Police in Harare have banned an MDC – T youth assembly march which had been scheduled for October 21 in Harare, to call for a peaceful political environment.
A letter signed by Acting Officer Commanding Police Harare Central District, only identified as I Gowe, turned down the application and said the MDC-T members had failed to attend scheduled meetings with the police.
“My office, however, regrets to advise you that your intended peaceful march is not sanctioned,” reads the letter.
“The reason being that you were invited for a meeting to deliberate on the matter on 03/10/11 at 1000hrs and on 04/10/11 at 0830hrs, but you decided not to come.”
The youth assembly had notified the police of their intention to hold a peaceful march on the day in question.
Part of their letter reads: “The MDC youth assembly would like to notify the police about a peaceful march to take place on the 21st of October 2011 . . . The march is in support of the President (Robert Mugabe) and Prime Minister’s (Morgan Tsvangirai) call for the creation of a peaceful environment in the country. The two leaders have urged the youths to be peaceful and not to be used to perpetrate political violence.”
The call for an end to violence comes as cases of intolerance and intimidation are on the rise. The opening of Parliament last month was characterised by violence, with suspected Zanu PF activists beating up people they believed to be supporters of MDC parties.
