By Nobleman Runyanga

The High Court has forced the MDC to abandon its much-hyped demonstration which it was set to stage in Harare today following its ruling that the opposition party’s application was not urgent. This has seen the opposition party calling off the protest which the political outfit said was against the ongoing economic hardships.

The MDC applied to the High Court to compel the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) which issued a prohibition order late last yesterday barring the opposition party from proceeding with the planned demonstration citing contravention of the Access Information, Protection of Privacy Act.

In the case which was heard by Justice Joseph Musakawa this morning, the court dismissed the application as not urgent and procedurally deficient. He advised the MDC lawyer, Tendai Biti to direct the party’s application to a magistrate’s court.

Initially Biti reacted with anger and accused the High Court of being “captured by ZANU PF” but later relented and accepted the judgement.

“The MDC does not accept the closure of the political space by ZANU PF. We will not apply to the Harare Magistrate Court but the programme will continue. For now people should remain at their homes,” Biti said.

Biti indicated that his party would now await the fate of its applications in other cities such as Bulawayo and Mutare where the MDC intends to stage other demonstrations next week.

“We are now waiting for other applications in other provinces where we will hold other demonstrations,” Biti said.

By mid-morning some pockets of protesters attempted to forcibly march in Harare’s city centre but were contained by the police. Some of them attempted to move towards Munhumutapa Building, which houses the offices of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Cabinet, but were prevented by the police.