(Last Updated on March 16, 2022 by zimdaily)
HARARE – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has approved a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) campaign rally scheduled for Sakubva Stadium in Mutare on Saturday. A letter written by ZRP Mutare District to CCC Manicaland deputy organising secretary, Itayi Masaka approving the rally reads in part:
Please be advised that I have taken note of your intention to hold a public meeting at Sakubva Stadium, Mutare on 19 March 2022 from 1000 hours to 1630 hours. The public meeting shall proceed and subject to strict observations of the following instructions: Your members shall not be involved in toy-toying, there shall be no convoying of plateless vehicles or people chanting slogans and singing and disseminating hateful and defaming information.
CCC Manicaland spokesperson David Panganayi on Tuesday confirmed the police clearance to New Zimbabwe. Said Panganayi:
President is coming over here and our party structures are mobilising people to attend in their numbers. We received a police clearance on Saturday. There has been a lot of excitement in anticipation of this rally. We hope that all the people who are yearning out for a change will come in their numbers. We want to rock Sakubva Stadium and unlike our opponents, we do not have resources hence we will not be bussing anyone. We want to prove to the entire nation that yellow is here to stay. We will fill the stadium without bussing or coercing anyone.
Since political parties started campaigning rallies ahead of the 26 March by-elections last month, the ZRP has banned three CCC rallies, in Gokwe, Marondera and Bindura.
On Monday ZRP national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the police banned the CCC’s rallies because the opposition party had not complied with relevant provisions of MOPA.
Nyathi accused CCC of not observing the law and are acting as a law unto themselves. Meanwhile, ZRP has not banned any ZANU PF or MDC Alliance rally. MDC Alliance leader Douglas Mwonzora met President Emmerson Mnangagwa twice at State House in the past few months.
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