Three human rights activists are appearing at the Harare Magistrates Court this morning to apply for the admission to bail.
The three, who are Ngonidzashe Mupfumba, Patrick Shumba and Kudakwashe Butau, were arrested on Tuesday and charged with disorderly conduct while attending the court session for Makomborero Haruzivishe.
Their lawyer Gift Mtisi from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission will today apply for the admission to bail of the three who will be detained in prison pending the determination of their freedom bid.
Apparently, Haruzivishe a pro-democracy activist Makomborero Haruzivishe was recently sentenced to 14 months in jail, a week after being convicted for inciting public violence and resisting arrest.
The 28-year-old, an outspoken critic of Zimbabwe’s government, was jailed for 24 months on the first count of incitement, and 12 months for resisting arrest. Ten of the 24 months and six of the 12 months were suspended. With the two sentences to run concurrently, Haruzivishe will serve 14 months in prison.
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson George Charamba has dismissed claims that the imprisonment of MDC Alliance executive member Makomborero Haruziviishe was political persecution and lauded the courts for discouraging “hooliganism” and public disorder in the country.
In a series of tweets on his @Jamwanda2 Twitter handle recently, Charamba mocked MDC- Alliance for failing to save the activist from being sent to jail.
He later told NewsDay that he was using the social media platform to “influence moral behaviour”.
“I am not mocking anyone. I am mocking hooliganism which is taking the human form of Makomborero Haruziviishe,” Charamba said.
“You don’t expect us to shower confetti on lawlessness. Haruziviishe is a young college dropout who confuses politics with violence. By imprisoning him, we try to use him as an example to discourage such behaviour. What I am doing in my tweets is moral sanctioning. There are certain behaviours which cannot just be condoned in society.”
He said Haruziviishe’s conviction had nothing to do with politics because he was tried and convicted in a court of law “independent” from political parties’ interference.
-Zwnews
