Police in Gokwe South District have banned a Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) rally that was scheduled to take place at Nyaradza Grounds on 13 July 2023.
The ban comes barely hours after Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) issued an order instructing provincial commanders to clear rallies by opposition parties to make the upcoming general elections appear free and fair.
In banning the CCC rally, ZRP Officer Commanding Gokwe District, Superintendent A. Zimbili said there will be other political activities near the venue.
This means that the activities by other political parties have been given the green light to go ahead but only CCC cannot hold its rally.
In a letter dated July 10 addressed to CCC provincial administrator, Joseph Madyegwayi, Superintendent Zimbili said:
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Kindly be informed that on the said date there will be political activities by other political parties, including yours at CMB (Cotton Marketing Board) Open Space opposite Madzore Bottle Store, Gokwe South which (have potential to) strain our human resources base in the event of any public disorder…
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CCC national spokesperson, Fadzayi Mahere confirmed the latest development. She tweeted:
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Our Gokwe South rally has been banned by [the Police] because ZANU PF is scared of [CCC]! 6 rallies were banned over a one-week period.
Chivi, Chiredzi Central, Chikombedzi, Mazowe Central, Bindura and Gokwe South. ZANU PF can never win a free and fair election in Zimbabwe!
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In 2018, the then main opposition party, MDC Alliance, was allowed to campaign without hindrance but its successor, CCC has been blocked from holding rallies dozens of times since its formation over a year ago.
On 25 February 2022, ZRP banned a CCC rally in Gokwe that was to be addressed by the party’s leader Nelson Chamisa.
The letter was written by the Officer-In-Charge Gokwe District, Chief Superintendent T Chikono, to the Organising Secretary CCC Gokwe Central Constituency, Agnes Limbani Jumo, and dated 25 February. It read in part:
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SUBJECT: PROHIBITION NOTICE FOR A BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN LAUNCH
It is your submission that you intend to conduct a by-election campaign launch rally at Open Space opposite Runganga Service Station, Gokwe South on the 26th day of February 2022 from 1000 hours to 1700 hours.
Your notification has been noted and this office does have reservations due to the following:
a) Reference to our discussion conducted on the 23rd day of February 2022 at Officer Commanding Police, Gokwe District office and in accordance to Section 8[3] of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, Chapter 11:23, in which I invited you in order to discuss the amendment of the contents of your convening notice in good faith.
b) I Indicated that I have received credible information that there is a threat that the proposed by-election campaign launch rally will result in serious disruption of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, injury to participants attending the rally or other person, or extensive damage to property or public disorder since there shall also be a ZANU PF rally in Kwekwe on the same day and times since participants are going to utilise the same Kwekwe-Gokwe highway.
c) The police will not be able to provide adequate protection for the persons participating in the by-elections campaign launch since the police officers have been deployed to cover the star rally in Kwekwe District.
d) Based on the above so as to ensure the prevention of injury to persons or damage to property and in accordance with the provisions of Section 8[9] of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act, Chapter 11:23, I have issued a prohibition notice and allowed you to defer your by-elections campaign launch to another date.
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More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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Police Block CCC From Holding Campaign Rally In Gokwe, Again

The opposition CCC party has approached the High Court to challenge the decision by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to ban their 2023 elections campaign launch that was scheduled for 09 July in Bindura.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said they had initially approached the Magistrates Court to challenge the move by the Police, but after the lower court set the matter down for 11 July, the opposition party then approached the High Court. Said Mahere:
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The Police unconstitutionally “banned” our Campaign Launch set for Sunday. Our lawyers immediately challenged the illegality.
The Magistrates’ Court erroneously set the matter down for 11 July (2 days after the rally) in violation of the Act. We’ve lodged an urgent review to the High Court.
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In banning the CCC rally, Police said the venue selected by the opposition party has no access roads and water, exposing supporters to communicable diseases.
ZRP also said they were not given sufficient notice “as provided for in terms of the MOPA Act”, and advised CCC to find another venue and date for the event.
On Wednesday, police disrupted CCC’s Presidential Campaign Rally in Chiredzi, saying the party failed to comply with security requirements prescribed under section 8 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (Chapter 11:23).
Another CCC rally that was scheduled for Chivi Growth Point this Friday was also blocked by the Police who said the venue had already been booked by ZANU PF.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

