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Police descend on Dr Madhuku
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
November 08, 2005

In an act of dastardly cowardice and rabid suppression, armed members of the Zimbabwe Republic police, Law and Order Section, last night descended on Dr Madhuku's house in Harare with an intention of arresting the NCA Chairperson.

Ten police officers arrived at Dr Madhuku's house at 2230 Hours, expressing the intention of taking him with them to Harare Central Police station. Upon discovering that the NCA Chairperson was not at his house, an Inspector Mavhunda of the Law and Order section called the NCA Chairperson on his mobile phone at 2300 Hours, instructing the Chairperson to immediately report to Harare Central police station in connection with last Saturday's peaceful demonstrations for a new constitution. Having not committed any crime that warranted such treatment, the NCA Chairperson would not oblige, saying he would rather go to the police station the following day in broad daylight. Inspector Mavhunda could not help but agree that Dr Madhuku report to the police station in the morning of today (8 November 2005). The NCA Chairperson has since gone to Harare Central Police station where he is being held.

Considering that the demonstrations for which the NCA Chairperson is being held took place on Saturday afternoon, it is amazing that the police chose late last night to pick him up for questioning. This is a well calculated act of intimidation coming after the successful staging of nationwide peaceful demonstrations calling for a democratic constitution that can help bring democracy and prosperity to Zimbabwe. It is a shameful activity of suppression meant to instill fear in Zimbabweans in the wake of nationwide protests that have been called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions today. Judging by this sordid act and many others that have become commonplace, Zimbabwe has degenerated into a primitive police state in which people's freedoms are brazenly butchered by the very state institutions that must be protecting and upholding them.

Going by the democratic standards of justice, Dr Madhuku's arrest is an illegal act tempered by autocratic logic. The NCA calls for an immediate restoration of the Chairperson's freedom. NCA members who continue to languish in police cells after Saturday's arrests must also be freed unconditionally. They have not committed any crime. The people of Zimbabwe and members of the international community are called upon to assist the government of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Republic police to come to terms with the logic of freedom.

Above all, Zimbabweans must and will continue pushing for a constitution of their making.

Earnest Mudzengi
Officer in the Chairperson's Office

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