Supporters of Arsenal FC in Harare have received police clearance to hold an end-of-season street parade in the city centre on May 31 following the club’s Prem...
Supporters of Arsenal FC in Harare have received police clearance to hold an end-of-season street parade in the city centre on May 31 following the club’s Premier League title success.
The parade is being organised by the Arsenal Fans Harare Chapter and is expected to take place a day after Arsenal’s UEFA Champions League final clash against Paris Saint-Germain F.C. on May 30.
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According to a letter dated May 22 from the Zimbabwe Republic Police Harare Central District headquarters, supporters have been granted permission to march from Harare Gardens through Herbert Chitepo Street and Prince Edward Street before gathering at Alexandra Sports Club.
The event is scheduled to run between 2PM and 5PM. Arsenal supporters hope the gathering will celebrate not only the club’s first league title in 22 years, but also a possible Champions League triumph if the team defeats PSG in the final.
The clearance letter was signed by Superintendent S. Mbimbi on behalf of the Officer Commanding Police for Harare Central District.
The approval has, however, triggered debate over the application of Zimbabwe’s public order laws, particularly regarding how police handle public gatherings organised by activists and civil society groups.
Rights lawyer Obey Shava said the police approval highlighted contradictions in how authorities deal with demonstrations and public events.
“I’m Arsenal. I should be on the streets with others, but the rights lawyer in me can’t ignore the contradiction,” Shava wrote on X.
“I have represented many whose right to protest was denied under vague and dubious grounds. I can’t celebrate a freedom which is selectively granted by an oppressive system,” he added.
Zimbabwe’s public order laws require organisers to notify police before public gatherings are held. Critics have argued that authorities have often used the regulations to deny opposition groups and activists permission to organise demonstrations.
The debate comes amid recent tensions surrounding gatherings organised by the Constitutional Defenders Forum, a coalition campaigning against Constitutional Amendment No. 3.
The proposed legislation seeks to extend the term of Emmerson Mnangagwa by up to two years and replace direct presidential elections with an electoral college system.
Civil society groups and opposition figures have criticised the bill, with activists alleging that public hearings linked to the proposal were affected by violence and disruptions.
Among those who have publicly spoken against the bill are Tendai Biti and Lovemore Madhuku.
The Harare parade also reflects Arsenal’s large support base across Africa and other parts of the world. Similar celebrations have been organised in countries including Kenya and Uganda.
Arsenal’s popularity on the continent grew significantly during the tenure of former manager Arsène Wenger, when the club featured several African football stars.
Players such as Nwankwo Kanu, Kolo Touré and Emmanuel Adebayor helped strengthen the club’s following among African supporters.
The growth of the English Premier League on African television through broadcasters such as SuperSport also contributed to Arsenal’s strong fan base in many English-speaking African countries.
The club’s supporters include several global political figures and celebrities, among them William Ruto, Paul Kagame and Keir Starmer.
Financial Times columnist Janan Ganesh previously wrote that Arsenal’s long trophy drought may have strengthened the emotional attachment many supporters have with the club.
“You are left to entertain a perverse conclusion. The lack of success over the past couple of decades was not a disadvantage. It was the making of the club,” Ganesh wrote.
