"Harare police today (Friday) barred two MDC report-back rallies
scheduled for Kuwadzana and Glen View, citing the outbreak of cholera
as the reason for the ban," the MDC said in a statement. "While the MDC
appreciates the magnitude of the cholera outbreak, we believe that the
police are playing games and the ban is part of a cocktail of political
measures to punish the MDC for not "playing ball" in the dialogue
process," the opposition said.
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC heavily relies on rallies and other
public events to reach its supporters because President Robert Mugabe's
government does not allow the opposition access to state-owned media.
The government owns the largest newspapers in country as well as its
sole radio and television broadcaster. Police spokesman Wayne
Bvudzijena was not immediately available for comment on the matter.
Zimbabwe has been battling to contain an outbreak of cholera that
started in January and which the United Nations announced on Friday had
killed 294 people out of 6 072 cases reported since the beginning of
the year.