Soldiers vs the cops
At approx 3pm this afternoon an eye-witness spotted a soldier changing money with a vendor between Eastgate shopping center (next to Meikles) and Dulys in Harare.
A fight broke out between the two, so the police intervened. They apparently tried to beat up the soldier (note the ‘rule of law’ in Zimbabwe!).
With that, soldiers appeared from all over, and they apparently turned on the cop and started to beat him up.
More cops arrived and it ended up in a big punch-up between police and soldiers.
Stories about disgruntled soldiers taking money-matters into their own hands are coming up frequently. Some people are delighted, seeing it as a clear sign of anger towards the Zanu PF regime and an indicator that future loyalty might be diminished.
However, others are worried. Will the soldiers focus their attention on the real cause of the problem, keep in mind that we are all victims of this regime, or will they turn on businesses and private individuals for quick personal gain? Will they stand with the victims, or will they think the regime ‘owes’ them so they can money where ever they like?
Sok update: Moments after posting this blog, we saw this via the BBC – Soldiers rampage at Harare bank
Dozens of troops have run amok in the Zimbabwean capital Harare after losing their temper while queuing up to withdraw cash at a bank.
Riot police used tear gas to disperse about 40 soldiers and a number of civilians who joined the protest.
A local journalist told the BBC troops had looted shops and assaulted passers-by, before the authorities managed to restore control.
The disorder comes as much of Harare is without water amid a cholera outbreak.
Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe told the BBC Focus on Africa programme: “It’s unprecedented.
“We’ve never seen members of defence forces marching in towns, breaking into shops and looting. People are very, very shocked.”
The military is seen as one of President Robert Mugabe’s core supporters and was accused of taking part in a campaign of violence against the opposition during this year’s elections.
Correspondents say that the president’s grip on power would be severely weakened if the security forces stopped backing him.
The soldiers vented their frustration on Monday after waiting all day in a long queue at a bank.
Mr Hungwe said the troops urged civilians to join them, leading a number of passers-by to begin shouting: “Enough is enough, let’s join the soldiers.”
December 2nd, 2008 00:18
@ ZNA and others…
Sorry guys but according to the rules set down by the Ghandi Brigade (opposition) there will be no joy taken from your protests …we are not hypocrites…even though the regime fears your revolting above all other concerns…the opposition doesnt want your input….no soldiers allowed…
So knidly return to the barracks and sit quietly and behave in a peaceful manner…we dont want to remove the dictatorship through anything that lands any type of blows on the dictators…
This is a peaceful non-violent jaunt to freedom…I REPEAT …NO SOLDIERS ALLOWED!!!!!
December 2nd, 2008 01:13
This is a call to all our people to be on the lookout. Robert Mugabe must be prevented from escaping to enjoy the loot he has stolen. To those that are tasked with helping him to escape, please go and land in a country that can arrest him. You shall be heroes. May his soul be eternally tormented for the murders and all the evil that he has brought to our land.
The people hate you robert mugabe.
Zvapera mugabe zvapera. The mantle came off you at the end of March 08. You are on your own and very naked! Aluta continua. Viva the soldiers that shall destroy this senseless mongrel!
December 2nd, 2008 17:47
Quote:Correspondents say that the president’s grip on power would be severely weakened if the security forces stopped backing him.
Now there’s an understatement!!
December 2nd, 2008 19:21
May the security forces see the light asap so this evil can end and a new beginning can take place.
December 2nd, 2008 19:25
Mugabe executed 16 of the soldiers early this morning after a hasty Courts martial.
I wonder if that will make the rest of the military happy.!!
December 2nd, 2008 19:38
According to zimbabwemail.com 16 of those soldiers were executed this morning while 3 more died under torture.
Is there truth to this?
December 2nd, 2008 20:48
The news of soldiers being executed is incredible and shocking – and possibly not true. It could also be zpf rumour put out there to try and frighten the other soldiers back into submission trying to do the same. Rumours spread like wildfire in Zim … let’s wait until we know for sure before we give this one legs.
December 3rd, 2008 00:20
Hi Sokwanele!
