Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Officer Commanding Harare Central District, Chief Superintendent Masvivi, has issued a prohibition order that prevents members of the public from carrying items that could be used as weapons.
The ban comes just days before protests called by outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza, who has demanded that President Emmerson Mnangagwa resign for allegedly overseeing a corrupt and incompetent government.
On Wednesday night, Geza conducted another live broadcast, urging citizens to take to the streets on March 31 to protest.
In a statement released on March 26, 2025, Masvivi urged community members to refrain from carrying various items, including catapults, machetes, knobkerries, swords, knives, and daggers.
He said the ZRP has “reasonable grounds” to believe that carrying these items, whether openly or concealed, could contribute to public disorder or a breach of peace.
The prohibition also extends to traditional weapons, which the police have flagged as potential threats to safety.
This order will remain in effect for a period of two months, starting from Thursday, March 27, 2025, until May 31, 2025. Reads the order:
<blockquote>
ZRP Harare Central District
Prohibition Order
In terms of Section 13 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23, I, Chief Superintendent M. Masvivi, being the Officer Commanding Police, Harare Central District, policing area bound by four districts—Mbare to the south stretching from Braeside Area, Magaba Home Industry up to Sally Mugabe Hospital; Harare North to the west stretching from Marimba Suburban to Kirkman Road; Suburban to the north stretching from Kirkman Road to Corner Borrowdale Road and Churchill Road; and Harare East to the east stretching from Robert Mugabe Airport to Chikurubi Maximum Prison—believing on reasonable grounds that the carrying, whether openly or by concealment, in a public place or thoroughfare, or public display of any of the following weapons or items capable of use as weapons:
a. Catapults, machetes, axes, knobkerries, swords, knives, or daggers.
b. Any traditional weapons whatsoever likely to occasion public disorder or a breach of the peace,
hereby issue an order prohibiting the carrying of such weapons in Harare District or any part thereof for a period not exceeding two months, that is from 27 March 2025 to 31 May 2025.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is declared that in terms of Section 13 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23, any person who fails to comply with such a prohibition shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 5 or imprisonment for six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.
[M. Masvivi] Chief Superintendent 
Officer Commanding Police 
Harare Central District
</blockquote>

Pindula News

The police in Harare have said people cannot carry weapons like knives, swords, or traditional weapons like axes and machetes in public. They think carrying these things could cause problems. This rule will be in place for two months to keep everyone safe. If anyone breaks this rule, they could be fined or go to jail. The police want everyone to be safe and avoid fights or trouble caused by carrying dangerous things. So, it's best to leave these weapons at home to stay out of trouble.

Police In Harare Ban Carrying Of Traditional Weapons

The Zimbabwe Republic Police in Kwekwe District has banned the carrying of dangerous weapons for a three-month period starting on 19 April 2023.
Speaking during Independence Day Celebrations held in Silobela, the Officer Commanding Kwekwe District Chief Superintendent Ison Chapeta noted that criminal activities by machete-wielding gangs have spiked in the district. He was quoted by <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/we-will-crush-them-ruthlessly-says-police-boss-in-warning-to-machete-wielding-gangs/">NewZimbabwe.com</a> as saying:
<blockquote>
Crime rates have surged in Kwekwe. These crimes are mainly committed by people carrying offensive weapons.
As the officer commanding Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Kwekwe District has put in place a prohibition order starting from 19 April 2023 to 19 July 2023, as the regulating authority Kwekwe District, this prohibition order is ordering people not to carry weapons.
Despite your station or statute in life, you are going to be arrested if you are found on the wrong side of the law.
We are going for elections and we don’t want such rogue elements in our midst therefore, we are going to deal with anyone found on the wrong side of the law decisively. We want to have peaceful polls.
If you are to be caught on the wrong side you will be jailed for a period not more than six months or a fine not exceeding level 5.
</blockquote>
Chief Superintendent Chapeta said he will personally command a 20-member team to enforce the prohibition order barring people from moving around with weapons. He said:
<blockquote>
You are our eyes in the community, notify us of anyone whom you will find carrying weapons and we will deal with that person, not the party not anything but the individual.
We must be peaceful in the district, we want to put an end to this.
I will personally command the team, I want the team to be ruthless, and I want the team to work as expected by the law, forewarned is forearmed.
</blockquote>
Dangerous weapons include firearms, explosives, knives with blades longer than 3 inches, machetes, and other items that are deemed to be potentially lethal such as catapults, axes, and knobkerries.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Police In Kwekwe District Ban Carrying Of Dangerous Weapons

Police in Gweru have banned the carrying of weapons such as machetes, knives and catapults until year-end in a move meant to curb crime which is now rampant within and around the district.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, 20 September, Officer Commanding Gweru District, Superintendent Tambudzai Gumpo, said the ban is with effect from October 1 until December 31. she said:
<blockquote>
The following weapons or items capable of use as weapons namely, catapults, machetes, axes, knobkerries, swords, knives or daggers will now be banned for a period of three months that is from 01 October to 31 December 2022.
</blockquote>
Last year,<a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2021/06/14/police-in-gweru-gokwe-ban-dangerous-weapons-in-public/"> police in Gweru and Gokwe banned the carrying of dangerous weapons in public for three months</a> to contain violent crime in the two districts.
The weapons that were banned included machetes, axes, knobkerries, knives, daggers, catapults, spears, and swords.
The prohibition ran from June 14 through September 14 for Gokwe while for Gweru ran from June 22 until September 22.
Police sternly warned that those found on the wrong side of the law would face up to six months in jail.

Kariba Dam Latest News

Latest Jobs