The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has blocked the opposition MDC from holding a district rally in Mabvuku on Sunday.
In a letter addressed to the MDC chairman of Ward 19 in Mabvuku-Tafara, Officer Commanding Police, Harare Suburban District, Chief Superintendent S. Matongo wrote:
RE: NOTIFICATION TO HOLD A RALLY AT HIGH STREET/MABVUKU PARK ON 10 NOVEMBER 2019
-
I acknowledge receipt of the notification for a rally dated 6 November 2019 and served on us on 6 November 2019 through Mabvuku Police Station.
-
Kindly be advised that you have not fully complied with the terms of Section 25(1((b) and Section 25(2) (a) and (g) of the Public Order and Security Act [Chapter 11:17].
-
You are therefore required to advise this authority of a new date of meeting which meets the provisions of the Act.
-
Accordingly referred.
The banning of the MDC rally raises several questions, among them; why is the law selectively applied? ZANU PF held an anti-sanctions rally in October in Harare and the ruling party held another rally on Saturday 9 November 2019 in Chiredzi.
Moreover, the government has told the international community that the repressive law, POSA, has been removed from the statute books yet it is still being used by the police to ban the MDC’s rallies.
