Zimbabwe’s main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says police continue to block their election rallies despite an internal memo from police’s commander for elections directing officers to avoid unnecessary barring of political rallies, which he said would discredit the forthcoming crucial polls.
CCC says two of its rallies scheduled for Thursday in Gokwe have been banned on the pretext that Zanu PF would be having similar events in the same constituencies and police did not have adequate personnel to protect those opposition political activists.
The opposition party was planning to hold rallies in Gokwe Central and Gokwe Kambunyuni in preparation for the August 23 council, parliamentary and presidential elections.
CCC’s Midlands elections coordinator, Joseph Madyegwayi, told VOA Studio 7 that four rallies set for Thursday have been denied by the police, who cited lack of manpower to take care of the CCC meetings as Zanu PF is said to be organizing similar events in the two regions.
This was confirmed by the Officer Commanding Gokwe South, Superintendent A Zimbili, in a letter written to the regional CCC provincial coordinator. Zimbili feared that there would be political violence if CCC and other parties hold meetings at the same time.
Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said CCC is discussing with police on the way forward.
In a leaked letter to all senior provincial police officers, the commander of the 2023 harmonised elections, Commissioner Ndofandaedza Jaboon, told them to stop blocking the CCC rallies, noting that such moves were discrediting the electoral process.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Farai Chauke and CCC activists - Mollen Shonhai, Gladmore Gungubu, Kudzai Madyira, Charles Mungate, Lloyd Mushari, Agrippa Dhambureni and Simon Hlomani – have spent six days behind bars in Chiredzi following their arrest on July 5 for allegedly violating some sections of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act.
They are accused of attending an “unsanctioned” CCC election campaign rally.
Zimbabwe will hold harmonized elections on August 23 this year.
VOA correspondent Godwin Mangudya contributed to this article
Forum