Zimbabwe soldier breaks up kitchen tea party

By Violet Gonda
15 November 2006

Is Zimbabwe increasingly becoming a police state? We received information that a kitchen tea party was disrupted in Hatcliffe Extension because the women had not sought police permission. A fuming Trudy Stevenson, who is the Member of Parliament for that constituency, said; “I was so angry after the kitchen tea was broken up by this officious soldier saying that I had to have police permission.”

Since September, women in Harare North constituency have been holding kitchen tea or ‘top up’ parties to share groceries and to socialise. The MP said it was really fun as people would take it in turns to hold these social meetings and exchange much needed food. Explaining further she said:
“I am talking about Harare Extension. These people are some of the poorest in Zimbabwe but these women cooked chicken, rice and sadza. Everything was wonderful and we had music and we all danced and sang. We had a lot of fun.”

But the gathering was disrupted and Stevenson, who had been invited as a guest, was told to leave. She said she refused because it was not a political gathering and she had not made any political statements. Stevenson said she decided to retreat after the women expressed concern that they would be victimised and the youth militia would be brought in.

She contacted Borrowdale police station to complain but was told by the officer in charge, an officer Nhobu, that they needed permission. According to Stevenson he said you are supposed to inform the police even if you have a wedding or birthday party or any kind of gathering. The MP said she was a bit “stymied”.

Newsreel contacted Police Inspector Nhobu and he confirmed what he told Stevenson. He said permission was needed even for a birthday party. Inspector Nhobu declined to comment further or to explain which law he was referring to.

MP Stevenson said this is undemocratic and permission is not necessary even under the notorious Public Order and Security Act (POSA). “It’s only for political meetings that you are supposed to inform the police. You don’t actually ask for permission, you simply inform them,” she said.

The MP also said the police had started a habit of camping out to observe activities at these kitchen parties. She said; “What a waste of manpower. There is so many things the police should be doing like fighting corruption. But no, they had to sit there watching women having tea inside a plastic hut.”