RSS 2.0 FeedJanuary 2012 Volume 39, Human rights and abuse
MDC-T youth in limbo as leader languishes in jail
The youth structures of Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party remain in limbo, placed on the back foot by the continued detention of the party's youth leader, Solomon Madzore.
The youth structures of Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party remain in limbo, placed on the back foot by the continued detention of the party's youth leader, Solomon Madzore.
Madzore, who has been in police custody since October with six other MDC members, was denied bail last month in the high court. Madzore is being held over the death of a police officer, Petros Mutedza, who was killed in a beer hall brawl in Harare's Glenview suburb.
Analysts say Madzore's continued detention may be a ploy by Zanu-PF to prevent the MDC-T from mobilising its youth structures and instead force it to focus on the prolonged court case.
Now the MDC-T has vowed to take the case of Madzore's arrest to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to highlight the continued "persecution" of opposition political opponents by the police and Zanu-PF.
Promise Mkhwananzi, the MDC-T youth secretary general, said: "We are writing to the other principals in the unity government and the SADC. We want the SADC to put the issue on the agenda of its next meeting which is likely to be held next month."
He added: "We have resolved to take the matter to the SADC because Zanu-PF has been adamant they will not heed our calls to release our leader... We know that this is a political strategy to try and weaken our party by arresting and incarcerating our leadership."
Two weeks ago MDC youths in Bulawayo launched the "Free Solomon Madzore" campaign, which has since gone national, with the aim of putting pressure on police and Zanu-PF to release the firebrand youth leader.
Consequently, 50 MDC-T youths were arrested by police in the city when the campaign was launched, while hundreds more party youths took to the streets in Masvingo last Friday to demonstrate over Madzore's detention.
Bekithemba Nyathi, the MDC-T youth assembly leader in Bulawayo, said: "This is one of the many 'Free Madzore campaigns' we are rolling out as the Youth Assembly in the following weeks until he is released. His continued incarceration is political, hence we are also taking a political stance to ensure his release immediately."
