6 August 2009 Zim News Flash
Written on August 6, 2009 by Emily
Zimbabwe frees MDC official but many still face ‘charges’
After President Jacob Zuma ’s critical meeting with Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday, Harare authorities have released another former opposition MP from police detention. The release of Deputy Youth Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu, who is also a Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) legislator, on Monday shortly after Zuma met Tsvangirai, signalled a reprieve in the crackdown on former opposition MPs ahead of the Southern Africa Development Community summit later this month. 2 MDC MPs facing different charges were released on Friday.
THE HERALD: ‘Nothing sinister about MDC-T MPs’ arrests’
Government has denied and described as nonsensical the existence of a deliberate plot
to systematically whittle down MDC-T’s majority in the House of Assembly by prosecuting and convicting the party’s MPs. In an interview yesterday, Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa said claims by local and private media organisations that the State was trying to diminish MDC-T’s presence in Parliament through the justice delivery system lacked substance. “The rule of law entails that when people commit crimes, witnesses and those affected by the commission of the crimes or anyone else for that matter can make a report to the police.
Details of Tsvangirai’s inaugural Security Council meeting emerge
The MDC on Monday disclosed details of a highy secretive maiden meeting of the last National Security Council Thursday, where Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai sat down for the first time with generals who have previously vowed they would never recognise his leadership. Details of what transpired in that meeting have remained sketchy but an MDC alert sent to zim NET radio Monday said: “Thursday’s NSC meeting dealt with formal introductions and the basic mandate of the organ which is responsible for reviewing national policies on security, defence and law and order and recommending or directing appropriate action.
Student Activists Detained at University of Zimbabwe, Handed Over to Police
Security guards at the University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday detained Zimbabwe National Students Union President Clever Bere and 13 other activists after Bere addressed students on the Avondale campus, then handed them over to the police, sources said. The student leader spoke to a crowd of students unhappy about high tuition fees and poor accommodations. Several student activists remained in police hands late Wednesday. Sources in the student union said four activists remained in police hands.
Speaker sends list of ZMC applicants to Mugabe for approval
The Speaker of Parliament Lovemore Moyo on Tuesday sent the final list of applicants selected to sit on the new Zimbabwe Media Commission to Robert Mugabe for approval. SW Radio Africa has learnt that the Presiding Officers of Parliament, who include the Speaker, his deputy, the Senate President, her deputy and the Clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma approved the list before it was dispatched to Mugabe. Tongai Matutu, the Chairman of Parliament’s legal and procedures committee commended the way the whole process was carried out, despite protestations from the state media that, ‘certain pro-ZANU PF applicants were deliberately failed by the panellists.’
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