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MDC Alliance supporters during their demonstration in Harare yesterday

Takunda Maodza, Harare Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa on Monday underlined to the country’s security structures and Zanu-PF the need to uphold Section 59 of the Constitution which allows the right to demonstrate, as the MDC-T yesterday marched in Harare for so-called electoral reforms.

Section 59 of the Constitution states: “Every person has the right to demonstrate and to present petitions, but these rights must be exercised peacefully.”

The new administration allowed the MDC-T to mount the demonstration in the Central Business District.

Such demonstrations were severely dealt with by law enforcement agencies during the Robert Mugabe era.

The dawn of the new era has witnessed the opening up of the democratic space in the country, despite claims to the contrary by the opposition political parties, including the MDC-T and its alliance partners.

In an interview with our Harare Bureau yesterday, Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba confirmed President Mnangagwa had no problems with the demonstrations as such rights were enshrined in the national constitution.

“Yes, His Excellency the President underlined to security structures that Section 59 of the Constitution which allows the right to demonstrate must be respected and that its provision in the supreme law of the country guarantee a right whose enjoyment cannot be optional except in terms provided for under the same Constitution,” said Mr Charamba.

“To that end, he impressed on the security structures that in the absence of any real good reasons that would justify abridgement of that right to demonstrate, the request by the opposition should be honoured.”

President Mnangagwa, who is also the Zanu-PF First Secretary and President, relayed the same message to the ruling party.

Our Harare Bureau understands that the Zanu-PF Youth League had pencilled its solidarity march for peaceful elections in support of the President yesterday, the same day as the MDC-T’s demonstration.

“Equally, the President communicated to the leadership of the party that the party could not raise demonstrations on the same day and in the same space already secured by the opposition as to do that would raise the risk of inter-party clashes, thereby undermining the overarching goal of ensuring a peaceful, violence free poll,” said Mr Charamba.

During the term of the previous administration, Zanu-PF supporters would stage demonstrations on the same day as MDC-T followers and these ended in bloody clashes.

“The President said if the party (Zanu-PF) wanted to mount a demonstration it had to do it either before the opposition one or after it in terms of the same section of the Constitution,” said Mr Charamba. “He stressed the importance of peace, peace, peace. Order, order and respect for persons and property.”

Since his inauguration last November, President Mnangagwa and his administration have worked tirelessly to open up the democratic space which the Mugabe regime had closed over three decades.

President Mnangagwa is walking the talk on his pledges that include delivering a free, fair, credible and democratic election.

He has invited literally the whole world to come and observe the country’s harmonised elections set for July 30, including countries previously known to be hostile to Zimbabwe.

President Mnangagwa is also opening Zimbabwe up for Foreign Direct Investment and has removed policies that hindered the flow of capital into the country.

His administration is inclined more towards economics than politics.