MDC want police commissioner jailed for contempt of court

By Lance Guma
28 February 2007

The Movement for Democratic Change on Tuesday filed an application with the High Court seeking the imprisonment of police commissioner Augustine Chihuri and four other senior officers. The party says he is in contempt of a High Court order which barred the force from disrupting their rally in Harare two weeks ago. The MDC want Chihuri and his lieutenants jailed for 30 days. Jessie Majome, the deputy secretary for legal and parliamentary affairs in the Tsvangirai MDC, is leading the application.

The MDC application reads in part, ‘the esteem of the administration of justice in the eyes of the public will be shaken and therefore suffer irreparable harm if the honourable court does not react swiftly and decisively to the naked contempt of court.’ It was not clear late Wednesday if the state had responded to the application or if a date for the hearing had been set.

Armed police sealed off the Zimbabwe Grounds venue for the rally, resulting in running battles with protesting MDC supporters. Israeli-made water cannons and tear gas were used as police units on the ground beat up anyone within reach. Nelson Chamisa, the spokesman for the Tsvangirai MDC, said although they knew ‘the pig could not roast itself,’ the application was important to expose the absence of law and order in the country. He says the move is a political strategy to open up many fronts in their struggle against the regime. ‘This regime is notorious for not respecting the rule of law and so they must face their own music,’ Chamisa added.

Meanwhile the MDC says it is business as usual for them and they have already lined up several meetings and rallies over the weekend in defiance of the police ban. The party will hold a rally in Harare’s Budiriro suburb, will have meetings in Mutare and a ‘thank you’ rally in Chiredzi for their supporters in the aftermath of the parliamentary by-election held there, and won controversially by a Zanu PF candidate.