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Murehwa D.A. bans civic education
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
August 02, 2010

The District Administrator for Murehwa, Mashonaland East Province has unilaterally imposed an illegal ban on civic education meetings in the area ahead of COPAC outreach meetings scheduled to commence on the 14th August 2010, The Coalition can reveal.

The Coalition was informed of this development when members of the Police Internal Security and Intelligence (PISI) in Murehwa refused to grant The Coalition a police clearance for a meeting penciled forthe5th August at Rhodes Shopping Center referring the matter to Murehwa District Administrator (DA), Mr. Mubvuro. Quizzed on his claim, Mr. Mubvuro alleges that the Constitutional Parliamentary Committee (COPAC) issued a communiqué informing his office that all civic education exercise should be stopped until further notice.

Mr. Mubvuro went on to accuse The Coalition's Mobilisation team of failing to follow set procedures by passing the DA's office which he claims is mandated to authorise meetings before application for police clearance is processed. According to the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA), a notification should be sent to the police at least four days before the scheduled meeting date, a provision which The Coalition complied with. It is surprising to note that this is the first time that The Coalition has been denied clearance in the district and also the first that these "procedures" are being raised. The DA demanded that The Coalition first submit its registration details and profile to council officials know 'to avoid duplication of activities by other organisations'.

Speaking to the Catalyst, COPAC co-Chairperson, Honourable Douglas Mwonzora demised Mr. Mubvuro's claim indicating that no such communication was made by COPAC to the police. According to Honourable Mwonzora, political parties were informed that in order to reduce interference during public consultations, political parties should stop civic education on the constitution two days before COPAC visits that area. Hon. Mwonzora reiterated that his directive did not apply to civic society organisations.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition deplores the DA's interference with meeting notification set procedures as guided by the draconian POSA and calls upon COPAC to decisively deal with such local government officials were bent on jeopardising civic education on constitutional reform.

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