Six Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) members who were jailed for public violence have been moved from Chikurubi Maximum Prison to Harare Central Prison.
The six male activists were among nine party members arrested in March 2021 for inciting violence after staging a protest at Bulawayo Central Police Station demanding the release of party president Mqondisi Moyo after a raid on his home.
Seven of the MRP9 were sentenced to 33 months in prison while the other two were jailed for 36 months.
They were initially taken to Khami and Mlondolozi Prisons in Bulawayo, but two months later, eight of them were transferred to Chikurubi Maximum Prison in Harare, and one to Gwanda Prison.
Busi Moyo, Sibongile Banda, Welcome Moyo, Ackim Ndebele, Mongameli Xukuthwayo Mlotshwa, Nkosinathi Ncube, Tinos Nkomo, and Levison Ncube were among the eight who went to Chikurubi, while Maxwell Nkosi went to Gwanda.
Mlotshwa, Moyo, Nkomo, Ncube, Ndebele, and Ncube were all moved to Harare Central Prison.
MRP members – party National Youth League Treasurer, Lwazi Khanye, Zibusiso Mhabahaba Mkhwanazi, and Ntuthuko Khumalo – who had travelled to Chikurubi Maximum Prison, about 15 kilometres outside of Harare – were informed of their transfer.
The party is still trying to figure out what happened to two members, Banda and Moyo, who are still in Chikurubi despite being told they would be transferred to Marondera last month.
However, in an interview with CITE, MRP president, said that their transfer from Chikurubi prison, where “they had been in a D Class of dangerous people to a C Class cell in Harare Prison reserved for less punishment status,” was insignificant because their arrest was intended to intimidate the entire party.
“They were first confined at Khami Prison, Chikurubi then are now in Harare so to us this is intimidation of those who are already arrested and to other MRP members who are out. Their jailing is all about instilling fear in us and a sign that whatever befalls these cadres can also affect us,” Moyo said.
“It’s a warning to anyone who either escalates or intensifies our cause as MRP that they will be treated in this way. There is no point in moving them from one prison to the other as if they are doing them a favour.”
Moyo claimed the arrest of MRP party members demonstrated that the Zanu PF government is “afraid” of the party’s gains in Matabeleland.
“These arrests are meant to intimidate both those who are inside prison and those who are out. The message to us is they that they will arrest us and jail us, worse in a prison that is in Harare,” said the MRP leader.
