POLICE yesterday warned MDC leader Nelson Chamisa that they
would descend heavily on him if he incited opposition party supporters to
engage in street protests and cause chaos in the country.
Chamisa on Wednesday indicated that he was now ready to
confront President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government on the streets, despite the
threat of bloodshed from State security agents.
Hours after his statement, suspected MDC youths staged
flash demonstrations in central Harare, taking shoppers and motorists by
surprise.
However, national police spokesperson, Assistant
Commissioner Paul Nyathi said if the opposition party engaged in acts which would
disturb peace, they would have themselves to blame when the law enforcement
agents descend heavily on them.
“If there are unruly elements who will want to disturb the
peace and order and attack the police and civilians going about their business,
they have themselves to blame,” Nyathi said.
“ZRP will ensure that law and order is maintained and we
will not divulge what we are doing right
now as that’s a security issue. Issues of security are not
divulged to the public. I want to assure the public that (it) should be free do
(its) activities without any fear.”
The spokesperson said if Chamisa wanted his views to be
heard, he should engage lawmakers so that they can be considered.
“There is no one in the country who has the preserve to
disturb the peace of other people. ZRP has a constitutional mandate to maintain
law and order. People who conduct their various activities should do so in a
peaceful manner. Police are there to protect peace and laws of the country,”
Nyathi said.
Chamisa, who was on a whirlwind tour of provinces visiting
party provincial structures earlier this month, told journalists on Wednesday
that the general sentiment was that people were angry and ready to confront
Mnangagwa’s government on the streets over his handling of the economy, alleged
incompetence, arrogance and ignorance in the face of “humanitarian and
political crises”.
However, Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda said they
were unperturbed by the police threats.
“They should not think they are law unto themselves. They
should not think that they are invincible. They should follow the law,” Sibanda
said.
Mnangagwa has refused to meet Chamisa for talks to end the
economic and political crises in the country, insisting that the opposition
leader should join his Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), comprising fringe
political parties, among them Thokozani Khupe’s MDC-T and Lovemore Madhuku’s
NCA.
Chamisa has dismissed Polad as a Zanu PF “choir” and
demanded dialogue convened by a neutral convener.
Meanwhile, police in Harare yesterday quizzed seven Allan
Wilson High School students for allegedly participating in a demonstration led
by the school’s former headboy recently, where he allegedly attacked
Mnangagwa’s administration and made fun of his “sadza nemuriwo” (sadza and
vegetables) statement.
The students’ lawyer, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa, from the
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, said his clients were initially told they
would be charged for participating in an illegal demonstration around the
Copacabana area in the central business district, but that was changed and they
were asked to be witnesses.
“Initially, they were to be charged for participating in an
unlawful gathering addressed by some young man said to be a former headboy of
the school,” he said.
“This took place on February 7 around the Copacabana area.
They then changed and they now want to make them witnesses, so they are
recording their statements and they will be released.”
Chinopfukutwa said it was an impromptu protest and address
by a former student, whose statement criticised government.
“He allegedly addressed them about sadza nemuriwo and
basically criticising the government,” he said.
The statement sadza nemuriwo was made by Mnangagwa in January
during an address at a clean-up campaign in Kuwadzana high-density suburb after
residents had complained that they could no longer afford meat.
Mnangagwa jokingly advised them to stick to a healthy diet
of sadza or potatoes with vegetables. Newsday
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