HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition party went to court Saturday to challenge a police decision to ban a political rally it wants to hold in the buildup to what will be highly scrutinized elections next month.
The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party has been told it cannot hold the gathering in the town of Bindura north of the capital, Harare, on Sunday. The venue is unsuitable as it is a “bushy area” without “serviceable roads,” according to the police order.
The CCC says the ban is another example of how President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is suppressing and stifling opposition ahead of elections on Aug. 23.
The southern African nation has a history of violent and disputed elections, including five years ago when Mnangagwa won a close vote after replacing Robert Mugabe as president in a coup.
The High Court in Harare was hearing the CCC’s challenge to the ban on its rally on Saturday. The opposition party would decide on the “way forward” after the court gave a ruling, said spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere.