CHANTEL TAKUDZWA ZAMBUKIRA
POLITICS REPORTER
The Zimbabwe Republic Police National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi has urged the Citizen Coalition for Change to follow procedures when planning to hold rallies.
“These applications for holding such meetings should follow the Maintenance o f Peace and Order,” Nyathi said.
He added that the Nelson Chamisa led party is not being prevented from holding rallies but the police only stops political meetings that are being held without following detects of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPO).
A senior member of CCC lawyer David Coltat stated that several of its rallies have been denied permission by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. He listed the following rally that had been slated as being banned.
“CCC is not being banned, rather they are being checked on whether their rallies are in line with the MOPO Act.”
Asked why ZRP is banning CCC rallies, spokesperson for the party Fadzai Mahere had this to say, “That question is best answered by the police.”
In the meantime, Hopewell Chin’ono renowned journalist and rabid anti-ED affirmed the ban of CCC rallies.
“68 CCC rallies have been banned so far by Mnangagwa’s regime using the @PoliceZimbabwe. These are the actions of a corrupt and incompetent ruling political party that knows it has no support in Zimbabwe and has no ideas.It is clear that it can only survive on rigging elections!”
But pro ruling party ZANU-PF Patriots responded by saying its a lie that CCC is not allowed to conduct their rallies.
“Its a lie that CCC is not allowed to campaign in Zimbabwe. CCC had a rally in Chivhu this weekend. Their challenge is that, they do not have people anymore.”
A twitter user by the name @Prince shot back at ZANU-PF Patriots saying,
“It was just a rural mobilisation not a rally so was this one. You know Kuti Kana Mukomana akanzi arikuuya netsoko dzinozara, let us do our thing in peace.”
Team Pachedu who have been unraveling (misinformation) on the voters roll and the current delimitation report have suggested that if the police continue banning rallies of opposing political parties they should however, make shot video messages and circulate them on different media platforms such as WhatsApp, twitter, TikTok, to enable then to campaign. This initiative is is being used by @PresValerio who is producing and circulating such video films.
“Opposition parties being banned from having rallies can create similar professional short videos in different languages for different topics and circulate then on WhatsApp.”
Exiled former Minister of information had this to say concerning the matter of banning CCC rallies,
“Dear @PoliceZimbabwe,
It is neither sufficient nor lawful to stop a meeting by saying its “notification does not fully comply with the requirements of the law” without specifying the requirements that have not been complied with. No wonder your refusals are being seen as bans!”