Mthwakazi leaders 'tribalist and childish', says magistrate Mberewere

Ngamasimba akhulunywa ngu magistrate lowu, usujwayela kubi Mthwakazi nxaaaa

Mthwakazi leaders 'tribalist and childish', says magistrate Mberewere
by Staff reporter Bulawayo Magistrate Chrispen Mberewere
Monday labeled the petition penned by the leaders of the Mthwakazi Youth Leaders Joint Resolution, Mqondisi Moyo and Busani Sibindi and 21 other demonstrators protesting against Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
(Zesa) for reportedly recruiting people from Mashonaland to work at Emganwini in the city as "tribalist and childish".
Mberewere made the remarks as he convicted Moyo and Sibindi for organising a demonstration against Zesa's alleged recruitment of people from Mashonaland to work in the city last year without informing
the police.
In convicting the pair, the magistrate said there was no doubt the pair organised the demonstration as they were the signatories to the petition whose "tone" he said was in bad taste.
"A march is always the brainchild of someone. There is no need for a thorough
investigation on who organised the march; the signatories of the document (petition) organised the march. It is a document of poor taste, segregationist, tribalist, though that is not the issue in this court.
"This is a self aggravated case, the accused
are found guilty as charged. The accused will be sentenced in this court
tomorrow, you will be in custody." Moyo and Sibindi were being charged with
contravening Section 25 of Public Order and Security Act, which makes failure to give notice to the regulating authority, the officer
commanding ZRP in the district, of a public meeting an offence.
The duo admitted that they were part of the demonstration but maintained the organisers of the march were residents of Emganwini.
In the second case, where Moyo and Sibindi and 21 other demonstrators were
being charged with being a criminal nuisance, Mberewere ruled that the state's case was weak as members of the public who were
inconvenienced by the protestors were not called to testify.
He said the evidence provided by the police officers who testified in court was clearly biased.
"The state only had evidence from the police
and no members of the public. The court would have been satisfied by hearing a
member of the public testifying he/she was inconvenienced. The police are not the public, their views are biased," he said.
Ngamasimba laws aliqunywe Mthwakazi....