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Lawyers drag Police Chief to court over PTUZ protest ban
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
October 21, 2010

Lawyers representing the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) have filed an urgent appeal in the Harare Magistrates Court challenging a prohibition notice issued by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) prohibiting the teachers union from staging a demonstration against a school headmaster accused of corruption and maladministration.

The PTUZ organised a demonstration for Thursday 21 October 2010 between 13:00hrs and 14:00hrs to protest against the harassment of teachers at Gombo Primary School by the school headmaster only identified as Wafawanaka and against corruption in the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture. The PTUZ had planned to stage the demonstration during lunch time to avoid disrupting lessons.

But the union was denied 'permission' to hold the demonstration by the Officer Commanding Harare South District only identified as Chief Superintendent Chagwedera. In his letter dated Wednesday 20 October 2010, Chief Superintendent Chagwedera said the demonstration would inconvenience ongoing examinations at the school and directed the PTUZ to report the case against Wafawanaka to the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.

However, the PTUZ lawyer David Hofisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) on Thursday 21 October 2010 filed an urgent appeal against the ban of the demonstration by Chagwedera which he described as unlawful.

In his grounds of appeal Hofisi said Chief Superintendent Chagwedera does not have the power to prohibit the PTUZ demonstration. The lawyer said Chief Superintendent Chagwedera as the regulating authority failed to convene a consultative meeting with the convenors of demonstration to explore the options available to prevent any probable threats to the event.

Hofisi wants the Magistrates Court to set aside Chief Superintendent Chagwedera's decision to prohibit the PTUZ demonstration.

The lawyers also want the PTUZ to be permitted to hold the demonstration on 28 October 2010 after its illegal ban between 13:00hrs and 14:00hrs.

The appeal will be heard on Friday 22 October 2010 at 10:00hrs at the Harare Magistrates Court located at the corner of Fourth Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue.

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