Cops, protesters clash in Harare
HARARE: Zimbabwean police used teargas, water cannons and batons yesterday to disperse opposition youths who demonstrated in the capital against alleged brutality by security agents.
More than 200 youths from the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), took to the streets two days before a planned march by all opposition parties to try to force President Robert Mugabe to implement electoral reforms before the 2018 vote.
Police intercepted them and fired teargas at the protesters, who were planning to hand in a petition at the offices of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is in charge of the police.
Two pick-up trucks belonging to state broadcaster ZBC and the police were burnt, a witness said, but it was not clear who had torched the vehicles or whether anyone was hurt.
Riot police blocked streets around the MDC headquarters and used water cannons against some youths in Harare’s CBD.
Some protesters threw back teargas canisters, as well as rocks, at the police, who fired more teargas outside the MDC offices, forcing pedestrians and people standing in nearby bank queues to flee.
The youths marched through the streets of the capital denouncing the police for beating up protesters and called on Mugabe to step down, accusing him of running a dictatorship.
“We have been seeing a deliberate attempt by the police to intimidate, harass and silence the people of Zimbabwe,” MDC Youth Assembly secretary-general Lovemore Chinoputsa said.
He said police had refused to sanction the march, saying it would lead to violence.
In the past few months, police have crushed demonstrations against high unemployment, acute cash shortages and corruption in Zimbabwe.
Last month, a trauma clinic in Harare recorded a list of cases of people who had been caught in a police crackdown during protests.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and former vice-president Joice Mujuru are expected to lead tomorrow’s march.
Meanwhile, several Zimbabwean churches have called for the impeachment of Mugabe.
The coalition of churches, which include Zimbabwe Divine Destiny, Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, Christian Voice, Zimbabwe Pastors’ Fellowship and Prayer Network Zimbabwe, said it would protest in Harare today.
The coalition said it would demand that Mugabe’s government be held accountable for failing to deal with the unfolding economic crises. The churches would also protest against the abuse of state security apparatus, abductions, vote rigging and illegal arrest of citizens.
After the protest, church members plan to petition parliament to impeach Mugabe. – Reuters and ANA-CAJ