Bulawayo police told to seek clearance to hold meeting

POLICE in Bulawayo were last month given a taste of their own medicine when council refused to sanction their planned meeting demanding a clearance letter.

Latest council minutes reveal that Bulawayo police were told to seek a clearance letter before holding a meeting to re-launch their client service charter at Egodini bus terminus on August 27.

The police were, among other conditions, ordered not to make a lot of noise during the meeting.

This came about after police wrote to acting town clerk, Sikhangele Zhou requesting free use of Egodini bus terminus for the event.

Police have often been accused of imposing stringent conditions on opposition parties and civil society groups seeking to hold public meetings.

City fathers deliberated on the matter and allowed the police to hold their function, but on condition the law enforcement agents met certain conditions.

"It was resolved to recommend that the request by the Zimbabwe Republic Police for permission to launch their client service charter at Egodini (Hamara) be acceded to subject to compliance with the following conditions.

"The area should be left clean and tidy after the event, noise levels should be kept reasonable, there should be no littering at the site, council should be indemnified against any accidents/injury, which may occur during the event and police clearance should be sought as appropriate," the minutes read in part.

According to the police, the client service charter is necessary to improve relations between residents and members of the State security organ.