The 98 members arrested during a protest at Parliament in Harare yesterday have been released without charged after being held for seven hours.

At noon yesterday, a deputation drawn from the membership began a protest to press for an end to violence and for a response from the Zimbabwe Republic Police. Members also wanted to express their commitment to a repealing of Public Order Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

As the procession was to arrive at Parliament, the Riot Squad based at Africa Unity Square intercepted and began to beat the peaceful activists. They did not directly order the activists to disperse but beat anyone trying to sit down. The procession then turned around the way they had come and the determined activists began to chant the slogan – “strike a woman and you strike a rock” and sing, “the road is full of thorns and the time has come to pray.” It seems this was too much for the police officers who had kept up their insults and beating with baton sticks (although they used minimum force). When the procession crossed Sam Nujoma Street, the order to sit down was issued by police and WOZA members complied.

While the group sat down, members who had not been arrested handed themselves in. A member of MOZA did this in style. With his placard saying ‘VOTE no to POSA’ held high and singing away, he did a solo march across the street into the arrested group.

After 30 minutes, a vehicle came and 17 members were taken to Harare Central Police station. An hour and a half passed with no progress before the Riot Squad guarding the arrested ordered three lines and walked the 81 members to Central creating quite a spectacle and much amusement from bystanders. It seems there was no fuel for the vehicles.

After uniformed polices officers and Law and Order officers took down everyone’s details, it became apparent no department wanted responsibility for processing WOZA. Eventually Law and Order officers with the Chief Superintendent Madzingo, the overall boss of Law and Order, in attendance asked for all the issues WOZA are unhappy about and after a 30 minute spelling out issues from police harassment, to skyrocketing school fees, to electricity blackouts and complaints about POSA, the Chief Superintendent said he was tired and asked WOZA lawyer Muchadehama to assist WOZA to notify for future protests.

All 98 members were released at 7:30 pm having been arrested just after noon. This is the third protest in a row that WOZA have been arrested but released without being detained. On 15 October, Chief Inspector Tenderere, Officer Commanding at Harare Central lectured the activists and released them after nine hours in custody. These protests have seen WOZA directly confront police about their brutality.

Meanwhile, a WOZA member, Maria Moyo, has died. She had been arrested approximately eight times and was one of the seven members abducted from their homes by Law and Order officers in Bulawayo on 24th August. She was taken from her sick bed at 4:30 am and threatened with being tied up with ropes and thrown into Khami Dam if she did not divulge the whereabouts of WOZA leaders. She was badly shaken by this experience and took a turn for the worse. Despite receiving medical treatment, she never recovered. WOZA leaders pass on their condolences to the family of Maria and to all her comrades. We ask for intensification in amplifying the voice of ordinary Zimbabweans demanding social justice so that Maria’s life is not sacrificed in vain.