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OpenCommissioner-General Mutamba Says He Has No Authority To Approve Or Block Peaceful Demonstrations
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba has said he does not have the authority to permit or ban peaceful demonstrations in the country.
Mutamba made this clarification in response to a notification from the “Concerned Citizens of Zimbabwe,” who had informed him of their plans to stage nationwide protests on Thursday, March 20, 2025, over President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government’s failure to address the nation’s persistent economic challenges.
In a letter dated March 18, 2025, which was shared on the ZRP’s official X (formerly Twitter) account, Commissioner-General Mutamba explained that the group’s communication had been misdirected. He said:
Reference is made to a correspondence date 14 March 2025 on the above subject, which was served at my office on the same date at 1537 hours.
Having perused the said correspondence, and particularly noting that the author(s) intended to ‘notify the Joint Operations Command (JOC)’ of an intended ‘peaceful demonstration countrywide’, l am certain that it has been misdirected to my office.
JOC is a high-level body responsible for coordinating state security. It includes senior officials from the Zimbabwe National Army, the Air Force of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services, and the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Mutamba said the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act excludes his office from regulating mass gatherings such as demonstrations. He said:
The Legislature, in its wisdom, through the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA)(Chapter 11:23), excludes my office from regulating public gatherings and demonstrations.
In fact, MOPA clearly outlines how these rights must be exercised. I, therefore, urge the concerned citizens, through their representatives, to ensure full compliance with the laws of Zimbabwe. Be guided accordingly.
The Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) requires organisers of public gatherings, including demonstrations and processions, to notify the police in advance. The police are empowered to impose conditions on these gatherings to prevent any potential public disorder.
The Act holds organisers accountable for any damages or injuries that may result from the event, should they fail to take reasonable precautions.
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