The faction of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change headed by MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai is seeking relief in high court after being denied a permit to hold a rally by the town council in Chinhoyi, northwest of the capital.
Mashonaland West officials of the Tsvangirai MDC faction said the branch received police permission to hold the rally, but that the town council said it would not take up the matter until Monday although the rally has been called for Saturday.
The opposition faction’s provincial secretary for Mashonaland West, Gift Konjana, said the Chinhoyi magistrate’s court dismissed the case, saying that it was not urgent, so the formation intends to file an urgent application in Harare high court Friday.
Chinhoyi Acting Town Clerk Abel Gotora said he was not aware the opposition applied for a permit to hold a rally, or that the matter was pending deliberation by the town council, or the party’s had sought judicial recourse in magistrate's court.
Konjana told reporter Carole Gombakomba of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the opposition in Mashonaland West, a ruling ZANU-PF stronghold, has been facing major challenges as police and local officials obstruct its efforts to rally supporters.
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