POLICE in Harare yesterday reportedly stopped an MDC-T youth rally set for Mbare, claiming the event would clash with a football match played at Rufaro Stadium later in the day.
BY OBEY MANAYITI
MDC-T Harare provincial youth secretary Denford Ngadziore said they notified police last week of the rally scheduled for Tagarika Flats and were only advised on Saturday that it was no longer possible to go ahead as Dynamos were playing ZPC Kariba in the same area.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police have once again succeeded in cancelling an MDC Mbare youth forum today which was to be held at Tagarika Flats, citing reasons of the Dynamos match to be played at Rufaro Stadium later today and the unsuitability of the venue,” Ngadziore said.
“This is in spite of the fact that the Zanu PF youths hold the same kind of meetings at the said place without any prohibition. The Zimbabwean Constitution allows us to hold meetings on condition we notify the police, which we did. It is not in their place to decide for us which venue is suitable for our meeting.”
Recently, police violently crushed a war veterans’ meeting at the City Sports Centre, claiming the gathering was illegal.
“We regard this act as a complete abuse of office and existence of blatant favouritism by the members of the ZRP. This also follows the cancellation of three MDC rallies in Harare South in December 2015 and two demonstrations in 2016 by the police. Therefore, we as the MDC Harare province youth assembly will not tolerate any such disruptions in future from the police after having informed them,” he said, adding that police must desist from meddling in politics.
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However, Harare police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Simon Chazovachii professed ignorance over the ban.
“I didn’t hear anything to that effect. Did they report? They should report to police and that memo will come to us,” he said.
