MDC-A member convicted

MDC Alliance member and former Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) secretary-general Makomborero Haruzivishe was on Wednesday found guilty of inciting members of the public to join him in illegal demonstrations and stoning police officers on duty in Harare’s city centre in February 2020.

Haruzivishe was being charged with incitement to commit public violence and resisting a peace officer.

He was convicted after a full trial before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga.

Haruzivishe will know his fate on Tuesday when the court sentences him.

The State led by Mr Moses Mapanga indicated that it wanted time to verify whether or not Haruzivishe had other previous convictions.

Haruzivishe had denied the charges, saying the police had provoked him by snatching his phone as he walked along First Street near his party’s headquarters.

He said one policeman shouted: “Imi vanhu veMDC tinokuzivai munonetsa”, meaning “we know you MDC members, you are troublesome.”

After going through trial, the State proved that on February 5, 2020 at around 10:30am at corner First Street and Nelson Mandela Ave, Constable Rayson Davison was on patrol with other officers arresting vendors in the city centre.

Haruzivishe then started whistling and inciting members of the public to resist the police officers who were discharging their duties.

He then went on to hurl stones towards the police officers.

Cst Davison tried to arrest Haruzishe, but he became violent and started shouting at him saying they were only arresting him in a bid to fix them. He was later subdued and arrested.