Police Ban Teachers’ Peace March Ahead of ANTUSA Games Following Geza’s Solidarity Message

Bulawayo – 17 April 2025

Zimbabwe Republic Police have blocked a peaceful march planned by teachers to mark the official opening of the upcoming ANTUSA Games in Bulawayo, citing non-compliance with the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA). The decision, communicated in a letter dated 15 April 2025, comes just weeks after anti-corruption activist Blessed Geza publicly expressed solidarity with Zimbabwean educators in a March social media statement.

The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) had notified authorities of its intention to hold a ceremonial procession from Fazak Shopping Centre to Hillside Teachers College on 18 April — a tradition observed across SADC nations hosting the regional games. However, police rejected the request, saying it did not meet MOPA requirements for public gatherings, although they confirmed the games themselves could proceed.

Responding to the development, Raymond Majongwe, PTUZ Secretary General, expressed disbelief and frustration at the police response.

“This was just an innocent march,” he said in a statement posted to social media. “We do it in every country that hosts these games in the SADC region. I just can’t believe this.”

The rejection has sparked criticism from civil society observers who see the move as emblematic of increasing state repression against peaceful assembly — especially within sectors viewed as aligned with dissenting or independent voices. Although Blessed Geza did not visit teachers in person, his social media message in March calling for better treatment of educators and affirming their importance to national integrity struck a chord with teacher unions and may have amplified state sensitivity to public displays of solidarity.

Legal experts warn the use of MOPA in such contexts erodes constitutional freedoms.

“This was a cultural, not political event,” said one Bulawayo-based lawyer. “Blocking it on procedural grounds seems like an excuse to avoid even symbolic gatherings that remind the public of solidarity and struggle.”

As the games are set to begin on 18 April, the absence of the traditional march has cast a shadow over what is typically a festive, unifying event for educators across the region. For many, it also raises urgent questions about the government’s growing intolerance of peaceful civic expression — even in the context of sport.