AS POLITICAL tensions continue to rise in the country, amid
growing restlessness among long-suffering Zimbabweans, authorities yesterday
warned the opposition that they would crush all unsanctioned mass protests, the
Daily News reports.
This comes after two
senior MDC Alliance officials — Tendai Biti and Job “Wiwa” Sikhala — warned at
the weekend about impending civil unrest and rolling mass demonstrations in the
country, in the light of Zimbabwe’s deteriorating political and economic
climate.
Speaking to the
Daily News yesterday, an uncompromising Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe
said the government would not put up with “anarchy” in the country, and would
deploy the full might of the law if the opposition “crossed the line”.
He added that what was required at this point was for the
opposition to complement the government’s efforts to contain the lethal
coronavirus — which has so far infected nearly 300 people in the country.
“The law is very clear, and anyone who breaks it will face
the music. We will not tolerate anarchy in the country.
“One wonders what the motive of causing chaos in the
country is when we are all supposed to be fighting Covid-19.
“The entire world is fighting this invisible enemy called
Covid-19 at the moment, and the government is equally seized with that,”
Kazembe told the Daily News.
“The law enforcement agents will deal with any rogue
elements who may be dreaming of causing lawlessness in the country.
“We kindly urge our peace-loving people to continue
observing the lockdown guidelines as we escalate the fight against the
pandemic,” he added.
This comes as
political tensions continue to rise in the country, over Zimbabwe’s
deteriorating political and economic climate, which has stirred restlessness
among ordinary citizens.
The recent dramatic
crash of the beleaguered Zim dollar — which was prematurely and ill-advisedly
brought back by under-fire Finance minister Mthuli Ncube last year — has added
to the country’s woes, sparking shocking hikes in the prices of basic consumer
goods and services.
And with Zimbabwe’s official inflation now nearing a
staggering 800 percent, this is raising growing fears among desperate citizens
that the economy is once again headed towards the horror 2008
hyper-inflationary era — which left the majority of people impoverished, in
addition to decimating many companies.
At the weekend, MDC
Alliance vice president Biti warned that the country was facing civil unrest
and imminent implosion if a political solution was not found to lance
Zimbabwe’s myriad crises.
Firebrand Zengeza
West legislator Sikhala also warned that the MDC Alliance would mobilise people
to protest the country’s worsening economic rot and the government’s alleged
schemes to “dismember” the opposition.
“The level of agitation among the people now has never been
witnessed before in the history of this country … they are just waiting for
leadership to end the game.
“Our people have not surrendered to fate about their
destiny. They are waiting for the call and the call is not very far. It is
imminent.
“This time, they (the planned protests) won’t be coming in
instalments. They will be incessant,” Sikhala told the Daily News.
“If you are in opposition, the elephant in the room is
Emmerson Mnangagwa and his thieving regime. Let’s remain focused. I have heard
your cries and appeals. Watch this space. The time is now.
“Fighting oppression is no kindergarten task. It needs
conviction to the cause and selfless commitment. It is the same to the servants
of God. You can only be a prophet through calling.
“Bringing happiness to all citizens through fighting
oppression needs calling not opportunism. If you are not in it for opportunism, arrests and other
vicissitudes associated with demolishing oppression should be anticipated,”
Sikhala added.
“The Robert Mugabes of the time suffered years of
incarceration fighting an unjust system. We have learnt from those who did it
in the past.
“The Joshua Nkomos did it for the people. We are also
prepared to do it for the people. Generations to come will enjoy the fruits of
the blood of the martyrs of today.
“No one is afraid of prison as it is the den for the
genuine and committed. Prisons don’t break the spirit of the selfless
leadership. No one is afraid of that,” Sikhala further told the Daily News.
This comes as
interim MDC leader Thokozani Khupe and Nelson Chamisa have been involved in a
fierce tussle for the control of the country’s largest opposition party — a war
that began ever since it’s much-loved founding father, Morgan Tsvangirai, died
from colon cancer in February 2018.
The fights took a
turn for the worse after the Supreme Court upheld an earlier High Court ruling
in March, which had nullified Chamisa’s hotly-disputed ascendancy to the helm
of the MDC following Tsvangirai’s death.
The ugly factional wars went a notch up last Thursday after
Khupe seized the party’s iconic national headquarters, the Morgan Richard
Tsvangirai House — allegedly with the assistance of security forces.
On Friday, MDC Alliance vice presidents Biti and Lynette
Karenyi-Kore, as well as other senior party officials were arrested when they
tried to enter the building.
Sikhala said all the
“goings-on “in the MDC were allegedly being fuelled by Mnangagwa and Zanu PF,
to weaken the MDC and Chamisa ahead of the fast-approaching 2023 polls.
Last month, the
lawyer-cum-politician also threatened to embark on demos following the recall
of four MDC legislators from Parliament.
He also claimed that there was a “perverse and insidious attempt” by Zanu PF and its proxies to “dismember the MDC Alliance by executing a coup” against its elected leadership “under the guise of implementing the equally insidious” judgment of the Supreme Court which allegedly sought to “foist Zanu PF proxies” as leaders of the main opposition. Daily News
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