Zimbabwe: Police arrest 25 opposition members together with two members of parliament

Riot police stormed the house of a Zimbabwean opposition member of parliament on the outskirts of Harare on Saturday, arresting him and 24 others who had been holding a celebration assembly, the occasion and authorities stated.

Costa Machingauta, his spouse and 17-year-old daughter had been overwhelmed by police at their dwelling within the suburb of Budiriro, south of Harare, earlier than being taken away, officers from the principle opposition Residents Coalition for Change (CCC) stated.

Police stated the assembly was unauthorized and people arrested can be charged with breaching public order.

“We affirm the arrest of the CCC activists. They had been attending an unauthorized assembly,” police spokesman Paul Nyathi instructed AFP. He didn’t wish to touch upon the accusations of beating the MP and his household, however assured that extra particulars on the operation can be offered on Sunday.

Opposition events and rights organizations have just lately denounced an elevated crackdown forward of this yr’s common elections.

CCC spokeswoman Fadzayi Mahere accused the ruling ZANU-PF occasion of utilizing the police in opposition to political opponents.

Numerous law enforcement officials laid siege to Machingauta’s home on Saturday earlier than violently breaking apart the assembly, Mahere stated, including that one other influential CCC member of parliament, Amos Chibaya, was arrested.

“Armed law enforcement officials beat up Machingauta’s spouse and daughter and arrange a roadblock on the highway to his dwelling… We wish elections, not conflict,” she stated.

We wish elections, not conflict,” she stated. She stated the principles governing public order don’t apply to such a personal assembly.

Discontent is mounting in Zimbabwe as President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Robert Mugabe in 2017 following a military-backed coup, tries to cut back poverty, management inflation and finish power energy outages.