No ‘Arab Spring’ in Zimbabwe, Mugabe warns protesters

Zimbabwe police have deployed throughout the capital, Harare, in anticipation of a protest by a united group of opposition parties that includes a former vice-president.

Zimbabwean police early on Friday dispersed thousands of opposition supporters violently in spite of a High Court’s authorisation of the protest in Harare.

Instead of trampling on Zimbabweans’ rights to freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, Mugabe must engage citizens who are clearly disgruntled by his leadership failure.

The Aug. 26 demonstrations were the latest and largest in several protests that have shut down Zimbabwe’s cities.

The activists, protesting against the rule of 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe, threw rocks at officers and set tyres on fire and burned down a popular market.

Officials from Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party were unavailable for comment.

Happymore Chidziva, a leader of the opposition’s youth wing, told reporters that real reforms are needed and Zimbabwe can’t wait for elections nearly two years away and there are suspicions about rigged elections.

Zimbabwe’s riot police have fired tear gas and beaten up opposition protesters in central Harare. People’s anger and desperation are real …

According to the NTA, Mugabe met with the commissioner general of Zimbabwe police republic, Augustine Chihuri and asked him to arrest and detain the whole Zimbabwean Olympic Team members immediately they arrive the Harare International Airport. “We are going back to the courts to file another application”, Nyandoro told Studio 7.

He also vowed that the government’s brutal suppression of the people would not stop Zimbabweans from exercising their rights as guaranteed by the country’s Constitution, adding that they were not going to approach the courts again to seek an order to protest. Ignatious Chombo, the home affairs minister, warned on Thursday that the government would clamp down heavily on what it termed western-sponsored protests seeking regime change. As political parties, we call upon the people of Zimbabwe to come out in their numbers so that we make a loud national expression to demand comprehensive electoral reforms that will ensure that we move away from the culture of contested electoral outcomes.

Zimbabwe has seen a mounting tide of violent protests in recent weeks, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980.

Under his rule, there has been an economic collapse that has caused food and cash shortages, with the country battling to pay public servants.