CCC Challenge Police By-election Victory Celebrations Ban
The Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) has approached the courts to challenge a prohibition order issued by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in respect of the party’s electoral victory celebration party in Glen Norah, Harare.
CCC had planned to celebrate its victory in the 26 March by-election at Chembira Community Hall in Glen Norah A on Sunday, 31 July 2022 from 10 AM to 4 PM but police refused to sanction the gathering saying the party failed to comply with the law on gatherings.
Posting on Twitter this Saturday, CCC deputy spokesperson, Gift “Ostallos” Siziba said they have taken the litigation route to challenge police “double standards”. He said:
We are in court to challenge the police’s unreasonable action to interfere with our freedom to assemble at a victory rally in Glen Norah.
We are not going to accept our country to have one law for Zanupf & another for the rest of the citizens. We will fight back and assert our rights.
What did ZRP Say?
In a letter dated 29 July 2022 addressed to the Member of Parliament for Glen Norah Constituency, Wellington Chikombo, Officer Commanding Police Harare South District, Chief Superintendent M Manjonjo said:
May you be advised that the notice to hold the By-election Celebration Party served on us does not comply with Section 7 (2) of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act [Chapter 11:23] and as such, the intended celebrations have not been sanctioned.
Not the first time
The banning of the CCC victory celebration party in Glen Norah is a continuation of a sequence of prohibitions issued against the party’s activities by the police.
Meanwhile, ZANU PF says police have also blocked some of its functions only that the party does not publish the prohibition orders on social media platforms.
