MDC-T plans ConCourt demos challenge

via MDC-T plans ConCourt demos challenge. 03 September 2014

THE youth wing of the opposition MDC-T party on Wednesday said they will take the police to the Constitutional Court to challenge the recent arrest and disruption of their peaceful protests against the government.

Nine MDC-T youths are currently in custody after they were arrested last month for demonstrating without first seeking permission from the police.

They wanted President Robert Mugabe’s government to create the 2.2 million jobs it promised in the run-up to last year’s July elections.

Last week, another protest in central Harare was also disrupted by the police after MDC-T youths attempted to march from Town House to Parliament to petition the government to provide jobs.

MDC-T youth wing national executive member, Lovemore Chinoputsa, told NewZimbabwe.com Wednesday that their attorneys were already working on their papers to challenge the “illegal arrests” and disruptions of their demonstrations.

“After dealing with the cases of our members who are in custody our lawyers will approach the Constitutional Court and make the legal challenge.

“We strongly believe that what the state is doing is illegal because we have a new constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and staging of peaceful demonstrations like our campaigns,” said Chinoputsa.

“In fact, ours are not demonstrations but a reminder to President Robert Mugabe that he should deliver on his pre-election campaign promises.

“We are simply saying Mr President please provide us with the jobs which you promised us before elections and nothing else.”

Chinoputsa said their protests were peaceful and wondered why the police were harassing and arresting them.

The government has in the past violently crushed any street protests which it claims are aimed at enforcing regime change in Harare.