Amos Chibaya, the former Member of Parliament for Mkoba North and a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has been granted bail by the High Court after spending over 40 days in pre-trial detention.
The ruling, delivered on November 22, by Justice Gibson Mandaza, set Chibaya’s bail at a US$500 deposit, which is to be paid to the Clerk of Court at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
Along with the deposit, the court imposed additional conditions for Chibaya’s release. He is required to report to the CID Law and Order Division in Harare every two weeks, must continue residing at his usual address, and is prohibited from interfering with any witnesses.
Chibaya faces charges of inciting violence during a protest outside the Harare Magistrates’ Court in June. The demonstration was sparked by the denial of bail to Jameson Timba, a CCC faction leader, and several other members of the party.
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CCC maintains that Chibaya should never have been arrested, asserting that he committed no offense. The party issued a statement condemning the arrest and called for the release of all political prisoners, stating that the country remains under an oppressive regime.
Chibaya has been a frequent target of arrests due to his political activism. He was recently fined US$50 for missing a court appearance in another ongoing case. According to the state, Chibaya was part of a group of CCC supporters who gathered outside the court to demand the release of 77 party members who had been denied bail. It is alleged that Chibaya led a meeting at the entrance of the court, where he made remarks inciting violence. He reportedly said: