A New National Dispensation

Dear All

Police officers raided the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) offices on Monday, February 11 in Harare. The police officers led by Detective Assistant Inspector Nyoni had a search warrant which stated that there was reasonable ground to believe ZPP had committed the following offences:
1.Suspected possession of articles for criminal use as defined in Section 40 of the criminal law (codification and reform) Act Chapter 9:23
2 Entry by evasion or no work permit in contravention of section of the immigration Act
3.Smuggling in contravention of Section 182(1) of the customs and excise Act Chapter 23:02

We are reliably informed that the police were looking for recording equipment and radios suspected to have entered the country illegally. In addition the police suspected that ZPP had employed an ‘illegal immigrant'.

According to our Crisis media team in Harare the Police confiscated ZPP violence monitoring reports, mobile phones used by Peace Corps in communities and radios.

We condemn the systemic closure of democratic space in Zimbabwe as the country head toward a referendum and a watershed election. In this regard, the inclusive government has failed the test of democracy. If this trend continues we risk reversal of the progress that the inclusive government has made under the auspices of SADC. We reiterate our call that hard-liners who intend to scuttle democratic reforms must transform. Find attached the search warrant. Your on-going solidarity is appreciated.

Phillan Zamchiya
Regional Coordinator
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Regional Office [SA]