- Police say no toy-toying or sloganeering to and from the venue
- MDC say to do their best to meet conditions
- Adherance near impossible due to diversity of supporters, say MDC
POLICE has set hard-to-meet conditions for the opposition MDC’s “alternative State of the Nation” address set for Mbare’s Stodart Hall today (Tuesday).
In a letter confirming the clearance of the event, police last week said no toy-toying or sloganeering would be permitted to and from the venue.
“No procession or march, no disturbance of peace or vandalism of property within the precinct of the venue, strict adherence to the time frame,” read the memo.
“As agreed on our consultative meetings on the 13th of January and 15th of January 2020, rights of other people along the venue and within the venue should be observed,” police added.
However, MDC supporters were today seen toy-toying and sloganeering on their way to the venue.
Speaking to Zim Morning Post, MDC organising secretary Amos Chibaya said his party was a law abiding organisation, adding they had done all they could to ensure strict adherance to conditions set by the police.
“We are a law abiding party. We will, therefore, maintain the conditions that we applied for to make sure this is a peaceful event,” Chibaya said.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa will present his rescheduled “alternative State of the Nation Address” after police cleared the event.
Law enforcement agents had banned the event previously scheduled for Wednesday last week in Mbare.
In responce, Chamisa had vowed to go ahead with the event, without or without a police clearance.
Chamisa’s insistance that the January 21 event would go ahead may have forced a change of heart by the police as a way to avoid unnecesary confrontation.