HARARE – Zimbabwe Republic Police have denied a notification from the peace-based NGO Heal Zimbabwe Trust to hold a candlelit memorial service in Harare this Saturday in honor of renowned constitutional lawyer and human rights defender Alex Magaisa.
Magaisa, a former adviser to the late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday at his British base.
He had destabilized the state with his sharp portrayal of the Zanu PF-led government’s shrewd political manoeuvrings through his popular blog Big Saturday Read.
His death was met with an outpouring of grief in Zimbabwe and abroad, with opposition and civil society groups expressing sadness that a sharp constitutionalist of the country’s democratic struggle had been taken.
To honour his works, Heal Zimbabwe Trust planned a candle lit memorial for this Saturday, which has since been blocked by police who cited lack of compliance with relevant statutes.
“Your notification letter dated 9 June 2022 to hold a candle lighting commemoration of Dr Alex Magaisa on the 11th of June at Harare Gardens from 1200 hours to 1500 hours has been noted.
“I am not in a position to sanction the gathering. You did not comply with Section 7 (1) (a) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Chapter 11:23,” said Officer Commanding Police Harare Central District Chief Superintendent G. Moyo in correspondence to the NGO.
The cited statute says, “The convener shall not later than (a) seven days before the date on which a procession or public demonstration is to be held, give notice of the procession or public demonstration in writing signed by him or her to the regulating authority for the district in which the procession or public demonstration is to be held”.
- Editor/ Kukurigo Updates️
