Zim military attacking civilians, says Tsvangirai

Zimbabwe’s prime minister says the military’s role is to defend the people and not attack and brutalise them in politically motivated violence.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says soldiers have been deployed in villages “to attack innocent civilians” seen as supporting his former opposition Movement for Democratic Change party in the nation’s shaky coalition.

In a message on Sunday on the eve of a two-day public holiday marking the guerrilla war that led to independence in 1980, he urged the military to “leave politics to the politicians”.

He said the holiday needed to be a reminder of the impartiality of police and the army demanded in constitution.

Military commanders loyal to longtime President Robert Mugabe accuse Tsvangirai of being a security threat for pro-Western links.—Sapa-AP