President Robert Mugabe has threatened to bring down ”the full wrath of the law” against anyone who disturbs Zimbabwean peace and stability.
The threat, made in a speech on Tuesday, came after calls by the country’s main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, for street protests to topple Mugabe’s 26-year rule.
”Anyone who dares go against the law, … dares lead any group of persons to embark on a campaign of violence or terrorist activity, will be inviting the full wrath of the law to descend mercilessly on him and, or on those who follow him,” Mugabe (82) said in a rambling and repetitive speech broadcast on state television to mark the 26th anniversary of independence.
This year’s festivities come at a time of deepening economic crisis and a rapidly widening gap between Zimbabwe’s rich elite and poor majority. Unemployment exceeds 70%, inflation is over 900%, and the country faces acute shortages of food, fuel and other imports.
Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, a leading Mugabe critic, says at least 10 000 people have died of hunger and malnutrition-related diseases. He accuses officials from the ruling Zanu-PF (Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front) of denying aid to opposition supporters.
Critics blame Zimbabwe’s economic woes on the seizure of thousands of white-owned commercial farms for redistribution to black Zimbabweans since 2 000.
But Mugabe, in his speech at the National Sports Stadium on Tuesday, pointed the finger at a ”spate of devastating droughts and an evil programme of unjustified sanctions” by Western nations. The United States and European Union have imposed travel bans and other targeted sanctions against Mugabe and members of his regime.
Mugabe, who has led the country since independence from Britain in 1980, said on Tuesday: ”We are happy that no one anywhere in the drought-stricken areas was allowed to die of hunger.”
Security forces on high alert
Senior army and police officers who spoke to ZimOnline on Tuesday on condition they were not named said the security forces had been put on high alert.
The officers said security forces had also intensified anti-riot drills to keep them in shape to quell MDC-led protests.
The police have in the last week also used the Israeli-made anti-riot water cannon trucks in the drills, according to a senior inspector at the police’s Morris Depot in Harare.
The water cannons, four of which were on display at the stadium where Mugabe addressed the independence gathering, were acquired from Tel-Aviv about four years ago but had remained unused because there have been no significant clashes between the government and the opposition on the streets.
”We have been using them [water cannons] for the past days to train some police officers in anticipation of the protests,” said the police inspector.
Soldiers and police officers, including those on leave, have been put on standby in case they may be required for urgent duty, while members of the police’s anti-riot squad said had been ordered to be always in ”full anti-riot gear”.
A junior officer in the anti-riot squad said: ”We have been told to be always alert as Tsvangirai is threatening violence. We were told that everyone should parade in full riot gear at Morris Depot and Chikurubi police camp where everyone is supposed to go through some anti-riot drills.
”We were also told not to put money [by backing Tsvangirai] ahead of our country as there is no monetary value that can be attached to Zimbabwe as most people died for it.”
It was not possible to get comment on the matter from the Zimbabwe National Army’s public and press relations office but police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said the security forces’ state of preparedness was because they believed there was a threat to peace and stability in the country.
”Whenever there is a security threat in the country, we will always put our men on standby. We have the mandate to protect innocent civilians against politicians who want to fan violence in the country … [we] obviously do not want to be caught unawares,” Bvudzjiena said.
In addition to stepping up anti-riot drills, the police have also increased their visibility on the streets of Harare, erecting roadblocks on nearly every major road leading into the capital city’s centre.
At the roadblocks the police, some armed and some not, search cars for weapons that could be used to commit public violence.
Tuesday’s deployment of the water cannons at the sports stadium was also the first time they have been hauled before the public in the presence of Mugabe, in what could have been an attempt to forewarn the public about the futility of rising up against the government.
‘Non-renewable resources are ours in the first place’
Mugabe also vowed to press ahead with plans to place other economic sectors still under foreign ownership in the hands of the state or black Zimbabweans, including forcing major platinum producers with multibillion-dollar development projects under way to sell at least 51% of their shares.
”Non-renewable resources are ours in the first place,” Mugabe said. ”You, the investor, will get a reward, yes, but that reward will be balanced by what we keep for ourselves.”
Thousands of ruling party supporters were bussed in from across the country for a lavish ceremony at the stadium, but the 80 000-capacity facility was only half full.
Mugabe arrived half an hour later than announced and was greeted with a flypast of Chinese fighter jets. Much of Zimbabwe’s once formidable British-trained air force has been grounded by Western embargoes that make getting spare parts difficult. – Sapa-AP