Gwisai charged with treason

Munyaradzi Gwisai , the International Socialist
Organisation ( ISO) general coordinator , and 45
others were Wednesday charged with treason or
alternatively subverting a constitutionally elected
government.
Gwisai appeared before provincial magistrate
Munamato Mutevedzi jointly charged with 11
women and 34 men on allegations of organising
strategies and ways to implement the removal
of the government of Zimbabwe “ the Egyptian
way ” .
The state alleges last Saturday , the ISO executive
led by Gwisai , called for a meeting at number
43 Julius Nyerere Way in Harare , where
participants were drawn from all over the
country while the bulk came from Harare and
Chitungwiza.
It is alleged the entry into the meeting was
strictly by invitation and participants , although
invited , were subjected to thorough vetting
before being allowed into a room which was
kept under lock and key .
The state alleges in the meeting , there was a list
of speakers and a mission statement for the
organisation which read “ ISO calls on workers ,
students and working people to support the
struggle in solidarity with Egyptian and Tunisian
workers ” .
Gwisai , together with ISO administrators
Antoinette Choto and Tatenda Mombeyarara,
are said to have replaced some of the speakers
who did not attend the meeting .
The state said other speakers included Edson
Chakuma, Hopeful Gumbo and Welcome
Zimuto, while Choto , alias T Sando allegedly
chaired the meeting . It is alleged the speakers
took turns to address the gathering allegedly
complaining that “ in Zimbabwe, there was a
long authoritarian leadership , general hunger ,
poverty, unemployment and capitalist practices
where wealth was enjoyed by a few individuals
while the general populace of Zimbabwe was
suffering ” .
The state alleges the participants were
encouraged to revolt against the government
but police received a tip off and arrested the
accused before they allegedly took action .
Prominent Harare lawyer Alec Muchadehama
and Marufu Mandevere represented all the
accused persons who were remanded in
custody to Thursday after Muchadehama said
he needed time to get instructions from his
clients before making an application for refusal
of placement on remand . Edmore Nyazamba
represented the state.

CHARLES LAITON | HARARE – Feb 23 2011
19 : 37