No. 9/2019 Maintenance of Peace and Order Cap. 11:23 AND WHEREAS it is desirable to make provision for the maintenance of peace, order and security to ensure the enjoyment of rights and freedoms by any person, and in particular to make provision for the peaceful conduct of gatherings in a manner that protects the rights of freedom of assembly, association, demonstration and petitioning without prejudicing the rights and freedoms of others: NOW, THEREFORE, be it enacted by the Parliament and the President of Zimbabwe as follows— PART I Preliminary 1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act [Chapter 11:23]. 2 Interpretation In this Act— “authorised officer” means a police officer appointed in terms of section 5(4) or (5); “convener” means— (a) any person who, of his or her own accord, convenes a gathering; and (b) in relation to any organisation, any person appointed by such organisation in terms of section 5(1); “convening notice” means a notice of a gathering referred to in section 7; “gathering” means— “election period” has the meaning given to that term by the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13]; (a) a procession or public demonstration; or (b) a public meeting; “meeting” means a meeting held for the purpose of the discussion of matters of public interest or for the purpose of the expression of views on such matters; “Minister” means the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage or any other Minister to whom the President may, from time to time, assign the administration of this Act; “organisation” means any association, group or body of persons, whether or not such association, group or body has been incorporated, established or registered in accordance with any law, and includes any branch thereof; “peace officer” has the meaning given to that term in section 2 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07]; “police district” means an area designated by the Commissioner General of Police as a police district for the purposes of the administration of the Police Service; “procession” means a procession in a public place; “prohibition notice” means a notice prohibiting a procession or public demonstration referred to in section 8(9); “private place” means any place that is not a public place; 484