Zimbabwean police have asked a special police branch to maintain order during Tuesday’s two-day general strike called by the country’s main labour body, a spokesperson said.
”The National Reaction Force, which has been activated, will be deployed in all problem areas to ensure that there is law and order during this illegal stayaway,” police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said in a statement.
The special task force deals with ”emergency situations” and includes a military component as well as police.
Bvudzijena said the Zimbabwe Republic Police would ensure there was peace, safety and security during the strike.
”The organisation is therefore determined to ensure that peace prevails during the so-called mass stayaway called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions [ZCTU] tomorrow [Tuesday].”
He said commuters, business and industry would be protected through strategic deployments at bus-boarding points, shopping centres and industrial areas.
There would also be increased roadblocks. He urged people to cooperate with officers on patrol or manning the roadblocks.
On Friday the ZCTU said the decision to embark on a general shutdown on Tuesday and Wednesday was taken after the government’s failure to respond to concerns about the worsening economic crisis in a country where 80% of people are jobless and inflation stands at 1 730%.
Labour officials said government must take steps to address the economic meltdown, adding that authorities had failed to resolve workers’ demands for a minimum wage. — Sapa-AFP