Beverly Bizeki
MASVINGO- Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) cried foul over an uneven political ground following arrests of two aspiring candidates who were arrested for conducting roadshow campaigns.
The two, Martin Mureri of Masvingo Urban and Pedzisai Gasva of Masvingo West constituency were arrested on July 12, 2023 and were fined ZW$150 000 each for criminal nuisance.
Speaking to journalists at a press conference, Gasva who was arrested together with Mureri said they had been advised that roadshows were not regulated under Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) and was now worried on whether or not Zimbabwe is a one party state.
“The police shocked us when they stopped our procession but surprisingly ZANU PF members were conducting their roadshows, uninterrupted, blocking roads. We are worried about this selective application of the law,”
“We are in election season but the playing field is not even. Our door to door campaigning teams are being interrupted. A few days ago the police came armed in Mucheke A where we wanted to hold a roadshow where we were just armed with fliers.
“We don’t know if Zimbabwe is a one party state or not if we are not allowed to campaign, if they don’t want us to campaign why did they accept our money at the nomination court if we are not being given space to campaign,” said Gasva.
He said they had applied to have rallies in Masvingo West three times but they were told different stories each time.
“As Masvingo West we have three application letters pending at the police and we are always told the dispol is not around so we are not sure if we are going to conduct our rallies. Now we do not know what to tell our suppoters,” said Gasva.
Mureri’s campaign manager Thomas Mbetu said what the police did was disturbing and said it shows there was no democracy in Zimbabawe and the police was biased.
“What shocked us is that we are being denied the chance to conduct roadshows but the MOPAdoes not regulate roadshows.
“We tried to seek police clearance on conducting roadshows but they (police) said roadshows are not regulated and there is no problem as long as we do not block other vehicles but we realized that it is almost like a taboo when we do our campaigns because when ZANU PF holds their campaigns they are not disturbed.
“As CCC we are not happy with how we are being treated with the police in Masvingo. If you say it is an election or if there is none let us just acknowledge that there is no election in Zimbabwe and no democracy and Zimbabwe is a one party state. But as it is our constitution permits us to campaign during this season to get the positions we want,” said Mbetu.
Masvingo urban ward 5 councilor Daniel Mberikunashe said the sudden turn on the part of the police was worrisome and shows bias.
“Yesterday’s events shocked us as we were conducting our roadshow because we had agreed with the police but we were shocked by the police coming to stop us from conducting our roadshow while at the same time ZANU PF members were having their roadshow in town.
“It shocked us on how we should campaign because we once went to the police together with Mureri and agreed together with the police on doing the roadshow. They also looked into the law which states that we must not be stopped from conducting roadshows,” said Mberikunashe.
