Zimbabwe police fire tear gas and beat protesters as they disperse opposition march
Zimbabwe’s opposition movement vowed to continue a campaign of anti-government protest after police violently broke up a demonstration in Harare.
At least one person was seriously injured when riot police fired tear gas and beat protesters with batons after supporters of the opposition MDC Alliance defied a prohibition order banning a march planned for Friday morning.
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa called for the march through Harare in protest at president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s handling of a spiraling economic crisis earlier this week.
But police issued a prohibition order banning the demonstration on Thursday evening.
The country’s High Court rejected an MDC application to overturn the order yesterday/Friday morning, but several hundred people showed up at African Unity Square in central Harare anyway.
“I left my car at home because I belong to the party that organised this demo, so I have to participate, prohibition order or not,” said Isaac Zibagwe, a 28 year old lawyer who arrived at the square shortly before police moved in. “Come Hell, come sunshine, we are going to fight until this regime goes.”
But Marian Chikonzi, a 46 year army sergeant on her way to work, was unsympathetic to demonstrators complaining about an economic crisis.
“They should find something productive to do like going to South Africa and Tanzania and bringing goods for sale instead of waiting for the government to provide them with jobs.
If they think their demo will achieve anything then they are joking, we are going to deal with them thoroughly,” she said.
Shortly afterwards a phalanx of police baton charged a group of protesters sitting in the street.
Riot officers were seen beating protesters after they had been detained, and one woman was left lying in the street, apparently unconscious.
Small groups of protesters dispersed into neighbouring streets, becoming involved in a running game of cat and mouse with riot police. By mid morning large parts of the city centre were shrouded in tear gas and dozens of people had been arrested.
The MDC said 80 people had been detained. Speaking after the clashes, Mr Chamisa said he would continue to bring followers on to the streets until Mr Mnangagwa’s government was overthrown, but that he would seek to avoid “confrontation” that could lead to bloodshed.
Friday’s crackdown followed a week of mounting tensions, including the abduction and torture of at least six prominent opposition activists on Wednesday.
Previous opposition street demonstrations, following disputed election results on August 1 last year and a hike in petrol price in January, were met with brutal crackdowns that saw soldiers shooting dead several protesters and bystanders.
Tensions have been high between the ruling Zanu PF party and Mr Chamisa’s MDC Alliance since presidential elections last summer.
Mr Mnangagwa, a former lieutenant of Robert Mugabe who ousted the long-serving dictator in a coup in 2017, won the election with a promise of a “new dispensation” of political liberalisation and economic renewal.
But an austerity program designed to cut overspending has sent unemployment and inflation soaring and led to shortages of basic goods, electricity, and running water. Mr Mnangagwa has blamed the hardship on western US sanctions and a drought.
Mr Chamisa refused to accept the outcome, claiming the vote count was rigged to favour Mr Mnangagwa, and styled himself ever since as the rightful president.
Many political analysts say Mr Chamisa wants the creation of a power-sharing administration that would see him enter a caretaker government ahead of fresh elections.
