Kazembe vows state crackdown on opposition protests ahead of SADC summit

By Staff Reporter

Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe has vowed a government crackdown on activists threatening to roll out protests ahead of the SADC summit in Zimbabwe later this month.

Addressing a media briefing also attended by some police top commanders in Harare on Thursday, Kazembe branded those planning protests as “misguided political activists trying hard to foment unrest and disturb the smooth hosting of the summit”.

Some 15 leaders from SADC member countries and their delegations are expected to jet into the country for the high-profile regional Indaba in Harare on 17 August.

The situation in the country remains tense as government has dealt with opposition gatherings with a tough hand with 78 opposition CCC activists detained for the alleged offence since June 16 this year.

Their continued denial of bail by a judiciary described by the opposition as captured continues to inflame simmering tensions between government and opposition forces in the country.

“The security cluster is aware of the secret meetings being held locally and outside the country by those seeking to unleash civil disobedience,” Kazembe said.

His comments follow arrests that have targeted both the opposition and civil society activists accused of attempts to destabilise the country.

On Wednesday, four human rights defenders Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Vusumuzi Sibanda and Samuel Gwenzi were removed from a plane by police as they prepared to fly out via the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

The state accuses them of disorderly conduct in scenes that have accompanied the court appearance of jailed former CCC senator Jameson Timba and 77 other activists who remain in custody.

Several more opposition activists who include an MP were also arrested in Kariba on Wednesday as they showed placards in protest over the continued detention of the CCC activists.

Similarly, opposition politicians Job Sikhala and Jacob Ngarivhume have threatened similar protests to register disgruntlement over state excesses under the Zanu PF led authority.

“We will not be apologetic to exercise that mandate given the will of the people through universally acknowledged processes,” Kazembe said.

“It must be recognised that those pushing for protest did not exploit internal legal remedies to their purported electoral grievances.

“They instead, think that political power can be obtained undemocratically and unconstitutionally.”

He accused the opposition of attempts to remove President Emmerson Mnangagwa in place of opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

Kazembe said, “The attempts at rendering the country ungovernable would be met with befitting responses.”