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Mthwakazi condemns police's unconstitutional ban of meeting
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The Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) has strongly condemned the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for cancelling its planned public meeting in the Midlands province, originally scheduled for Saturday, August 3. The party described the move as an unconstitutional attempt to silence dissent and stifle its democratic rights.
In a statement released Friday, the MRP dismissed the ZRP's justification that it had "credible intelligence" suggesting the event would turn violent and result in potential loss of life. The party accused the police of manufacturing excuses to block its lawful activities.
"We find this reasoning to be dubious and a clear attempt to suppress our constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression," read the statement. "This is not an isolated incident. Since the so-called Second Republic took over, not a single MRP meeting has been approved by the authorities."
The opposition party, which draws its support largely from the Matabeleland and Midlands regions, accused the government of maintaining a deliberate policy of political exclusion, especially targeting minority-focused movements.
According to MRP officials, the party had fully complied with all legal procedures to notify authorities of the gathering and had no plans of inciting violence. Instead, it said the purpose of the meeting was to engage peacefully with the local community, campaign for devolution, and discuss ongoing concerns in the lead-up to the upcoming Ward 16 by-election in Nkayi district.
"It is unconstitutional for the police to deny us the right to hold peaceful meetings, and we will not be intimidated by such draconian measures," the party declared.
The cancellation of the meeting is the latest in a pattern of blocked activities for the MRP, which maintains that authorities routinely deny it permission to organize events or conduct community outreach. The party argued that the continued refusal to grant it space to operate freely undermines not only the democratic process but also the people's faith in national institutions.
"The MRP is a party committed to peace, justice, and democracy. Our focus remains on engaging with the community, promoting devolution, and advocating for the rights of the people of Matabeleland and Midlands," the party said.
Despite the cancellation, the MRP affirmed it would press ahead with its political agenda and preparations for the Nkayi Ward 16 by-election. It urged its supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, and steadfast in defending their democratic freedoms.
"We call on all our supporters and the community at large to remain vigilant and stand up for our constitutional rights," the statement concluded.
The ZRP has not issued any further clarification on the nature of the alleged security threats or whether any arrests or investigations are underway. The continued friction between the MRP and law enforcement raises broader questions about political tolerance and freedom of association in Zimbabwe ahead of key electoral events.
In a statement released Friday, the MRP dismissed the ZRP's justification that it had "credible intelligence" suggesting the event would turn violent and result in potential loss of life. The party accused the police of manufacturing excuses to block its lawful activities.
"We find this reasoning to be dubious and a clear attempt to suppress our constitutional right to freedom of assembly and expression," read the statement. "This is not an isolated incident. Since the so-called Second Republic took over, not a single MRP meeting has been approved by the authorities."
The opposition party, which draws its support largely from the Matabeleland and Midlands regions, accused the government of maintaining a deliberate policy of political exclusion, especially targeting minority-focused movements.
According to MRP officials, the party had fully complied with all legal procedures to notify authorities of the gathering and had no plans of inciting violence. Instead, it said the purpose of the meeting was to engage peacefully with the local community, campaign for devolution, and discuss ongoing concerns in the lead-up to the upcoming Ward 16 by-election in Nkayi district.
"It is unconstitutional for the police to deny us the right to hold peaceful meetings, and we will not be intimidated by such draconian measures," the party declared.
The cancellation of the meeting is the latest in a pattern of blocked activities for the MRP, which maintains that authorities routinely deny it permission to organize events or conduct community outreach. The party argued that the continued refusal to grant it space to operate freely undermines not only the democratic process but also the people's faith in national institutions.
"The MRP is a party committed to peace, justice, and democracy. Our focus remains on engaging with the community, promoting devolution, and advocating for the rights of the people of Matabeleland and Midlands," the party said.
Despite the cancellation, the MRP affirmed it would press ahead with its political agenda and preparations for the Nkayi Ward 16 by-election. It urged its supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, and steadfast in defending their democratic freedoms.
"We call on all our supporters and the community at large to remain vigilant and stand up for our constitutional rights," the statement concluded.
The ZRP has not issued any further clarification on the nature of the alleged security threats or whether any arrests or investigations are underway. The continued friction between the MRP and law enforcement raises broader questions about political tolerance and freedom of association in Zimbabwe ahead of key electoral events.
Source - byo24news
