MDC-T, police, The Herald and Dzamara

Itai Dzamara has been making news since he disappeared almost three months ago.

Relations between Zimbabwe and the European Union are said to have soured because of his disappearance.

His name came up in the United States congress during the hearing on US-Zimbabwe relations a week ago.

Now his name is back in the news following the cancellation or postponement of a prayer meeting that was supposed to be held for him tomorrow.

According to the Movement for Democratic Change the prayer meeting was postponed “because of gross interference by the police for no apparent reason”.

The Herald reported yesterday that the organisers had abandoned the meeting after learning that the MDC-T was advertising it as a political rally.

Rev. Watson Furayi told The Herald that they had postponed the prayer meeting because they had learnt that the MDC-T would be there. They did not, however, want the prayer meeting to be a political event.

“As the church, we realised that we will tarnish our name if we proceed with the event in case we decide to host the event together with MDC-T because at the end of the day, we will be labelled as MDC-T people. Our agenda will not be spelt out well. If we want to invite political parties we will invite all political parties in the country,” Rev. Furayi was quoted as saying.

MDC-T spokesman Obert Gutu today confirmed that his party was ready for the prayer meeting and would continue to mobilise its members to attend this prayer meeting whenever it will be held.

“President Tsvangirai and the entire party were ready for this worthwhile national prayer meeting tomorrow and will continue to be ready to attend whenever it is going to take place,” he said in a statement.

“The reaction of the police to foil an innocent prayer meeting vindicates our position that the State has a hand in the disappearance of this innocent man and has no shame in gross human rights abuses.

“It is obvious that if you can foil a prayer meeting, you can do worse things!”

Full MDC-T statement:

Saturday, 13 June 2015

 State thwarts Dzamara prayer rally 

It is with great sadness that we announce that the  church that was organizing the Itai Dzamara prayer meeting scheduled for tomorrow has told us that the event is no longer proceeding because of gross interference by the police for no apparent reason.

We are shocked that even the police could have the audacity to stand in the way of prayer,  despite having been notified of the event by the church as required under the law.

As a party, we are naturally disappointed because the safety of citizens is a key issue that deserves national attention and the invocation of the name of the Almighty God. We are told that the event has been postponed to a new date but we continue to mobilize our members to attend this important national prayer meeting, whenever it will be held.

President Tsvangirai and the entire party were ready for this worthwhile national prayer meeting tomorrow and will continue to be ready to attend whenever it is going to take place.

The reaction of the police to foil an innocent prayer meeting vindicates our position that the State has a hand in the disappearance of this innocent man and has no shame in gross human rights abuses.

It is obvious that if you can foil a prayer meeting, you can do worse things!

MDC:  Equal Opportunities for all

Obert Chaurura Gutu

National Spokesperson

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