By Trevor Makonyonga
A group of organizations have called on citizens to whistle daily at 1030 hours as protest for the conviction of activist Makomborero Haruzivishe.
Haruzivishe was on Wednesday 31 March 2021, convicted on charges of inciting public violence and resisting arrest. Harare magistrate, Vongai Muchuchuti-Guuriro presided over the case.
A statement from the joint organization said, “We call upon all citizens to join the whistling protest. Every day at 1030hrs whistle as much as you can. Cde Mako whistled as a sign of resisting the illegal and unfair arrest of poor vendors. Zimbabweans remain trapped in poverty and there are no economic opportunities. Blow your whistle demanding jobs and freedom for Cde Mako.”
The organisations have also gone a step further to ask SADC to intervene.
“We call upon the SADC region to intervene in the Zimbabwean crisis before the conflict degenerates. The Zimbabwean state has weaponized the law to crush all dissenting voices. Zimbabwe has become worse than apartheid South Africa, we will be left with no option but to fight back by any means necessary,” reads the statement.
Haruzivishe was arrested on 5 February 2020 at around 1030hrs at corner First Street and Nelson Mandela in the Central Business District, C.B.D. The state alleges that Haruzivishe whistled mobilizing citizens to revolt against police officers who were arresting vendors who are “sprouting” in Harare C.B.D. The state further alleges that Haruzivishe resisted being arrested as he queried why they were arresting vendors.
The statement further alleges that the state is on an onslaught against the working class and the poor who need protection from the state but are not getting the desired protection.
“The state’s case feeds into an ongoing systematic attack on the working class and the poor. The police officers who were on patrol arresting “sprouting” vendors are working hard to defend both the interests of big capital and the interests of the ruling elites. To big capital, vendors pose competition to their enterprises in a struggling economy. They also view vendors as some form of dirt that has to be cleaned from the streets of Harare.
“Citizens expect protection from the state but the state has turned to be an enemy of the people. The courts no longer serve justice but defend the interests of the executive and those of big capital,” said the statement.
The Haruzivishe scenario was equated to that of teacher, Sheila Chisirimunhu who was sentenced to ten months in prison.
The statement said, “The conviction of Cde Mako mirrors the conviction of a member of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ Sheila Chisirimunhu. Sheila who is a teacher was convicted and sentenced to 10 months in prison for raising a placard demanding a living wage. It is very clear that our judiciary is now captured to serve the interests of business and the executive arm of government. Our constitution has a comprehensive bill of rights guaranteeing freedoms of assembly and peaceful protests. The constitution is now being disregarded by the judiciary.”
Haruzivishe’s sentencing is set for tomorrow Tuesday 6 April 2021. The court has an option to impose a fine or to sentence him in custody for up to 20 years for both convictions.
The organizations who released the statement include, Poverty Liberation Movement, MDCA Youth Assembly, Friends of Job Sikhala Trust, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ, Zimbabwe Organization for Youth in Politics (ZOYP), Chapter one Foundation, Zambia, Zimbabwe National Students Union, ZINASU, Youth Advocacy for Voter Enlightenment and Progressive Orientation (YAVEPO), Chinhoyi Residents Trust, Human Rights Institute of South Africa, HURISA, Panos Institute Southern Africa, DITSHWANELO – The Botswana Centre for Human Rights, Survival Vendors Union of Zimbabwe, SVUZ, African Network of Youth Policy Experts, Mauritius, Media Centre Zimbabwe, International Socialist Organization and International Students Union, Norway.
