The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) says it is not against the holding of demonstrations per se but the constitution states that the enjoyment of rights should not infringe on the rights of others.
This was said by police deputy Commissioner General Stephen Matamba who was addressing peacekeeping police officers during a briefing and debriefing ceremony for South Sudan and Darfur contingents under the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Mission in Darfur. He said:
As a law enforcing agent, the ZRP is not against people holding peaceful demonstrations as may be peddled or portrayed by some in our society.
For the avoidance of doubt, the ZRP is fully mindful and desirous to the importance of upholding the rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution.
But we are also not blind to the apparent fact that such rights are not absolute. The supreme law of the land clearly states that the enjoyment of rights should not be done by infringing the rights of others.
The remarks follow the ZRP’s decision to ban all demonstrations that had been planned by the opposition MDC across the country last month.
The few hundred protestors who took to the streets of Harare were quickly dispersed by baton-wielding police officers with some left nursing bruises.
So C-G Matamba – if you looked at the accompanying picture then pray, tell us what the lady who is being beaten was doing to warrant a beating on the ground by your hyenas. You ZanuPF cops (and your boss) are scared as hell that this country could become democratic sooner than you think whereby EVERYBODY enjoys enshrined rights. You guys start all the rioting yourselves.
The photos we see dont seem to be supporting peaceful demostration. ITS JUST ABBUSING HUMAN RIGHT . The policing action must not be abusssive