Zimbabwean police arrest opposition activists ahead of elections

Police in Zimbabwe have arrested 40 members of an opposition coalition who were campaigning ahead of elections next week, local media reported.

They were detained in the Glenview suburb of the capital, Harare, on Tuesday.

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere said that Gladmore Hakata, the party’s Glenview South MP candidate, was among those arrested.

A police statement shared on social media said the CCC had engaged in activities not mentioned in their notification for a rally in the suburb.

“They held a vehicle procession, obstructed traffic and chanted party slogans on the streets, prompting a police response after a resident reported the matter,” police said.

Last month, the opposition called on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to take action against the use of the police to disrupt their rallies.

The CCC says the police have banned several of its meetings since 9 July, and nearly 100 gatherings since the party was formed in January last year.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa and CCC leader Nelson Chamisa are the front-runners in the election.