The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Nelson Chamisa has filed an urgent court application seeking an order to overturn the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s decision to block the party from holding a weekend by-election campaign rally at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo.
Police claim that they won't have manpower to provide security at the proposed CCC rally as the ruling party is expected to hold two similar events in the city on the same day.
CCC, which is represented by Phillip Shumba, Omen Mafa and Isabel Moyo of Mutendi, Shumba and Partners, argues that the police move is uncalled for and therefore the court should grant it an order to go ahead with the rally on Sunday.
The Officer Commanding Masvingo Central District, Chief Superintendent Simangaliso Dube, denied CCC the permission, noting that there is a critical shortage of manpower in the region to cater for three meetings on Sunday.
Dube said the rally was prohibited as it did not comply with section3(1) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act Chapter 11:23.
“Masvingo Central Police District is hosting two Zanu PF rallies which are booked on the same municipality area at two different venues at Mucheke and Mamutse stadia on the same date as yours on the 20th of March 2022. Hosting a third rally on the same date would not be feasible under the circumstances as police would not be able to cope due to resource constraints.
“The police district has already drawn manpower from the surrounding police stations to provide enough safe safety and security in respect of those two rallies to an extent of leaving skeleton staff manning our police establishments.”
CCC rallies have been blocked by the police in Harare, Bulawayo, Marondera and other towns and cities. The High Court has in the past granted CCC permission to hold the by-election rallies but police have defied the orders.
Zimbabwe will hold by-elections on March 26 in which over 130 council and parliamentary seats are up for grabs.