12 Zanu PF activists in court over protest at party’s headquarters

Source: 12 Zanu PF activists in court over protest at party’s headquarters

Group carried placards and sang songs demanding the removal of the party’s youth chairman for Harare Emmanuel Mahachi

Protest … Emmanuel Mahachi, the Zanu PF youth chairman for Harare province

HARARE – Twelve Zanu PF activists who caused a scene at their party headquarters on Tuesday calling for the removal of the Harare Youth League chairman Emmanuel Mahachi have appeared in court charged with public violence.

Melisa Master, 27, Ireen Makuvire, 50, Ernest Thuola, 35, Tinashe Nheya, 27, Prince Chatendeuka, 36, Tafara Rusere, 30, Edson Chabvuta, 30, Larson Masenda, 43, Rosewiter Munhava, 34, Wellington Mutsvangwa, 32, Blessed Kadumba, 28, and Portia Mhishi 35 were remanded in custody pending a bail hearing.

They briefly appeared Harare magistrate Apolonia Marutya.

Prosecutors say the group went to Zanu PF headquarters on September 19 demanding the removal of Mahachi from his post.

“The accused persons unlawfully… disturbed the peace, security or order of the public by chanting Zanu PF party slogans and chanting ‘Mahachi must go,’ ‘Pasi neGwekwerere’,” according to the prepared charge sheet.

“They were wearing black T-shirts inscribed ‘Mahachi must go’. The accused persons were told by the police to stop what they were doing but they turned a deaf ear and continued to act in common purpose to disturb the peace.”