Mugabe Must Go: Police arrest Pastor, Activists in Zimbabwe over Protest

Famous human right activist and preacher, Pastor Evan Mawarire has been arrested by Zimbabwe Police over his involvement in the massive protest that have been rocking Zimbabwe in the past few days. Pastor Evan is being charged with section 36 for inciting public violence and disturbing peace.

According to the Zimbabwe constitution, Section 36, which is on Public violence states that
(1) Any person who, acting in concert with one or more other persons, forcibly and to a serious extent
(a) disturbs the peace, security or order of the public or any section of the public; or
(b) invades the rights of other people;
intending such disturbance or invasion or realising that there is a real risk or possibility that such disturbance or
invasion may occur, shall be guilty of public violence and liable to a fine not exceeding level twelve or
imprisonment for a period not exceeding ten years or both.
(2) In determining whether or not a disturbance of peace, security or order or an invasion of rights is
sufficiently serious to constitute the crime of public violence, a court shall take into account all relevant factors,
including the following
(a) the nature and duration of the disturbance or invasion;
(b) the motive of the persons involved in the disturbance or invasion;
(c) whether the disturbance or invasion occurred in a public place or on private property;
(d) whether or not the persons involved in the disturbance or invasion were armed and, if so, the nature of
their weapons;
(e) whether or not bodily injury or damage to property occurred in the course of or as a result of the
disturbance or invasion;
(f) whether or not there was an attack on the police or on other persons in lawful authority;
(g) the manner in which the disturbance or invasion came to an end.
(3) It shall be an aggravating circumstance if, in the course of or as a result of the public violence
(a) there was an attack on the police or on other persons in lawful authority; or
(b) bodily injury or damage to property occurred; or
(c) the person who has been convicted of the crime instigated an attack on the police or other persons in
lawful authority or instigated the infliction of bodily injury or the causing of damage to property

The popular pastor is also alleged of steeling police helmet during the protest. This was contain in the search warrant made presented by the police during a search on his house. SECURITY MONIOTOR learnts that some other activists and opposition figures have also been arrested by the Robert Mugabe led government apparently to silence the opposition against his government and force the citizen to end the protest.

It will be recalled that Zimbabwe took to the street last week to demand for the stepping aside of the 95 years old president among other things.

Meanwhile, Barbara Nyagomo, a frontline opposition figure and presidential hopeful of the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe, PDZ described the arrest of the pastor and other activist a unconstitutional. According to a release made sent to SECURITY MONITOR, Nyagomo said that “Its saddening and worrisome amongst the entire activism fraternity that a government which claim that Zimbabwe is a constitutional demoacracy is doing the contrary. The arrest of the cleric, Pastor Evan Mawarire and the continued unconstitutional detention of activists across the country since the recent wave of citizen activism is clearly indicative of legal harrassment the regime is using to whip the country into silence and submission”

The PDZ leader noted that the time has come for the liberalization of Zimbabwe and nothing can stop such revolution, she added that “an idea whose time has come can’t be stopped. As the political climate is visbibly growing tense, we will remain vigilant and determined as the Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe-PDZ. We believe a time comes when silence is betrayal. We have assumed the mandate to be part of the fight to free zimbabwe.
We are calling for The AU,SADC and the International Community to stand with Zimbabweans so as to stop the tyrannical government of Mugabe”.