THE ruling Zanu PF party says opposition leaders, activists and human rights defenders who were arrested may now be freed after the smooth-sailing of the 44th session of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State of Government Summit.
More than 160 opposition activists and human rights defenders were arrested and denied bail in the lead-up to the Sadc summit since June 16.
Addressing journalists yesterday, Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa downplayed the arrests and detentions saying they were a precautionary measure to ensure the smooth running of the regional gathering.
“Now that the summit is over and was a success, those who were held as a preventative measure can be released. The most important aspect of a country is order,” he said.
“And when everybody else is trying to put on a good show on a particular occasion, you decide to become a champion of disorder. You are a deviate.
“So if you are a deviate, you are going to be dealt with in the right way, which is to put you in jail so that you don’t create a sideshow which takes the attention away from the event.”
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Mutsvangwa’s controversial sentiments have sparked debate over the questionable legality of the detentions and the apparent abuse of State power by the ruling party.
The remarks come after several activists were arrested on allegations of plotting to stage protests and disrupt the summit, which was hosted by Zimbabwe.
The arrests drew criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties, which accused the government of using the summit as a pretext to stifle dissent.
Close to 200 pro-democracy activists are currently in pretrial detention as government accuses them of planning to demonstrate during the Sadc summit.
Some of the opposition activists were arrested and thrown in jail for allegedly participating in anti-fuel price hike protests in January 2019.
Notables, who were arrested since June include opposition politician Jameson Timba, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Robson Chere, Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume, councillor Samuel Gwenzi and feminist Namatai Kwekweza.
“Those who wanted to be flies in the ointment, the ointment was well protected and the flies were shanted away. They got the right medicine because they wanted to create a scene. This was their last move; they will never get another chance again because now they know what happens when they try to behave in a certain manner. And I am sure there will be a good reason to free them afterwards,” Mutsvangwa added.
“The Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Justice should release them in their wisdom. There is no longer any reason for wasting the taxpayers’ money and State resources because the Sadc summit is over.”
Zanu PF has in the past said it did not interfere with the operations of the Judiciary.
The activists were accused of organising protests while authorities claimed some of them could have embarrassed the government or disrupted summit proceedings.
However, critics argue that the arrests were part of a broader strategy to silence opposition voices and intimidate civil society.
Legal expert Aaron Hamauswa said the arrests lacked a clear legal foundation though the detained activists were presented with formal charges and brought before a court within the legally prescribed time frame.
“The arrests were nothing more than a pretext to suppress voices critical of the government,” he said.
“There was no legitimate basis for these detentions and the fact that the authorities are now willing to release the activists simply because the summit is over is a clear indication that the arrests were politically motivated.”
Mutsvangwa dismissed these claims, asserting that the government was merely maintaining order.
“It was essential to ensure that nothing detracted the summit’s importance. Zimbabwe needed to present itself as a stable and secure nation to our Sadc partners,” Mutsvangwa said.