In court this week on charges he distributed materials inciting army unrest, elections director Paul Themba Nyathi of the Movement for Democratic Change faction led by Arthur Mutambara said he was not aware of the nature of the offending literature.
Nyathi was arrested two weeks ago and appeared in magistrate's court in Gwanda, Matabeleland South, on Wednesday. He and staff member Sitachisiwe Sibanda are accused of distributing a letter urging troops to rebel by joining the demonstrations organized September 13 in Harare by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.
Nyathi said he had not intended to incite the army to revolt and was unfamiliar with the contents of materials distributed in campaigning for the rural district council elections held on October 28. The court will take up the case again on Nov. 22.
Nyathi spoke with reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe.
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