Zimbabwe’s police chief has said he does not have the authority to approve or reject planned nationwide protests set for Thursday, 20 March 2025.
Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba was responding to a notification from a grouping called the Concerned Citizens of Zimbabwe who intend to demonstrate against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government over economic hardship, high unemployment, and political instability.
In a letter dated 18 March, shared on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) social media platforms, Mutamba said the request had been misdirected.
“Having perused the correspondence, and noting that the authors intended to notify the Joint Operations Command (JOC) of a planned peaceful demonstration, I am certain it has been sent to the wrong office,” he wrote.
JOC is a security body comprising senior officials from the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS), Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), and the police.
Mutamba also stated that Zimbabwean law does not give his office the mandate to regulate public demonstrations.
“The Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) excludes my office from regulating public gatherings and demonstrations. MOPA clearly outlines how these rights must be exercised,” he added.
He urged the organisers to ensure full compliance with the country’s laws.
