By Takudzwa Changadeya
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has expressed discontentment over the local law enforcement agency’s banning of its rallies, saying it’s a Zanu-Pf’s political stratagem aimed at thwarting CCC’s campaigns for the forthcoming elections.
The party is contemplating dragging the police to court over the banning of its rallies.
This follows the clearance of only five out of 63 CCC’s applications to hold constituency rallies, according to the national organizing secretary Amos Chibaya.
The police gave different reasons including the failure to comply with the Maintenance of Public Order Act (MOPA) and that neighbors did not approve of hosting rallies and their venues were booked for other social activities.
“As the organizing secretary for the CCC, I see the move as a way of barring the party from holding rallies,” Chibaya told NewsDay.
“The police know that this is an election year and parties need to campaign.
We were targeting the 63 districts but we are being denied. Out of the 63, I think only five were cleared.”
He added that CCC will continue exlploring various ways to engage with its supporters and also fight the police in court.
Writing on Twitter, Veteran opposition leader and CCC treasurer David Coltart said the refusal by the police to approve CCC’s rally application was a clear indication of fighting the party’s agenda.
“It’s abundantly clear that Zanu PF has banned CCC.
“Our structures have been applied 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,” Coltart said.
