HARARE – Police burst into a prayer meeting in Harare on Friday and arrested at least 36 church members, including Zimbabwe Divine Destiny leader Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, claiming the rally was political.
The bishops were arrested at the Dutch Reformed Church building in central Harare, where they intended to launch The Zimbabwe We Want campaign while praying against corruption.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said police denied lawyers access to their clients.
Bishop Magaya was later released while others remained in police custody according to information provided.
Bishop Magaya told reporters in Harare after his release that the clergy were deeply concerned about the country’s political and socio-economic crisis.
“We need a new Zimbabwe with a low cost of that and remember, we were promised in 2018 that education will be free yet we are here to pray to God for that Zimbabwe we want.
“We are saddened that the meeting we had planned was cancelled. We believed the space is sacred which would allow us freedom of worship,” he said.
Meanwhile, police spokesman Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests and said the defendants were being questioned at Harare Central Police Station on charges of disturbing public order.