CCC Approaches High Court To Challenge Campaign Launch Ban

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has blocked CCC from launching its 2023 elections campaign in Bindura on Sunday saying the venue selected by the opposition party has no access roads and water, exposing supporters to communicable diseases.
ZRP also said they were not given sufficient notice “as provided for in terms of the MOPA Act”, and advised CCC to find another venue and date for the event.
A letter addressed to CCC by the Officer Commanding Bindura Police District, dated 07 July 2023, reads in part:
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This office acknowledges receipt of your notification of a public gathering [Campaign Rally] dated 6th July 2023 to be held at stand number 3889 and 3890 Brockdale, Bindura, on the 9th of July 2023 from 0900 hours to 1700hours which you submitted in terms of section 7 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act [Chapter 11:23].
This office has reservations in respect of the suitability of the venue taking into account all relevant security factors necessary.
The venue falls within an undeveloped piece of land, which is bushy without serviceable roads, water and sewer facilities.
It provides a high-risk security threat to the participants. There is also a high risk of threat to the spread of any communicable diseases.
In the event of any public disorder, the police and other emergency services would have challenges accessing the venue due to the unavailability of an official road network.
As a result, our mandate to protect life and property and to maintain law and order will be compromised.
Lastly, your notification did not give sufficient notice to the regulatory authority as provided in terms of the MOPA Act.
May you consider securing another suitable venue and provide sufficient notification as required by the provisions of the MOPA Act.
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0bkQTBWYAEvToA?format=jpg&amp;name=medium"/>
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On Wednesday, police disrupted CCC’s Presidential Campaign Rally in Chiredzi, saying the party failed to comply with security requirements prescribed under section 8 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (Chapter 11:23).
Another CCC rally that was scheduled for Chivi Growth Point this Friday was also blocked by the Police who said the venue had already been booked by ZANU PF.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Police Block CCC's 2023 Elections Campaign Launch In Bindura

The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has blocked the opposition CCC party from holding its Presidential Campaign Rally at Chivi Growth Point on 07 July 2023.
In a letter addressed to CCC, Officer Commanding Police, Masvingo West District, Chief Superintendent D. Maingire said the opposition party cannot hold its rally at the venue because it had already been booked by ZANU PF. Reads the letter in part:
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1. We acknowledge receipt of your notification dated 02 July 2020
2. We also appreciate that your letter meets all the requirements and expectations.
3. Let me take this opportunity to highlight that Chivi Growth Point ground was booked by ZANU PF and we are in receipt of that letter dated 01 July 2023.
4. By changing your venue from Mhandamabwe to Chivi Growl Point, you ceded your rights to use Mhandomabwe your venue on the strength of this notification.
5. Kindly be advised that permission has therefore not been granted.
6. If you want to hold any rallies in the future at Mhandamatwe or Chi Growth Point you have to submit another notification.
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In the run-up to the by-elections held in March 2022, dozens of Chamisa and CCC’s campaign rallies were banned by the Police on the pretext that the party failed to comply with security requirements prescribed under section 8 of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (Chapter 11:23).
On Wednesday, 05 July, CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere accused ZANU PF of abusing the Police to disrupt its rallies.
Posting on Twitter after CCC’s Presidential Campaign Rally was blocked by Police in Chiredzi, Mahere said the ban will not stop them from “winning the hearts and minds of Zimbabweans.”
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Police Block CCC Presidential Campaign Rally In Chivi

