Zimbabwe authorities have halted an opposition campaign rally scheduled for the coming weekend, citing concerns over inadequate facilities and road conditions leading to the venue.
This move is the latest in a series of bans imposed ahead of the crucial elections set to take place on August 23. The upcoming polls are expected to be tense, as the country has been under the rule of the Zanu-PF party since gaining independence from Britain 43 years ago.
The Zanu-PF, formerly led by Robert Mugabe, is facing its strongest challenge yet from the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), the largest opposition group led by 45-year-old Nelson Chamisa. The rally, planned to be held in Bindura town, situated 90 kilometers (56 miles) northeast of the capital city, Harare, is the fourth CCC meeting to be banned across the country within a week.
In a letter issued by the police to halt the rally, it was stated that the selected venue was a “bushy” piece of land lacking proper roads, water, and sanitation facilities. The letter further asserted that hosting the event in such conditions posed a “high risk of threat” for the spread of communicable diseases.
Additionally, the police deemed the venue a security threat, as it would impede access for emergency services and law enforcement personnel in case of any public disorder, owing to the absence of an official road network.
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The police justified their decision by claiming that the opposition failed to provide sufficient notice for the meeting, as required by law, which stipulates a minimum of seven days’ advance notice. The gathering, which was intended to be the formal launch of the CCC’s election manifesto, had garnered significant anticipation.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, aged 80, who assumed power in 2017 following a military-led coup that ousted Mugabe, is seeking re-election. However, he faces a disillusioned population grappling with hyperinflation, poverty, and high unemployment rates.
In response to the continuous banning of their political events, Tendai Biti, a senior lawmaker from the CCC, expressed his discontent on Twitter, stating that such actions are turning the upcoming election into an “absolute charade.”
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