ZANU PF director for information Farai Marapira has said jails are not only for opposition activists, but for those who commit crimes, including his party’s members.
The Zanu PF-led government has of late warned opposition activists and members of the civic society that they risk being thrown into prison if they protested, particularly at this time when Zimbabwe is hosting the 44th edition of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State and Government Summit on August 17.
More than 160 opposition activists and civic society members are in prison and being denied bail since mid-June when over 70 members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) were rounded up, brutalised by law enforcement agents for holding an unlawful gathering.
In an interview yesterday, Marapira said those arrested had committed various crimes, adding that their detention was not along partisan lines.
“Jails are not set on partisan matters. We also have some Zanu PF members who are in jail. If you commit a crime, you are arrested and this is clear,” he said.
“We have several people from Zanu PF who are also in jail and it is not fair for the opposition party to point fingers at us because we don’t force anyone to commit a crime.”
Marapira’s response came after opposition CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said his party’s members and human rights activists were arrested without committing offences.
“We are continuing to see arrests of our members and this has become too much,” Mkwananzi said.
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“We are even finding it difficult to attend national programmes like the Heroes Day celebrations because we do not have a guarantee that our members are safe.”
Over 160 opposition party members and human rights activists are currently in detention across the country after being nabbed for various crimes, including disorderly conduct and holding illegal gatherings.
Government has since beefed up security ahead of the Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit.
Last week, armed anti-riot police and soldiers roamed high-density suburbs as a warning that they are ready to thwart any protests by opposition activists.
