By Staff Reporter
ZIMBABWE Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba has poured cold water on planned countrywide protests, arguing that he doesn’t have the authority to greenlight nor turn down applications for such.
The police boss’ assertion followed a notification by a grouping of concerned citizens, who intended to embark on nationwide demonstrations this Thursday, March 20, 2025, against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government’s failure to tame the ongoing socio-economic and political crisis characterised by high unemployment, a comatose economy, among other ills.
In a letter responding to the citizens dated March 18, 2025 shared on the ZRP social media handle, Police Commissioner-General Mutamba said the authors had misdirected their communication.
“Reference is made to a correspondence date 14 March 2025 on the above subject, which was served at my office on the same date at 1537 hours.
“Having perused the said correspondence, and particularly noting that the author(s) intended to ‘notify the Joint Operations Command (JOC)’ of an intended ‘peaceful demonstration countrywide’, l am certain that it has been misdirected to my office,” wrote Mutamba.
JOC is a body comprising of senior officers from the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and ZRP, which is responsible for the coordination of state security in Zimbabwe.
Mutamba stated that the country’s legislation excludes his office from regulating mass gatherings such as demonstrations.
“The Legislature, in its wisdom, through the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA)(Chapter 11:23), excludes my office from regulating public gatherings and demonstrations.
“Infact, MOPA clearly outlines how these rights must be exercised. I, therefore, urge the concerned citizens, through their representatives, to ensure full compliance with the laws of Zimbabwe. Be guided accordingly,” further wrote Mutamba.
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— Zimbabwe Republic Police (@PoliceZimbabwe) March 19, 2025