Jameson Timba, the leader of a Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) faction reportedly loyal to the party’s former president Nelson Chamisa has been arrested.
Timba is the Chief administrator of a CCC faction whose members are said to be close to Chamisa who quit the party in January this year alleging infiltration by the ZANU PF-led government.
According to lawyer Agency Gumbo, Timba, his son and more than 40 youths were attending a private June 16 Youth Day meeting on Sunday at his residence in Avondale, Harare, when they were arrested. Said Gumbo:
Hon Timba and the youths were severely beaten and injured. Timba and 20 others are presently detained at Avondale Police whilst the other group has been taken to Harare Central Police Station. We demand the immediate release of our champions. They violated no law. Their arrest is a human rights issue!
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests to NewsDay. He said:
I can confirm that 70 suspects were arrested at Jameson Timba’s house in Harare for conducting an unsanctioned gathering.
During the arrests, they became violent and started throwing stones at the police officers. Reinforcements were later called in.
Youth Day is a national holiday in South Africa which falls on June 16. Youth Day is in commemoration of the contribution that young people made to the struggle for freedom in South Africa.
On June 16, 1976, schoolchildren marched in a protest that began the Soweto Uprising. The uprising was a major event in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Youth Day is also known as Soweto Day.
