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Aug 23, 2019

Zimbabwe Police Arrest Opposition Official Over Demonstrations

Godfrey Marawanyika, Bloomberg News

HARARE, ZIMBABWE - AUGUST 16: Demonstrators sit and sing protest songs after police cordoned off the street on August 16, 2019 in Harare, Zimbabwe. The country's main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change, called for protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government's management of the economy. Nearly two years after Mnangagwa took power, the country faces rising inflation, increased poverty, and a severe water shortage. (Photo by Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images) , Getty Images

(Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwean police arrested a senior opposition official and will charge him for failing to stop a protest last week in the capital, Harare, his lawyer said.

Amos Chibaya, the national organizing secretary of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was arrested on Thursday and “will appear in court today,” lawyer Obey Shava said by phone Friday.

The MDC last week called for nationwide protests over the economic and political situation in the southern African country. Police, who banned the demonstrations, later used batons and teargas to disperse protesters who gathered in Harare. As many as 128 people were arrested.

Phone calls to national police spokesman Paul Nyathi weren’t answered.

To contact the reporter on this story: Godfrey Marawanyika in Harare at gmarawanyika@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Hilton Shone at hshone@bloomberg.net, Rene Vollgraaff