Heavy Police Presence in CBD as Harare Awaits Ruling on Expelled MDC MPs

A purpotedly envisaged demonstration by the Nelson Chamisa-led main opposition MDC Alliance supporters has resulted in heavy police presence in Harare central business district as the High Court is set to give a ruling on a petition by four recalled legislators aligned to the 42-year-old opposition figure.

It is understood that some sections of MDC Alliance supporters are tipped to stage a demonstration Wednesday in the CBD and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has reportedly been on high alert ahead of this afternoon’s High Court ruling.

The three MPs who include Charlton Hwende, Prosper Mutseyami, Lilian Timveous and Senator Thabitha Khumalo are contesting their recent dismissal from parly, instigated by renegade opposition figure Douglas Mwonzora of the Thokozani Khupe-fronted MDC-T.
Reports of an imminent demo have also resulted in some urbanites from Harare suburbs being turned away in the guise of strict Covid-19 lockdown regulations and those without proper documentation were the most affected.

A ZRP source privy to the goings-on was quoted by the online Zim Morning Post as saying a directive was dispatched last night, ordering all police officers on and off duty to be on high alert after some intelligence tipped of a demonstration in the CBD.

“We are aware of some elements pouring in from the capital’s high density suburbs into the CBD, with the intention to cause chaos hence today we have been ordered to be strict on everyone coming into town,” the ZRP source was quoted as saying.
Chamisa and Khupe are locked in a bitter legal wrangle for the control of the main opposition.

On March 31, the Supreme Court handed a shock ruling which declared Khupe the legitimate interim leader of the opposition party pending an extraordinary congress to choose a substantive successor to the party’s late founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
Tsvangirai succumbed to colon cancer at a private medical centre in neighbouring South Africa on Valentine’s Day in 2018.
The controversial manner through which Chamisa ascended to the party presidency in the post-Tsvangirai epoch has effectively cast aspersions on his legitimacy.

Agencies
Additional Reporting: Zwnews