MDC-T, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has been given the green light by the courts to conduct its rallies in Lupane and Binga today, after they were barred from doing so by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) earlier this week. The ZRP had argued that the rallies would be a “security risk”.
MDC-T made ex parte applications (without notifying the other party) on Thursday and Friday respectively seeking interdicts barring the police from stopping the two rallies.
Police in Lupane and Binga had written to MDC-T advising them they could not hold the rallies since the police had inadequate manpower to provide security. Both rallies are scheduled for today (Saturday).
Lupane magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba and Binga magistrate Stephen Ndlovu on Thursday and yesterday respectively ordered the former opposition party to go ahead with their rallies, describing actions by the police as “unlawful”. In her ruling, Gwazemba ordered the Lupane rally scheduled to take place at St Paul’s to go ahead without any interference from the police.
“. . . the first respondent (police) and its agents are interdicted from disturbing or interfering in any way with the Applicant’s meeting to be held at St Pauls on the 29th of October 201 from 11am to 5.30pm.
“. . . the Applicant . . . (has been granted the right to go) ahead with the scheduled meeting and promote its right to freedom of association and assembly as set out in section 21 of the Constitution.
“In the event that this application is granted after 29th of October 2011, it is hereby ordered that the Applicant proceeds with the meeting to be rescheduled on another future date without notification of the respondents,” ruled Gwazemba on Thursday.
Her ruling was similar to that delivered by her colleague Ndlovu in Binga yesterday. The two court orders came soon after a war of words had erupted between MDC-T and Matabeleland North police over the rallies, with Tsvangirai accusing the latter of intending to disrupt them.
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Tsvangirai had lined up rallies in Binga and Lupane before concluding his Matabeleland tour tomorrow at Chinotimba Stadium in Victoria Falls.
Police in Victoria Falls have since cleared the party to hold the rally in the resort town.
