HARARE, Mar. 2 (NewsDay Live) - National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) leader Lovemore Madhuku has dismissed police claims that his party sought clearance to hold a meeting at its Harare offices, insisting the gathering was lawful and did not require prior approval.
Madhuku was addressing a press conference at the NCA offices in the capital on Monday, a day after what he described as a “brutal and unprovoked” attack by suspected State security agents that left him and 17 party members hospitalized.
In a statement, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Madhuku and colleagues from the National Constitutional Assembly had notified authorities of their planned gathering.
The police, he said, allegedly identified irregularities and advised organisers that the meeting was not sanctioned.
But Madhuku dismissed the police, statement arguing that the meeting was an internal party engagement held at their own offices and did not require police clearance.
“We did not seek clearance because there was no legal requirement to do so. This was a meeting at our offices. The police statement is false and meant to justify an unlawful and violent attack on unarmed citizens,” Madhuku said.
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