Denford Magora's Latest Zimbabwe News Blog

The launch of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn on July 01 this year. The party, led by Dr Simba Makoni, a presidential candidate in March last year, has been denied permission to hold a march and a meeting in central  Harare by the police, even though, at law, the police have no right to ban the meeting. They have simply said that they can not provide an escort, which means there would be no one controlling traffic in the city centre. The party leadership is in meetings at the moment trying to strategise on the way forward. That is the Inclusive Government of Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert "The Solution" Mugabe for you. Harare, Zimbabwe, 15 October 2009 The police have refused to grant permission to the Mavambo. Kusile.Dawn party led by Dr Simba Makoni permission to hold a meeting scheduled for Saturday, 24 October in Harare. Makoni's party had notified the police that they would be marching through the centre of Harare on the day, culminating in a gathering at Africa Unity Square, in f...

Dr Simba Makoni's trial started in Bindura today with what is known as a preliminary hearing, during which it emerged that the State had no clue what it was doing, quoting sections of POSA (2004 version) that no longer exist, then agreeing with Dr Makoni that he could not be charged under those sections and asking to be allowed to amend the charges so that they could charge him under sections that DO exist. They made a dog's breakfast of that as well!! Harare, Zimbabwe, 15 September 2009 Dr Simba Makoni, the Interim President of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn Party today appeared before a Magistrate in Bindura to answer charges of addressing more than 400 people in March last year without police permission, as is required under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). It was a circus, pretty much. First of all, the State prosecutors were charging Dr Makoni under the POSA Act of 2004 and specifically quoting section 24, subsection 21.......anyway, without getting too technical, the bottom...

Harare,Zimbabwe,15 August 2009 Dr Simba Makoni appeared before a magistrate in Bindura yesterday for an initial hearing on charges of violating the discredited POSA, which the Inclusive Government claims is no longer in use. The court determined that there was indeed a case for Dr Makoni to answer and that he should face trial. He immediately asked for a postponement of the trial because his lawyers have not received the State's papers in his case. The court granted this and postponed the matter to September 15 (ironically the First anniversary of the moribund Global Political Agreement). The complaint was made by two ZANU PF people in the area of Glendale. One is a ZANU PF Councillor and the other is a member of the ZANU PF executive in the area. The allege that Makoni "sent a team to advertise his presence with a loudhailer" in Glendale and that Makoni later arrived at Tsungubvi Shopping Centre and used the loudhailer to address more than 400 people. Even if he had actu...

Dr Simba Makoni, the leader of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn party in Zimbabwe is being charged under POSA (Public Order and Security Act) with addressing 400 or more people last year in Glendale without police clearance. I suppose they can not find any other charge to stick! Harare, Zimbabwe, 03 August 2009 Dr Simba Makoni, interim President of Mavambo.Kusile.Dawn has been charged with "addressing more than 400 people" in Glendale during the 2008 Presidential Campaign. Makoni is due to appear in court in Glendale this week to face trial on the charge. I was with Dr Makoni in Glendale during the campaign and during the incident for which he is being tried and it is nothing more than harassment. Those who followed the Makoni campaign during the Presidential elections of 2008 know that the Doctor held very few rallies. His approach was to do "walkabouts". At every place where we arrived and where he did his walkabouts, we went to the local police station where Dr Makoni explain...