HUNDREDS of demonstrators were arrested yesterday as the
violent crackdown on protesters by State security agents continued, while
unrest continued in most parts of the country for the third day of a stayaway
called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and other social
movements.
At least nine people have reportedly died since the
protests started on Monday, but yesterday no fatalities were reported despite
the continued beatings of civilians in a brutal crackdown on dissent by
security forces.
Businesses, schools and banks were closed in Harare, while
its central business district was void of human and vehicular traffic for the
third day running.
Government blocked the Internet for over 36 hours until 5pm
yesterday, but evidence began to emerge of soldiers and police patrolling
high-density suburbs in Harare, Bulawayo and other cities and towns, attacking
people in their homes, in scenes reminiscent of the dark days of former
President Robert Mugabe’s 37-year reign of terror.
Many cities and towns remained closed as protests continued
despite the deployment of soldiers in the political hotbeds of Epworth,
Kuwadzana, Chitungwiza, Tafara, Mabvuku, Highfield, Pumula and other areas.
Zimbabweans were protesting against President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s decision to hike fuel prices by 150%, but the President told
Russian media in Moscow that the protests were “fizzling out.”
“I understand this, that there were some protests happening
yesterday (Monday), but they are almost fizzling out and there is no country
which has no challenging problems. These come and pass,” Mnangagwa said in an
interview with Sputnik.
In Harare, sources claimed that Zanu PF youths, under the
leadership of provincial chairperson Godwin Gomwe, were patrolling suburbs with
lists of perceived MDC supporters’ names who were being fished out and
assaulted, forcing them to flee their homes.
Some MDC supporters and residents yesterday claimed some of
the armed people with AK-47 rifles in civilian clothes were not soldiers, but
armed Zanu PF youths.
Zanu PF Harare provincial chairperson Ratidzo Mukarati was
seen in her ruling party-branded vehicle patrolling Kuwadzana suburbs with
soldiers and police, and was accused of beating up people suspected to be MDC
supporters.
She was later reportedly manhandled by a woman whose child
was beaten up by security forces. But the woman was taken away by soldiers and
her whereabouts were not known by the end of the day. Mukarati was not picking
her phone last night.
Reuters reported that the opposition MDC MP for Harare
West, Joana Mamombe, was in hiding after soldiers sought her out at her
parents’ home on Tuesday and beat up her father, leaving him hospitalised and
unable to sit.
“I am very scared for my life. This is a crackdown on those
of us who oppose this government. They want to silence opposition voices,” she
said by telephone.
In Bulawayo, there were running battles between protesters
and soldiers. Residents formed vigilante groups to protect their property from
being looted.
Mutare remained shut down, with banks, schools and shops
remaining closed. Roads leading to the city centre remained barricaded, but
residents woke up to some flyers under their doors, urging them to report to
work.
Chinhoyi residents woke up to a trail of destruction,
following a night of looting in high-density suburbs. The looting followed
fierce clashes in the afternoon between the protesters and soldiers at Gwaya
Gwaya shopping centre.
Trouble reportedly started when uniformed soldiers tried to
chase people away from the shopping centre, but they resisted. Incensed by the
soldiers’ actions, the youths became rowdy, stoning vehicles and burning tyres.
The situation remained tense in Marondera.
In Mvurwi, protests continued yesterday, with soldiers
being deployed after protesters attempted to take over a police station.
Protests also spread to rural growth points and there were running battles in
Zaka yesterday.
Police stations were overwhelmed by the people arrested in
connection with the protests.
Mnangagwa, who is in Russia, condemned the violence,
saying: “Unfortunately, what we have witnessed is violence and vandalism
instead of peaceful, legal protests. There can be no justification for violence
against people and property. Violence will not reform our economy. Violence
will not rebuild our nation.”
But ZCTU president Peter Mutasa told NewsDay that despite
government attacks and arrest of citizens, “suffering citizens” would soon
embark on another job action to force the authorities to act.
“It is unfortunate that we witnessed violence from both
sides. We have a repressive regime and some people who are mostly not our
members who turned violent. We condemn this act. But let government knows that
even if they kill us, arrest and send us to jail, the challenges facing our
people need dialogue. As labour we are saying, let us solve this crisis
together as Zimbabweans,” he said.
Mutasa said his life was in danger as State security agents
attacked his family and abducted his son, who they later dumped metres away
from the house.
“They assaulted my family, destroyed my property and I then
asked my lawyer Alec Muchadehama to go and inquire with the police if I was
wanted,” he said.
“They said no one was looking for me. I don’t know why
these State agents are harassing my family. But let it be known that this is
not my personal struggle, it is a struggle shared by many. We are giving
government seven days to act and solve the crisis or else the people will down
tools. They do not have transport money.” Newsday
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