Zimbabwean police on Saturday vowed to block an anti-government rally planned in Harare by a coalition of opposition and rights groups on Sunday.
National police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena told journalists police had received information from a whistleblower that the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was arming youths to engage in violent protests across the country.
“Concerning the calls by the various organisations to hold a rally in Highfield, we are saying our banning orders are still in place and we expect everyone to respect these banning orders,” Bvudzijena said.
“Let me warn local residents [that] we urge those who are not part of the rally to divorce themselves from the gathering so that we [can] deal accordingly with those who defy the ban.”
The Save Zimbabwe Campaign, who was planning to hold Sunday’s meeting, has described the gathering as a “prayer meeting”.
But Bvudzijena showed journalists a machete he said was one of many weapons being handed out to MDC youths to be deployed to cause mayhem across the country.
“We have intelligence reports that the MDC anti-senate faction has formed what they call democratic resistance committees of people who are paid and instructed to carry out violence,” he said.
Riot police last month used tear gas and water cannons to break up a planned rally by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Highfield.
The opposition leader had planned to use the rally, which had been approved by the high court, to launch his latest campaign for the presidency of the troubled Southern African nation.
Following the aborted rally, police issued public notices formally banning political rallies and processions in parts of Harare, saying there were fears the gatherings could degenerate to widespread rioting. — AFP