Nqobile Tshili, [email protected]
POLICE are on high alert to thwart any illegal demonstrations and will arrest any suspect involved in inciting the public to participate in unauthorized protests aimed at disrupting smooth business operations.
It comes after opposition elements linked to the Civic Coalition for Change (CCC) produced a leaflet indicating that there would be public protests today demanding fresh elections.
According to the leaflet, the protests will take place across the country.
The CCC rejects the results of the presidential election, where its leader, Mr Nelson Chamisa, lost with 44 per cent of the total vote, while President Mnangagwa was declared the winner after receiving 52.6 per cent of the vote.
Mr. Nelson Spry
Although the opposition rejects the results of the presidential election, it has no worries about the elections for its parliament and local government winners, where it came second to the ruling party.
Zanu-PF won 136 seats in parliament against 73 won by the opposition, meaning the ruling party has a majority of proportional representation seats for women, youth and quotas in the Senate.
Although the country’s laws allow political parties damaged by election results to turn to the courts for legal redress, the opposition has vowed not to take the legal route.
But he threatened to launch nationwide protests to force the government to hold new elections, a demand authorities said they would not yield to. The government has already passed Statutory Instrument 1380A of 2023, which confirms the winners of the 2023 harmonized elections in accordance with the Electoral Act, paving the way for the inauguration of the President and the swearing-in of parliamentarians and councillors.
National police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyati said yesterday that law enforcement officers had not sanctioned any protests and those found to be breaking the law would be arrested.
He, however, urged members of the public to go about their business as adequate arrangements have been made to ensure their safety.
“The laws of the land are very clear, the Law for the Maintenance of Peace and Order (Chapter 11:03) states that anyone who wishes to organize any form of political assembly must notify the local regulatory authority (police) that they are not were notified of the planned protest,” he said.
“Illegal gatherings will be dealt with according to the laws of the land and there is no going back on this position. Anyone who tries to incite the public into illegal activities will be arrested,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
He said those found behind the illegal protest would be arrested indiscriminately. Asst Comm Nyathi said the police would not, however, preempt their investigations into the matter.
“But what I can assure is that anyone found to be involved in illegal activities aimed at causing alarm and desperation in the country will have to be prosecuted alone and I mean it,” said he.
“The police have deployed all over the country. We want to make sure that the public is free to go about their daily activities without any form of harassment, intimidation and threats.
Association of Business in Zimbabwe (ABUZ) CEO Mr Victor Nyoni said political players should exhaust all legal avenues before embarking on disruptive protests.
“The economy does not know Zanu-PF, it does not know the CCC and it does not know politicians. When the economy goes bad, it affects all of us,” he said.
Civic Coalition for Change (CCC)
“So I think it’s important that politicians engage in dialogue and adopt channels that don’t harm the economy in resolving their differences.”
“We’re disappointed as a business that there are some people who want to go down the path of disrupting the economy and I don’t think that’s the way things should be done.
“They should go to court and use other channels, such as contacting each other for negotiations.”
Asst Comm Nyathi said since the turn of the millennium, the opposition has opted for protests that have not yielded positive results but have hurt businesses in the process. -@nqotshili
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