Denford Magora's Latest Zimbabwe News Blog

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...