PRESS RELEASE
RE: Police Must Respect The Rule of Law
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is worried that the country is sliding back to the pre Government of National Unity (GNU) period as shown by the refusal by the police to respect a High Court order that granted political parties under the banner of National Electoral Reform Agenda (NERA) the right to demonstrate, thereby increasing the country’s risk factor.
The barricading of roads, destruction of property, loss of production as a result of wanton use of teargas around business premises last Friday squarely lies in the unprofessional handling of the situation by the police. Such careless response by the security cluster is contrary to what other clusters are doing to attract investment. Even the so much hyped Special Economic Zones initiative will not get any attraction from investors. Who will bear teargas being thrown into their premises? Government is literary shooting itself in the foot and they should blame themselves if this army of unemployed youths start to enjoy the game.
The ZCTU is worried that authorities are taking their citizens for granted and urges the state to respect the rule of law and court judgments.
Reports indicate that a number of demonstrators were injured by overzealous baton wielding ZRP officers who went on a rampage, beating everyone on site. The ZCTU strongly condemns the police brutality as it is contrary to the Constitution of Zimbabwe that gives citizens the right to demonstrate peacefully.
Japhet Moyo
SECRETARY-GENERAL
29 August 2016
