Police 30 day demo ban remains effective after Judge President dismisses constitutional challenges

Judge President Justice George Chiweshe yesterday dismissed with costs three separate constitutional challenges by  pressure groups against the ban on demonstrations issued by the police in Harare, a development that will see the ban being effective up to October 15.

Justice Chiweshe also discharged with costs an earlier provisional order issued by Justice Priscilla Chigumba in favour of the pressure groups after finding fault with parts of the draft final order. The terminated provisional order, invalidated Statutory Instrument 101 A of 2016, which brought into effect the initial two-week ban on demonstrations in Harare’s Central Business District by the police in August.

Attorney General Prince Machaya appeared in court with the assistance of Mrs Fortune Chimbaru appeared for the Government while opposition leader Tendai Biti and Advocate Fadzai Mahere represented the pressure groups.