BINDURA - A police ban on a rally by opposition Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa, to launch his election campaign, has been upheld by a Zimbabwe court.
READ: Zimbabwe Elections | Voters roll in shambles - Chamisa
Chamisa was meant to hold this key rally in Bindura, 100km north of the capital Harare, on Sunday, in preparation for the crucial 23 August elections.
Police cited an unsuitable venue as the reason for banning the Citizens Coalition for Change rally.
The CCC’s urgent appeal at the Magistrate’s Court, seeking to lift police ban on their key rally, was rejected by Magistrate Marry Msika.
CCC lawyer Agency Gumbo said, "the magistrate dismissed the urgent appeal. In fact, she makes a very weird assertion that the appeal was not urgent. Yet in terms of the act, we have brought this on an urgent basis."
"The appeals of this nature are by their very nature urgent. So you cannot say this appeal is not urgent and you should have waited for five days."
Chamisa’s supporters who had gathered outside the Bindura Court, responded to the magistrate’s ruling with anger.
Ruling Zanu PF leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, held his third election campaign rally this weekend without any interference.
This is the second election in which Chamisa is facing off against the incumbent President Mnangagwa.