ZIMBABWE Republic Police (ZRP) provincial commanders have been instructed to allow opposition parties to hold their rallies after the police force hogged the limelight for banning a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rally scheduled for last Sunday in Bindura to launch its national election campaign.
This was the third CCC meeting to be banned by the police a week after two other rallies were banned in Chiredzi and Zaka, Masvingo province.
The CCC had planned to launch its election manifesto in Bindura, but police blocked the rally saying it had not been given enough notice for the event.
In an internal memo to the officers commanding provinces, Support Unit, Criminal Investigations Department and Police Intelligence, a Deputy Commissioner-General said the banning of the rallies was discrediting the electoral process.
“Of late, social media has been awash with incidents where some political parties claim to have been denied the right to hold their rallies by police resulting in skirmishes,” partly reads the internal memo.
“These skirmishes are discrediting the electoral processes, as such, commanders are requested to ensure that political parties are allowed to hold rallies unless there are very valid reasons to warrant such rejections.
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“Under such circumstances, regulating authorities are urged to thoroughly consult before coming up with decisions to deny any political player an opportunity to hold a rally or meeting.”
The Deputy Commissioner-General said rallies should go ahead because the police was committed to upholding the law and ensuring that all political parties are able to campaign freely.
“Commanders should also note that for elections to be deemed free, fair, peaceful and credible, the playing field should be reckoned as level, hence the police actions should not discredit the electoral processes.
“The regulatory authority should acquaint themselves with the provisions of the Electoral and Maintenance of Peace & Order Acts so as to make informed decisions. The purpose of this legal instrument is for the police to prepare and take actions aimed at ensuring that any political activity is done peacefully,” the Deputy Commissioner-General said in the memo.
CCC has been accusing the police of victimising it ahead of the August 23 harmonised elections.
On Wednesday, police in Chiredzi, Masvingo province, banned a CCC rally and fired teargas to disperse hundreds of party supporters who had gathered for the event.
Police also arrested eight CCC members for allegedly defying the ban on the rally.
Police national spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed that the memo was an internal communication within the force.
“That memo was mainly for internal communications to police commanders as a guide to them on how they should handle the situation. Unfortunately, it has been leaked to the media,” he said.
“There is an unruly element and we condemn such acts. ZRP regularly communicates with police commanders through internal communication systems such as memos.
“So we are conducting investigations to find out how this unruly element got access to this memo. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you who wrote the memo, I have given you an official position and I think that’s enough in the time being.”