Shops Closed In Harare As Security Forces Turn Away People
Major supermarkets and hardwares failed to open in Harare’s central business district after security forces turned away people at various check points in the capital on Thursday.
A survey done by Savanna News shows that OK Zimbabwe, Bhola Hardware, TM Pick n Pay, and other prominent brands failed to open shops today after their employees were denied entry into the CBD.
This publication has also learnt that soldiers are reportedly forcing all shops to close in Harare CBD.
The situation is the same in smaller towns such as Kwekwe where soldiers and police are ordering shops to close. They are telling everyone in town to go home as they do not want to see anyone in the CBD.
All drivers of vehicles, including ZUPCO buses travelling to the CBD, were forced to make U-Turns by the police and soldiers.
This comes a day before the 31 July protests organised by Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume who was arrested on inciting violence charges together with prominent journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
The protests penciled for this Friday are meant to protest widespread graft in government and rising poverty under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
A number of MDC Alliance politicians such as Job Sikhala have gone into hiding as security forces hunt them for encouraging people to take part in 31 July protests.
The High Court recently made a ruling barring police from enforcing unreasonable demands made on the press statement of 25 July requiring the production of certain documents and information at checkpoints.
A Harare woman Nontokozo Tachiona, approached the High Court seeking an order to set aside increased demands by police officers enforcing the country’s Covid-19 lockdown measures at checkpoints.
In her court application, Tachiona argued that police demands are unconstitutional.
Commissioner General Police Godwin Matanga, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi and Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe were listed as first, second, and third respondents respectively.
Part of Tachiona’s application read, “The ZRP press statement of 25 July 2020 be and is hereby declared to be ultra vires Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 as amended by Statutory Instrument 174 of 2020. The ZRP press statement of 25 July 2020 be and is hereby declared to be unlawful and consequently of no force or effect.”
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