Mugabe’s efforts to shut down political space now extended to all major cities in Zimbabwe
The ban we wrote about here has been widened to include all towns and cities in Zimbabwe, according to an article on ZimOnline today:
In a circular dispatched to police commanders at the weekend, a copy of which was seen by ZimOnline, Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi ordered all senior police officers to implement the ban in all major cities and towns.
[...]
“You are advised that all public, political gatherings and demonstrations in major urban centres under your jurisdiction have been banned.
“The ban should remain in force until further notice since the measure is meant to protect ordinary citizens and their properties in view of threats by some elements within the opposition to embark on street protests,” read the circular.
The ban will effectively shut down political space in Zimbabwe with the opposition not being able to campaign or hold rallies in such small towns such as Chiredzi, Karoi, Zvishavane and other rural service centres.
This little phrase is beyond outragous: “the measure is meant to protect ordinary citizens and their properties“.
Who are they trying to kid? Please, dear readers, don’t forget that it was Mugabe and the ZANU PF government and the very same police who embarked on Operation Murambatsvina. And what was that all about..?
Yup, you guessed it, destroying the homes and property of ordinary citizens and inflicting violence on them if they dared try defend themselves. And they’ve still done nothing to try and fix it.
How dare they even pretend they care about us or our property !!
The ever widening bans clearly reveals Mugabe’s government thinks it’s got something to worry about. Good! Lose sleep and worry away - I feel nothing for those who have spent so much energy trying to deprive us of our rights and our freedom.
March 6th, 2007 18:19
Why are bent politicians so transparent? If Mugabe is such a good leader, what is he afraid of? Poor man - he knows he has a lot to answer for. Banning gatherings failed with Smith - Mugabe should know that.
People of Zimbabwe, I ask you from the bottom of my heart to get rid of this murderer. To save our beautiful country. To save the future of Zimbabwe, our children that Mugabe is slaughtering.
The picture of Mugabe and his wife shown on ITV where they were stuffing their faces with food whilst the real children of Zimbabwe are starving to death tells the world that enough is enough.
I am with you in Spirit - the spirit of our foreparents, our fore brothers and sister who perished under the same conditions that Mugabe has imposed on you.
VICTORIA OVER INJUSTICE AND BRUTE FORCE IS ULTIMATELY OURS.
March 7th, 2007 13:56
We need more international pressure as I truly believe that the unrests in our country currently says a lot - that the turn around is soon. I biggest concern is are we prepared for that turning pointing to rebuild our country? What are we doing today to prepare ourselves. I keep thinking about this because I truly believe that we in this current mess because after the guerrilla war, our parents that was it forgetting that it was actually the beginning. I fear simply another regime coming in and carrying on with the sad Mugabe legacy.
March 7th, 2007 16:35
Jay
I always say this to everybody - it takes one person to start organising - i.e. in all small and big situation. Mugabe was not born a leader of Zimbabwe. He massacred all the true leaders of Zimbabwe who had seen through him soon after independence. Some of us who fought in that struggle knew that. Unfortunately, as you rightfully say - we sleep walked to the disaster, because human beings in general have this belief that a bad thing happening to someone will not happen to them. But the good thing about human beings is we also have the ability to read and remember history. The history of Mugabe and his elite is reaching its end. The leadership of Zimbabwe will not come from those who once willingly shared a platform with Mugabe, because a leopard never changes its spot. The leader of Zimbabwe will come from a person (man/woman) who will defiantly lead the opposition against Mugabe at this very moment. Someone who is prepared to put his/her life at risk to lead the masses of Zimbabwe out of this dire misery.
Good luck and all the best - most important in any organisation is networking as far afield as one can.