Zanu-PF youth declare war
‘Make sure you have your phone, fighting could start any time’
AMID mounting unrest in Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF youths have vowed to “violently” crush any anti-government protests as calls by the opposition for 92-year-old President Robert Robert Mugabe and his administration to step down grow louder.
The country’s capital, Harare, has seen violent protests taking place. The most recent protests were on Wednesday and Friday last week, when protesters went on a rampage and destroyed property, looted goods that included shoes, food, clothing, cellphones and computer gadgets and set fire to a truck.
Sixty eight people have been charged with with public violence after violent clashes between the protesters and police.
Police fired tear gas and water cannon at opposition leaders and hundreds of demonstrators and beat them with batons.
The 68, who include a freelance photographer, first appeared in court on Saturday. They face a fine and up to 10 years in jail if convicted. Officers blocked relatives of the accused and members of the public from entering the courthouse in Harare.
Zanu-PF youth commissar Innocent Hamandishe said on Sunday youth belonging to the ruling party were ready to take the opposition head-on.
“We have been fighting with (opposition party) MDC-T for a long time and they have now gone too far. We can no longer fold our arms and watch them demonstrate against our government and demolish property. We will fight side by side with the police to stop the protesters,” he said.
Zanu-PF provincial youth chairperson Edson Takataka issued a chilling warning against the opposition if the ongoing protests continued.
“We declare war on all opposition parties behind the protests. We know they are doing this because they do not stand a chance in the 2018 elections,” Takataka said. Deputy secretary Kudzai Chipanga urged his Zanu-PF youth colleagues to be “on high alert”. “Make sure you have your phones because fighting can start any time.”
Meanwhile, the opposition MDC-T has rubbished claims it is training terror squads to destabilise the country, saying it was a lawful and peace-loving social democratic party.
Yesterday, the party, led by former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, said reports in the government-controlled Sunday Mail were not only untrue, but offensive and should be dismissed with contempt and disdain.