attempt to denounce constitutional amendment 18 which harmonised presidential and parliamentary elections. Teera Musiya, one of their activists, sustained a deep cut on the head and blood was said to be ‘gushing’ out as he was ferried inside an NCA truck.

Over 300 NCA activists gathered in the city centre, holding up placards criticizing the MDC and Zanu PF for voting together in passing the bill through parliament. An NCA statement said 10 armed riot police rounded them up as soon as they approached Africa Unity Square from the Fourth Street Bus terminus. NCA National Youth Chairperson Alois Dzvairo told Newsreel 5 of their activists were arrested during the commotion. He said they mobilised about 500 activists to demonstrate and these were positioned in groups at various entry points onto Jason Moyo Street.

One by one the groups joined the march until the number reached 300 before the police intervention. The other 200 were not able to join in the march as police fought running battles with the first procession Dzvairo told us. Chairperson Lovemore Madhuku condemned the police action saying, ‘It shows that they act on instructions and they do not reason. This kind of brutality is not acceptable in a country that claims to be a democracy. We will see the intensity of the injured with a view to sue the police.’ In a telephone interview he confirmed that all those arrested have since been released.

Once strategic partners with the MDC, the NCA has since distanced itself from its former ally and accused the party of betraying demands for a new people driven constitution. The MDC say the concessions to Zanu PF were necessary to build confidence in the talks and remain confident the process will deliver the repeal of repressive legislation like POSA and AIPPA amongst other targets.