BULAWAYO – A planned protest march by the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) planned for Bulawayo on Monday has been banned by police.

The CCC said the demonstration was called to protest “an unfair election and the failure to respect the people’s votes through illegal recalls of elected representatives.”

Organisers of public gatherings are legally required to notify the police, but since June this year, the CCC claims over 100 of its meetings – including campaign rallies – have been stopped by police.

In a letter to conveners of the protest, Chief Superintendent Vusumuzi Nkomo confirmed receiving the CCC’s notification on October 16 but said it “does not comply with the mandatory provisions of the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act.”

He did not explain which provisions the notification fell foul of.

CCC spokesman Promise Mkwananzi said the planned march was part of their commitment to “exhaust every channel permissible in a democratic society” in their demands for fresh elections over August’s disputed polls which saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa re-elected.

The party is also demanding the reversal of a recent decision by the Speaker of Parliament and the local government minister to approve the recalls of 14 MPs, nine senators and 17 councillors by Sengezo Tshabangu, who has installed himself as the CCC interim secretary general.

CCC leader Nelson Chamisa described Tshabangu as an impostor, and the affected election representatives are in court trying to overturn the recalls.

Said Mkwananzi: “When all has failed, we will go to the citizens and say we have done everything permissible in a democratic society, it’s over to you to take matters into your own hands and liberate your country. We will no longer be responsible or answerable from then on. The country will be freed.”

Prince Dubeko Sibanda, who was recalled as Binga South MP, has been leading calls for the Bulawayo march.

“We need our country back from the cartel. Our people must make their voices to be heard. Don’t complain and expect things to change,” he wrote on X.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they would crush the protests.