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Zimbawe: Zanu PF plans to spark trouble during Mass Protests
The ruling Zanu PF party is printing thousands of 'MDC T-Shirts' to be worn by Zanu PF thugs in order to spark trouble during the nationwide mass confrontation planned by the opposition at the onset of the cold season. Zimdaily unveiled the covert plan as the Zimbabwean army units begin deploying across the country in preparation for the planned opposition protest.Government officials said soldiers in barracks around Harare were moving weapons and deploying in other cities and towns. Zimdaily heard that the ruling party was intent on using its "Green Bombers", spotting MDC t-shirts, to stir mayhem during the protests and give the army room to use live ammunition against unarmed civilians. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has insisted the protest should be a "peaceful democratic mass confrontation." Officials said the entire Zimbabwean army had been mobilised and officers' leave cancelled. The MDC raised the stakes weekend during a first leg of nationwide rallies by insisting that it would press ahead with its plans. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was ready to go to jail or die for the liberation of Zimbabwe against Mugabe's marauding tyranny. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa warned yesterday that the planned demonstrations, illegal under the country's strict security laws, would be met with "the full wrath of the law." Chinamasa said this means the opposition has threatened to remove Mugabe from office by unconstitutional means. "The state cannot take such threats lightly," he told Zimdaily yesterday. The justice minister said the opposition's call for Zimbabweans to take to the streets meant they were bent on a campaign of violence and anarchy against the government intended to result in the overthrow of Mugabe's office. The opposition has promised only peaceful protests. The army said it would not tolerate the protests because they were likely to turn violent. Mugabe warned the MDC that it had no chance of pushing him out of power. He said the opposition would rule Zimbabwe only "over our dead bodies" and said "it will never happen." The Zimbabwe Defence Forces warned the MDC that it was "standing ready" to resist against violence. But the MDC has called upon the army to disobey "illegal orders" to suppress the will of the people. Starting yesterday, members of the police force and the army have started jogging across the city centre, clad in white jogger shorts and white vests with some of them brandishing firearms. Residents feel intimidated by the gun toting soldiers. People have been panic buying this week amid fears of a mass shutdown. Zimdaily understands soldiers and police were deployed in populous suburbs on Saturday in what a spokesperson said was a bid to "reassure peace-loving Zimbabweans that the uniformed forces have the capacity to deal with anarchy, sabotage and banditry." But Tsvangirai said: "If the people of Zimbabwe are going to be intimidated by army or police presence then they must accept the status quo for ever." Zimdaily heard the opposition was looking at ways to counter the plan which could include a call on all protesters not to wear any MDC regalia. Posted by: Pappy 2006-04-04 |
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