By Chengeto Chidi
Citizens Coalition for Change(CCC) candidate Grantmore Hakata faces the prospect of failing to vote for himself this coming Wednesday as he was arrested along with 38 other CCC supporters last week Tuesday facing allegations of disorderly conduct.
The 40 are being held in custody over the weekend since their arrest on allegations that they held an illegal car rally at Machipisa Shopping Centre and have been appearing before Harare Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye since Thursday.
Human rights lawyer representing the 40, Kudzai Kadzere told journalists that they should be set free.
Speaking in an interview after the court adjourned on Friday Kadzere said that they could not proceed as the prosecutor dealing the matter pulled a no-show after lunch hour and sent in his representative instead to postpone the matter
“Unfortunately the state prosecutor disappeared and failed to turn up for the afternoon session and sent his junior to apply for a postponement which we opposed but unfortunately the Magistrate ruled in favour of the state,” he said
This now means that the 40 will remain I’m custody over the weekend until the bail application ruling is given next week.
“We have not been told why the prosecutor who was dealing the matter could not come back to court so the matter has been rolled over to Monday unfortunately my clients have to endure the weekend in custody,” he said.
From the day the election date was set, the CCC has been battling with police who have been banning their rallies and have been complaining that the courts were also being used by ZANU-PF.
He also shared the reason why they were arrested while they were conducting their rally as part of their campaigns
“They are facing the charge of disorderly conduct and failing to notify the regulating authority,” the lawyer said.
He complained that the 40 were being treated unfairly by the state in the delay of their freedom because they’re members of the opposition and are being punished for that but they will not be deterred
“It’s a question of trivializing the rights of the accusing persons because of the political jacket that they wear, we know that they are being punished because they’re members of the CCC political party so it’s nothing new, it’s part of the modus operandi of the state, we are not surprised at all, but we will keep on fighting and doing our job as human rights lawyers,” he said.
Bail is a constitutional right, and everyone is entitled to it.
Questions have been raised over the selective application of the law as ZANU-PF members have been conducting these car rallies too in Waterfalls and Epworth but have not faced any arrests.
Over the years campaigning strategies have been changing with some taking them online, in hashtags and even live videos.