You could be right. There are one blog article and one by IRIN on the “Zimbabwe Situation Site-Zimbabwe News” (3rd December)about this. It could be that this all is a strategy to declare a state of Emergency by the regime.
December 3rd, 2008 01:00
Consider the past government ‘projects’
1.Land reform – War vets target commercial farmers.
2. Price Controls [Operation Sunrise?]- green bombers target shop owners
3. Operation Murambatsvina – police target street vendors.
It is possible that the government is using the army to target forex dealers.
Why not use the police? As regular patrollers of the streets, far too many police are implicit in the activities of street forex traders and would more than likely tip traders of imminent raids and clampdowns. The same scenario is, or was, rife in Mutare between diamond dealers and a wide cross section of police ranks, from the lowest to the highest. Here we have seen increasing army activity in addressing the diamond dealer problem, which the police have been reluctant to apply too much effort.
I wouldn’t get too excited about talk of mutiny.
December 3rd, 2008 01:22
Have just read the articles in Zimbabwe Situation. To suggest that this is a stage-managed situation, where only a few actors know their lines seems a bit far fetched. The danger is that it could go horribly wrong for the directors should it spontaneously take root and grow into something bigger. I would like to think of ZANU and JOC juggling in the hot sun with sweating sticks of dynamite, but I don’t think that even they are that stupid.
If a declaration of a state of emergency was the intention why wait this long without having done so. ZANU is not renowned for waiting for anything to develop sufficiently to attract plausibility – the least excuse suffices for any of their actions. Given their control of state media, the recent incidents could be blown out of proportion, given a quick spin and coupled with ‘reports’ of other ‘incidents’ contained within barracks (over whose walls we cannot see)
The ZANU engineered mutiny ploy to argue for a state of emergency has been given a sufficient public trailer and we should have seen the state of emergency declaration before now.
December 4th, 2008 00:13
Not only would the President’s grip on power be severely weakened if the security forces ceased to back him; if the army from the rank of captain downwards were to mutiny his regime would be over in a matter of days, especially if they were backed by the people. But what then of diplomacy? Would civilian rule collapse and wither away? The gravest threat to diplomacy always comes, not when those who are in a position to use force have something to gain, but when they conclude they have nothing to lose.
December 4th, 2008 14:12
I have read and pondered on this analysis and have seen light all of a sudden. It has not made sense for the soldiers to riot as they could go direct to the big corrupt players in politics and discipline them as they have the muscle to do so. The soldiers outnumber the military police to resist whatever form of punitive measure the military police is going to render.This intelligent discoveries need to be spread to lead people from propaganda by some newspapers.
December 6th, 2008 13:15
MESSAGE TO ARMY:
GET ORGANISED! [edit]
KICK MUGABE OUT NOW!
HIT THE STREETS – VERY BIG NUMBERS.
TO WIN WE NEED A MASSIVE SHOW OF STRENGTH.
SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS ACT NOW.
YOU KNOW THE TRUTH! MUGABE HAS RUINED ZIM!
SAVE ZIM!
YOU HAVE NO MONEY, NO FOOD, NO CLEAN WATER.
TERRIBLE DISEASE. THIS IS TERRIBLE. ACT NOW!
REMEMBER VERY BIG NUMBERS. SAFETY IN NUMBERS.
December 6th, 2008 14:28
I agree with ZIM DIASPORA – he is right!
Persuade by Email or SMS/Text the ARMY [...]. Kick Mugabe out. Take power and then install the Rightful president we all voted for – MORGAN!
December 7th, 2008 23:10
ZIM DIASPORA has posted his/her message to the army above. There are two points to make about this: Firstly, any money being paid to the security forces, and that includes the police, is being paid in Zim dollars which, as everbody knows, is not real money. Therefore, they aren’t really being paid at all, and ZD is right, they have no (real) money. Secondly, with inflation now speeding up past 230 million per cent, you will soon need to stand in line at the automatic tellers every day for eternity before you would have enough money to buy say one bottle of drinking water. So again, ZD is right, they have no (pure) water.
Surely, this cannot continue for much longer?