They were arrested at the Dutch Reformed Church building in
central Harare where they intended to launch of ‘The Zimbabwe We Want’
campaign.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul
Nyathi confirmed the arrests and said the accused were being questioned for
public disorder at Harare Central Police Station.
“In matters of security when people want to have
processions, gatherings or demonstrations, they have to inform the regulating
authority so that security measures are put in place,” Nyathi said.
“In this case where there is no co-operation and people
start to gather contravening the country’s laws then the police have a
responsibility to move in and ensure that law and order is maintained.”
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said police
barred lawyers from accessing their clients.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, Zimbabwe Divine
Destiny leader Bishop Ancelimo Magaya said the clergy were deeply concerned
about the country’s political and socio-economic crisis.
“We need a new Zimbabwe with a low cost of that and remember,
we were promised in 2018 that education will be free yet we are here to pray to
God for that Zimbabwe we want,” Magaya said.
“We are saddened that the meeting that we had planned was
blocked. We believed that space is sacred, which would allow us freedom of
worship.”
There is growing discontent over the economic meltdown as
prices of basic commodities have eroded the workers’ salaries.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC), an umbrella body of
civic groups, condemned the arrest of the worshippers as barbaric.
“The persecution of ordinary citizens by the police goes
against the ideals of the struggle for an independent Zimbabwe and we restate
that the same factors that motivated those who fought for the country’s
independence shall continue to guide and motivate us until Zimbabwe is free,”
CiCZ spokesperson Obert Masaraure said.
The arrest follows concerns over the shrinking democratic
space in the country.
Government also plans to railroad the Private Voluntary
Organisations (PVO) Bill which seeks to regulate the operations of civic
society organisaitons that have been vocal against corruption and human rights
abuses.
Government says the PVO Bill is necessary to silence the
civic groups it accuses of being sponsored by the West to push a regime change
agenda. Newsday
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