Police issue strong warning over planned Waterfalls Vuzu party targeting Harare school leavers
The Zimbabwe Republic Police have warned organisers and prospective attendees of planned Vuzu parties in Harare’s Waterfalls suburb that action will be taken if unlawful activities take place. The warning comes ahead of a gathering reportedly set for November 21 and said to be aimed at pupils who have recently sat their Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations.
Police confirmed they were aware of plans for the parties but did not confirm the claims circulating online about the event’s entry arrangements or what would happen there. Their statement said the gatherings must comply with the law and receive clearance from the relevant authorities.
“The ZRP is aware of planned Vuzu parties in the Waterfalls area reportedly intended for pupils who recently sat for their Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations in Harare.
“The ZRP warns all those intending to organise or participate in such parties that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found engaging in unlawful activities,” police said.
A message attributed to concerned community members has circulated on social media, describing the November 21 gathering as a “sex party” and claiming that it is intended for learners from Highfield, Glen Norah and Chitungwiza. The message alleges that girls would be admitted free while boys would be charged US$5. It also claims that tickets are being sold discreetly at some schools.
Those details have not been included in the police warning. The community message urges parents and guardians to speak with their children, and calls on schools and police to investigate the reports. The planned event is still more than a week away, and the police statement sets out a warning rather than confirming that the party has taken place or that the reported arrangements are genuine.
The gathering has drawn attention because of previous Vuzu party raids involving school-age children, particularly in Bulawayo. Earlier incidents have seen police called to private homes after receiving information from residents. Those raids have resulted in groups of young people being detained, searches of premises and seized alcohol or other items, followed by contact with parents and schools.
In January 2024, police said they had arrested 10 juveniles, aged between 14 and 16, at a house in Bulawayo. The group included learners from local schools and two school drop-outs, according to the police account at the time. Police said some of the teenagers had been smoking shisha and that the substance involved was being checked by the Criminal Investigations Department’s Drugs and Narcotics unit. Authorities said they were contacting parents and school officials.
A further raid took place in Pumula South in October 2024, after neighbours alerted police to a gathering at a home. Officers apprehended 38 children from different schools and school leavers. Among the items police reported finding were unused condoms, two 750-millilitre bottles of vodka, 15 litres of wine and a bottle of glue. The children told police they had gathered for a birthday party without their parents’ knowledge.
Police released the children into their parents’ custody and referred them to Mpilo Hospital for medical examinations. The case showed how quickly an informal gathering can bring together learners from multiple schools and suburbs. Neighbours’ information helped officers locate the house, while the response involved both families and health services after the children were found.
In May 2025, 13 young people aged between 17 and 21 were arrested after police entered a house in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo, following reports of loud music and shouting. Police said the group had gathered at the property and urged parents to monitor their children’s activities. The incident involved young adults as well as teenagers, underlining that Vuzu gatherings can draw people at different stages of their school and post-school lives.
Police warnings about such gatherings are not new. In 2019, Bulawayo police said they would monitor houses known for hosting Vuzu parties during school holidays and take action against organisers and people supplying teenagers with alcohol or drugs. The latest warning carries a similar message, this time directed at organisers and potential attendees in Waterfalls before the reported date of the party.
Vuzu parties are commonly described as informal or underground gatherings promoted among young people, often through social media and private messaging. In the Waterfalls case, police have not publicly given details about any venue or named an organiser. The circulating message says tickets are being distributed through schools, but that claim has not been confirmed in the police statement.
The police have not announced arrests connected with the proposed November event. Instead, their public notice makes clear that organisers and participants may face action if unlawful conduct occurs. The statement also reminds the public that gatherings must be conducted in accordance with the law and obtain the required clearance from the relevant regulating authority.
For families, the immediate concern is the timing: the party is reportedly being planned for pupils who have just completed major examinations, a period when young people may have more free time and be making plans with friends. The warning asks adults to discuss the reported event with their children. Community members who circulated the message have also asked schools and police to look into the claims about ticket sales.
The reports about free entry for girls, a US$5 charge for boys and ticket sales at schools remain claims made in the circulating message. Police have confirmed awareness of planned gatherings, but have not endorsed those details. The distinction matters as families assess what has been reported and decide what questions to raise with young people.
The planned November 21 date is approaching, and police have stated that they will act against anyone found engaging in unlawful activities. Their warning applies to both those organising the parties and those intending to attend. Any gathering must meet the requirements set by the relevant authorities, police said, placing responsibility on organisers to obtain clearance and conduct the event within the law.
For now, the available public information consists of the police warning and the community message calling for vigilance. No police statement has announced a raid, injuries or deaths linked to the proposed Waterfalls gathering. Previous raids in Bulawayo explain why the warning is being taken seriously, but they are separate incidents and do not establish what will happen at the planned Harare event.