Zimbabwe Police has claimed that they have intelligence and concrete evidence that the MDC led demonstration set for Friday 16 will turn violent.
A statement by national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the Zimbabwe Republic Police is said to have recovered granite stones and catapults in the Central Business District.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) informs the nation that based on the notifications given by MDC A to regulating authorities to hold demonstrations in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo, Mutare and surrounding towns on August 16, 19, 20, 21 and 22, intelligence and concrete evidence on the ground has revealed that indeed these so-called ‘peaceful’ demonstrations will turn out to be violent.
“It is a fact that police recovered a substantial quantity of granite stones and catapults stashed in sacks and were delivered by two vehicles which had no registration number plates at corner Nelson Mandela and Innez Terrace, Harare during the night on August 13, 2019” said Assistant Commissioner Nyathi
According to Nyathi, the sacks were dropped to street kids at intersections in the CBD.
“The vehicles went on to drop sacks containing unknown items to some street kids at corner Robert Mugabe and Harare Street, Copacabana commuter rank and disappeared, the sacks were taken away by unidentified street kids who suddenly disappeared into the darkness” he said
In another incident, the police said over 120 MDC Alliance activists toyi-toyed at a shopping centre in Chitungwiza during the night while chanting party slogans and mobilized residents in St Mary’s and Chigovanyika shopping centre environs to participate in the upcoming demonstrations.
He added “The confrontational acts by the MDC A activists coincide with the assault of innocent members of the public after an accident in St Mary’s involving one of their senior officials at the weekend.
“The ZRP is disturbed that these purported demonstrations by MDC A and partners have shown open violent acts which are physically manifesting on the ground. Police reiterate that security services will not fold hands and allow violence, destruction of property, intimidation, threats and clandestine night acts of violent agitation to take centre stage”
