MDC starts ‘period of defiance’ against repressive laws

By Tichaona Sibanda
28 November 2007

MDC activists in Manicaland have started what they called a ‘period of defiance’ against police brutality and government restrictions on freedom of speech and assembly.
Concerned at the little time left for campaigning between now and elections next year, the MDC has vowed to wage a campaign aimed at forcing authorities in the country to let them address their supporters or repeal the laws altogether.

Pishai Muchauraya, MDC spokesman for Manicaland, said they have in the last fortnight held several rallies against the wishes of the authorities in defiance of government rules that forbid outdoor gatherings of more than a dozen people without a police permit.

‘We are fighting a dictatorship that uses state resources to crackdown on dissent and our campaign is a simple message to the regime leadership that you cannot silence the oppressed forever. Hopefully this campaign will translate into pressure on the government to reform the system,’ Muchauraya said.

The campaign has already claimed its first victim. Lazarus Manhanga, the 44 year-old MDC chairman in Nedziwa in Chimanimani was arrested Monday for refusing to divulge information relating to this campaign.
Manhanga is one of the central figures who have been defying police orders against holding political rallies in the Chimanimani area in the last three weeks. He has been interrogated in police custody at Cashel Valley since Monday. Muchauraya told us that Manhanga is a fearless MDC activist who has told the police he’s not afraid to die for change in the country and will continue to defy them.

‘He told the officer-in-charge of Chimanimani (Inspector Banda) to his face, and in front of a crowd, that one day they will answer for what they are doing to the innocent people of Zimbabwe. Surprisingly the police officer just walked back to his car, got in and drove off without saying a word. Muchauraya said.

The officer-in-charge is the same police chief who a month ago threatened to invoke the shoot-to-kill order against MDC activists if they went ahead with their planned rally at Nedziwa business centre in the area. He deployed heavily armed officers to cordon off the venue at the MDC rally. He also allegedly vowed 'he was above the law' and dared anyone who challenged his authority that their fate would be sealed, violently.