The
issue
surfaced
during
Wednesday’s
parliamentary
session,
where
opposition
lawmakers
questioned
whether
the
consultation
process
surrounding
the
amendment
bill
was
conducted
fairly,
openly
and
inclusively.
Their
concerns
are
rooted
in
a
broader
pattern
of
shrinking
civic
space
and
mounting
pressure
on
dissenting
voices,
a
pattern
that
has
become
increasingly
visible
in
recent
weeks
as
critics
of
the
Bill
have
reported
intimidation
and
arrests,
casting
doubt
on
whether
the
environment
for
public
consultation
is
genuinely
open
at
all.
Kadoma
Central
MP,
Gift
Mambipiri,
said
reports
indicate
that
only
certain
groups
are
allowed
to
hold
meetings,
while
others,
particularly
from
the
opposition,
are
allegedly
blocked
or
even
attacked.
“I
have
heard
the
Minister
saying
he
is
seeing
people
giving
opinions
pertaining
to
the
Bill
freely.
As
we
are
moving
around,
there
are
some
people
from
a
certain
party
who
are
allowed
to
gather
and
give
their
views,”
Mambipiri
said.“We
are
only
seeing
people
from
the
party
on
your
side
(Zanu
PF),
who
are
the
ones
allowed
to
have
gatherings
and
those
from
the
opposition
attacked
if
they
decide
to
have
such
gatherings.
What
should
be
done
so
that
people
have
these
gatherings
to
discuss
this
Amendment
Bill
without
being
attacked?”
In
response,
Minister
of
Home
Affairs
and
Cultural
Heritage,
Kazembe
Kazembe,
claimed
Zimbabwe’s
laws
provide
clear
guidelines
for
holding
public
gatherings.
“In
Zimbabwe,
we
have
a
law,
the
Constitution,
and
the
Maintenance
of
Peace
and
Order
Act
(MOPA).
There
are
rules
and
regulations
that
are
expected
to
be
followed
when
you
want
to
have
public
gatherings.
If
you
want
a
gathering
without
demonstrations,
you
give
a
specific
time
that
is
not
an
election
time
and
a
notice
of
seven
days,
which
states
the
date,
the
venue,
the
number
of
people
gathering
and
the
reason
for
the
gathering,”
he
said.
Kazembe
said
MPs
are
allowed
to
gather
if
they
abide
by
the
rule.
“If
there
is
any
suspicion
by
the
police
that
there
is
something
that
is
not
going
well,
they
call
the
convener
and
they
discuss
with
the
convener
and
also
come
up
with
solutions.
If
it
is
done
correctly,
the
meeting
will
continue.
It
is
allowed
by
the
Constitution,”
he
said.
However,
Dzivarasekwa
MP,
Edwin
Mushoriwa,
raised
further
concerns,
noting
some
MPs
had
submitted
applications
to
hold
constituency
meetings
which
were
allegedly
declined.
“As
we
speak,
some
Members
wrote
letters
to
the
police
seeking
authority
to
have
meetings
with
people
from
their
constituencies
but
most
of
them
were
declined.
Is
that
the
Government
policy
that
people
are
not
given
permission
to
hold
those
meetings,”
said
Mushoriwa.
Kazembe
dismissed
this,
saying
those
whose
applications
are
denied
have
legal
avenues
to
challenge
the
decisions.
“MOPA
allows
an
individual
to
appeal
to
a
magistrate
if
their
request
has
been
declined.
We
also
have
an
Independent
Complaints
Commission.
If
anyone
realises
that
they
are
not
satisfied
with
what
the
police
have
done,
that
Commission
was
appointed
by
the
President.
They
can
approach
them
and
inform
them
that
the
issue
has
not
been
handled
well
by
the
police,”
said
the
Home
Affairs
minister.
“So,
we
have
two
ways
to
deal
with
those
who
are
aggrieved
by
the
police’s
decision.”
The
Minister
added
that
police
are
required
to
respond
to
applications
within
three
days,
depending
on
the
circumstances
surrounding
the
request.
“The
police
must
take
three
days
to
respond,
depending
on
how
they
view
the
application,”
said
Kazembe.