Amupanda, Heathcote trade legal blows on Red line

Amupanda, Heathcote trade legal blows on Red line

Iuze Mukube

Affirmative Repositioning movement leader Job Amupanda says the essence of his contention on the removal of the Red line is based solely on the constitutional principles being infringed upon by the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF).

He said this yesterday while being cross-examined by Advocate Raymond Heathcote on behalf of the government respondents.

Heathcote on the other hand, asserted the political scientist’s entire basis is simply political and aimed at gaining votes or hopefully gaining votes.

Amupanda denied this saying, “I am coming to court to vindicate rights. I would have mobilised people to physically remove it if that was the idea. But I decided not to do that because we are in a constitutional democracy.”

“The purpose of the court is to resolve disputes, that is why I am coming here whether you regard it as politics, I am here to vindicate rights,” he addressed.

He continued that the issue of the Red line is not on its use to restrict the movement of livestock and its products but on the people from the north being kept out from the rest of the country.

“I am operating at the level of constitutional principles. Is it just and fair for a government to care for the few and not the many based on imaginary structures?” the young politician questioned.

He expressed it is unfortunate that his contention is being regarded as politics when people are being discriminated against by the continuity of the fence.

After asking why Amupanda had travelled with red meat whilst knowing it will be confiscated, Heathcote denounced him as being a danger to the country’s society in his quest to remove the Red line and just for politics.

This was in regard to the assumption that the county’s economy might be affected, especially in the exporting of meat if the cordon fence is removed.

Amupanda responded that the government and Heathcote were the danger rather to the constitutional character and democracy of the country.

“It is rather you that we must be fearful of as a people with wanting continuity to the fence,” argued Amupanda.

He added it was unfortunate the government regarded the opportunity of cost to triumph over the rights of the people especially, in a unitary state.

Opportunity cost refers to a potential benefit that could be missed when one decides on one alternative over another, in this case, the economic implication of removing the Red line over the rights of the people. -mukubeiuze@gmail.com