Police reportedly arrested eight CCC Chiredzi members at Tshovani Stadium on Wednesday where the opposition party’s leader, Nelson Chamisa, was scheduled to conduct a campaign rally.
According to <a href="https://changeradiozimbabwe.com/2023/07/05/eight-ccc-chiredzi-members-arrested-at-tshovani-stadium/">Change Radio</a>, eight CCC members (one female and seven males) were taken to Chiredzi Police Station where they were detained.
The eight are Farai Chauke, Kudzanai Madyira, Charles Mungati, Gladmore Gunguwo, Shonhai Mollen, Loyd Mucharu, Agrippa Dhambureni, and Simon Hlomani.
Commenting on the ban on the CCC rally, Chiredzi Mugwazo cluster leader, one Mugidho, said:
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We are highly disappointed by police brutality and the reason for stopping our Presidential rally. ZANU PF is campaigning without any police disruptions.
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Human rights lawyer Advocate Martin Mureri was tasked with assisting the CCC members in securing their freedom.
CCC Chiredzi Central’s aspiring member of parliament, Ropafadzo Makumire, condemned the arrest of CCC members saying they did not provoke the police. He said:
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The arrest of our peaceful and law-abiding CCC members breaches citizens’ bill of rights, particularly the rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, as well as political participation…
Asthmatic residents have been greatly affected. A child from the community has been hospitalized because of tear gas exposure.
Even those who were not part of the rally suffered from the careless behavior of the police.
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Police officers fired tear gas to disperse CCC members who had gathered at Tshovani stadium for Chamisa’s rally.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Eight CCC Members In Chiredzi Arrested After Rally Ban

Former Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Peter Mutasa says the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) should resort to”guerrilla tactics” amid a systematic ban on opposition rallies by the Police.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa recently said Police have banned more than 60 of the party’s rallies across the country.
Opposition activists have also been brutally attacked by suspected ZANU PF supporters during some of their campaign activities.
<a href="https://www.zimlive.com/mutasa-urges-ccc-to-employ-guerilla-tactics-amid-state-crackdown/">ZimLive</a> quoted Mutasa as saying CCC should adopt underground campaign methods to be able to canvass for votes ahead of the general elections set to be held later this year. Mutasa said:
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Zimbabwe is a military dictatorship. There is no doubt that the constitution has been suspended and constitutional rights taken away.
Citizens can no longer exercise freedom of expression, association or assembly.
Opposition gatherings are banned and their leaders are detained without trial.
Journalists are arrested for exposing corruption and trade unionists are brutalized for demanding better working conditions.
Under such circumstances, the opposition must not be predictable.
It must use guerrilla tactics and underground political activities to fully exercise their constitutional rights that are being unlawfully limited by state agencies.
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More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Former ZCTU President Urges CCC To Employ "Guerilla Tactics" Amid Systematic Rallies Ban

A Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) official, David Coltart, says it is now clear that ZANU PF has banned the opposition party from holding meetings across the country.
This comes after police blocked several CCC rallies that were scheduled for this weekend in different parts of the country.
Posting on Twitter, Coltart said authorities use “every trick in the book” to block CCC from holdings meetings while those who attend private meetings are arrested. <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidColtart/status/1623937887766188032">Wrote Coltart</a>:
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It’s abundantly clear that ZANU PF has banned the #CCC. Our structures have been applying to have meetings throughout #Zimbabwe and every trick in the book is used to prevent these meetings from taking place. Then when we have private meetings people are arrested.
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Police recently blocked a CCC rally that was scheduled for the 11th of this month citing objections by some property owners.
In response to a CCC notification of its intentions to hold a rally at Rowa Grounds in Mutare, the Chief Superintendent (Supt) Regulating Authority ZRP Mutare Rural District, P. Mbira raised a number of issues.
Supt Mbira said CCC had failed to comply with the law and that the intended venue is also lined up for sporting activities by local football clubs who usually use the same venue.
Mbira also claimed that some property owners are against holding the rally at their doorsteps.
Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Hopewell Chin’ono said to date, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government has used the police to ban 68 CCC rallies. <a href="https://twitter.com/daddyhope/status/1624300241393446912">Said Chin’ono</a>:
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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!
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