Harare | Thursday
THE commander of Zimbabwe’s defence forces on Wednesday warned journalists against writing stories that undermine the country’s security and expressed support for the current political leadership.
”We are therefore advising all citizens of Zimbabwe that any reports and actions designed to create instability in Zimbabwe will be met by the full force of the law,” General Vitalis Zvinavashe told a press briefing.
”We wish to make it very clear to all Zimbabwean citizens that the security organisations will only stand in support of those political leaders that will pursue Zimbabwean values,” he added.
”We will therefore not accept, let alone support or salute anyone with a different agenda,” Zvinavashe said.
He warned reporters against attempts to tarnish the reputation of Zimbabwe’s security organisations, saying it would result in ”instability, lawlessness and ultimately anarchy.”
”Let it be known that the highest office on the land is a ‘straight jacket’ whose occupant is expected to observe the objectives of the liberation struggle,” the commander added.
”Any change designed to reverse the gains of this revolution will not be supported,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government announced on Wednesday it would it would hold presidential elections on March 9 and 10.
The elections, expected to be hotly contested, will pit President Robert Mugabe (77) against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai (49) from the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Outbreaks of political violence have lasted for nearly two years, and the run-up to the election date is likely to be particularly tense. Zimbabwe suffers from an annual inflation rate of 100%, 60% unemployment, and one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world.
Mugabe, who has ruled for 21 years, has come under increasing criticism at home and abroad over his political and economic policies.
In other news, Zimbabwe’s ruling party failed to push through a series of repressive bills after a 14-hour, all-night session of parliament, but vowed to finish its work later on Thursday.
Parliament spent 12 hours in non-stop debate on the Public Order and Security Bill, which would impose tough curbs on freedoms of assembly and speech ahead of the landmark presidential elections.
But at 4:10 am (0210 GMT), parliament adjourned without passing that bill or any of the others, which the opposition says are aimed at stifling dissent and entrenching Mugabe’s grip on power.
The bill would ban assemblies held without police permission and restore a colonial-era law requiring people to carry identification at all times.
The bill carries the death penalty for acts of ”insurgency, banditry, sabotage and terrorism”, as well as the threat of jail and fines for anyone who ”undermines the authority of the president” or ”engenders hostility” towards him.
It is meant to replace a colonial-era law used to suppress black nationalism and more recently to prosecute opposition MDC leaders but Zimbabwean rights groups say the new bill is just as draconian as the Rhodesian laws.
Mugabe vetoed an earlier version of the bill three years ago for failing to impose tough enough limits on the media.
”The effect is going to be to deter political parties from holding lawful, peaceful rallies” as part of the presidential campaign, MDC legal affairs expert David Coltart said, in arguing against the bill.
Also expected to come before parliament on Thursday is a controversial media bill that bans foreign journalists while introducing strict regulations for local reporters, who would have to be approved by the government. – AFP
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