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Nyore Madzianike–Senior Court Reporter
CITIZENS Coalition for Change co-vice presidents, Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi, have had their case postponed to March 29 when they are expected to answer to charges of violating Covid-19 regulations during the national lockdown period, after staging an illegal demonstration at their former party headquarters in Harare sometime in 2020.
Biti and Karenyi are expected to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court jointly charged with their deputy secretary general David Chimhini, secretary for mobilisation women assembly, Vimbai Tome, deputy secretary for corporate affairs, Lovemore Chinoputsa and Gladys Hlatywayo, who is the secretary for international affairs.
It is the State’s case that on June 5, 2020 police were informed that MDC-Alliance members were gathered at Morgan Tsvangirai House in Harare in contravention of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020, which prohibited the gathering of more than 50 people.
Police were allegedly told that the gathering was aimed at planning to stage an unsanctioned demonstration in the city centre.
It is said that police reacted swiftly and went to the Corner of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Angwa Street where a number of the opposition party’s supporters were already gathered.
Upon seeing the police, the MDC-Alliance members allegedly started causing mayhem, leading to the arrest of some of the participants.
In the afternoon of the same day, while monitoring the situation at the intersection of Nelson Mandela and Angwa Street, six members of the opposition party’s leadership are said to have arrived at the scene in the company of more than 50 people.
It is alleged they burst into a song, “Kana ndafa nehondo”, loosely translated to mean “when I die in a war”, and allegedly blocked roads, interfering with public comfort, peace and convenience in the process.
They were then arrested before being taken to court.
Online Reporter