Zimbabwe opposition calls off protests after court ban


PTI, Aug 16, 2019, 3:18 PM IST

Harare: Opposition mass protests against deepening economic problems in Zimbabwe were called off on Friday after a court upheld an 11th hour ban imposed by the police.

Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had vowed to launch protests marches on Friday against the worsening economy, despite government threats to stop them.

“The court has said the demonstration should be off,” MDC spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda told AFP.

The party’s vice president Tendai Biti told reporters outside the high court that “we differ respectfully with the ruling”.

“The fascist regime has denied the right for Zimbabweans to demonstrate,” said Biti.

He added that even if they had won “this march was not going to take place because the city has been cordoned off” by police.

Armed police formed barricades around the city on Friday, turning back cars on streets leading to the MDC’s party headquarters, with road blocks also set up elsewhere in the capital.

Long queues of traffic formed as the police searched cars and commuter buses for weapons.

Teams of riot police also carried out patrols and randomly stopped and searched pedestrians.

The planned protests would have been the first since rallies in January against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to hike fuel prices that ended in deadly clashes with troops.

As the Zimbabwean economy deteriorates, people are facing shortages of basic goods and skyrocketing prices.

Around five million people — almost a third of the country’s 16 million population — are in need of aid and at least half of them are on the cusp of “starvation”, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on August 6.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

World Bunts Summit to be held in Mumbai on December 7

SC dismisses PIL seeking CBI probe into Tirupati laddus row

Salman Khan gets another threat; message sent to Mumbai traffic police helpline

SC overrules 1967 verdict holding AMU can’t be minority institution

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, editors of Kannada news portals booked for allegedly spreading fake news

Egg distribution scheme for school children under scrutiny over alleged mismanagement

India Post M’luru division to offer doorstep service to pensioners for Jeevan Praman certificate

Related Articles More

‘America of your dreams calling’: Biden to Democratic supporters

Indian consulate in Canada cancels consular camps due over security issues

Hindu temple in Brampton suspends priest for spreading ‘violent rhetoric’

President Xi congratulates Trump; says China, US should find ‘right way’ to manage differences

Harris, Trump agree on importance of unifying country as they speak over phone

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

World Bunts Summit to be held in Mumbai on December 7

SC refuses to examine plea to appoint ‘yoga mitra’ instructors in schools

Maha Vikas Aghadi a vehicle sans wheels and brakes: PM Modi

LDF lodges complaint with EC, seeks probe into distribution of food kits in Wayanad

SC dismisses PIL seeking CBI probe into Tirupati laddus row

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.