Zim police takes ‘orders’ from soldiers
Zim police takes ‘orders’ from soldiers
By Staff Reporter
SOLDIERS in the Zimbabwean capital Harare are now forcing the country’s police force into ‘submission’ following the military’s power take-over of government from long-term President Robert Mugabe, according to eyewitness accounts.
And according to media reports former vice-president Emerson Mnangagwa arrived in Harare from South Africa where he had been since last week when he left the country.
As can be seen in the above picture, three armed military officers are keeping watch over a line of seated Zimbabwe Republican Police (ZRP).
“Police are told to sit down by soldiers because there is too much corruption and taking of bribes in the police,” one resident of Borrowdale area in Harare said on condition of anonymity. “We slept hearing gunshots and we only heard they were shooting at the finance minister’s office.”
With information filtering through that President Mugabe is under house arrest, residents of Harare claim they are also being forced to carry their identification cards, which are being instantaneously being demanded for by the soldiers.
PeP on the happenings in zimbabwe
Meanwhile, opposition Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) has called on the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) to quickly restore the constitutional order in Zimbabwe.
Pep President Sean Tembo in a statement released this morning said, it was now apparent that the military had subverted the constitutional order in Zimbabwe and usurped state power.
Tembo said the SADC Quick Reaction Force (QRF) should immediately intervene in Zimbabwe and restore the constitutional order of that country.
“In recent times, we always see the SADC Quick Reaction Force undertaking glamorous training exercises in different countries in the region and we believe that this is the time for the QRF to be put to good use and intervene in Zimbabwe to restore the constitutional order of that country.” He said
Zimbabwe’s envoy to South Africa, Isaac Moyo, earlier dismissed talk of a coup, saying the government was “intact”.
The statement read out by army Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo came hours after soldiers overran the headquarters of ZBC. He said: “We wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president… and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed.”
The statement added: “We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes… that are causing social and economic suffering in the country. As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy.”
The statement did not name those targeted but a government source quoted by Reuters said Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo was among those detained.
