Patrick Chitongo
Chiredzi Town Council Ward 7 Councillor, Roger Chikonye was today released out of custody on Zwl$20 000 bail.
The town’s Finance Committee Chairperson, was ordered to stay at his present residential, to surrender his passport and not to interfere with State witnesses.
Chikonye spent two nights in Police cells at Chiredzi, before his lawyer, Tito Manzvire successfully applied for his temporary freedom. He will back at Court on 27 July 2022.
The Councillor is facing 1 count of contravening Section 7:5 of the Mantainance of Peace and Public Order Act(MOPA), Chapter 11:2,3, ‘Failure to give notice of a gathering to a regulating authourity’.
According to his Lawyer, Chikonye held a Ward Development and feedback meeting in his Ward on 11 July 2022.
Armed police stormed the open space that is usually used for such meetings, and ordered all the participants to disperse, save for the three city father’s, Maxwell Tsodzo, Ropafadzo Makumire and Chikonye himself.
The three Councillors (all CCC) were later ordered to board a Police vehicle, and later locked up.
Tsodzo and Makumire were released the following day without charge, while Chikonye remained to endure another torrid night in the cells.
MOPA is a draconian pieace of legislation, largely viewed as a selective law mearnt to suppress Civil liberties and freedom of association in Zimbabwe.
Government insists the law is a cog to curtail hostility.
United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association Advocacy Officer Constance Chikumbo, said in her opinion, the Councilors should not have been arrested.
“As far as I know councillors do not need Police clearance for Ward feedback meetings.
These meetings are developmental and are attended by everyone in the ward whether CCC, Zanu pf or any other political party.
So the arrest was really not necessary” Chikumbo said.
