At least eight people have been arrested in two towns in eastern Zimbabwe after they tried to stop police demolishing their makeshift homes, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.
Residents of Marondera and Wedza fought running battles with the police, who are carrying out a controversial clean-up campaign, the Daily Mirror said.
Police spokesperson Darlington Mathuthu said the police had to call for reinforcements to deal with the unrest.
”The police arrested at least eight people after engaging in running battles.
”Among those who were arrested were two ex-liberation fighters whose tuckshops at Wedza Growth Point had been demolished,” Mathuthu said.
”We also arrested vendors and property owners,” Mathuthu said.
Tens of thousands of shacks and market stalls have been demolished across Zimbabwe since police launched Operation Restore Order more than a month ago.
President Robert Mugabe’s government says the campaign is an attempt to bring order and cleanliness back to the country’s towns and cities.
But the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) claims it is an attack on its supporters, many of whom live in towns.
Those arrested will appear in court soon, the newspaper said.
”The police will continue to investigate this matter and make sure that everyone who was involved in the violence is brought to book,” Mathuthu said.
The police in Harare meanwhile announced that crime figures had gone down by 16% since the beginning of the operation.
”We are pleased to announce that the general crime figures have gone down. This shows that the operation, despite being condemned, has started bearing fruit,” said spokesperson Whisper Bondai.
A special envoy of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is due in Zimbabwe next week to assess the ”humanitarian impact” of the controversial clean-up operation.
Britain, the United States, the European Union, human rights groups and churches have all condemned the police action. – Sapa-DPA