… ‘ED should stop listening and start biting’
Upenyu
Chaota
Chaota
Zanu PF national political commissar Victor
Matemadanda has warned would-be protesters that the army will be readily deployed
to quell any political unrest, saying if that happens; the use of maximum force
should be expected.
Matemadanda has warned would-be protesters that the army will be readily deployed
to quell any political unrest, saying if that happens; the use of maximum force
should be expected.
Addressing a Zanu PF Provincial Coordinating Committee
(PCC) meeting in Masvingo recently, Matemadanda, who is also Defence and War
Veterans deputy minister, said government would not be intimidated by violent
demonstrations.
(PCC) meeting in Masvingo recently, Matemadanda, who is also Defence and War
Veterans deputy minister, said government would not be intimidated by violent
demonstrations.
“You can play with
the police but not with the army. The police get trained to use minimum force
but in the military, it is a completely different story. The army is trained to
use deadly force whenever it gets deployed.
the police but not with the army. The police get trained to use minimum force
but in the military, it is a completely different story. The army is trained to
use deadly force whenever it gets deployed.
“I am not threatening anyone but all I am saying is
let us work to build our country and not destroy it. Regular protests are dealt
with by the police who will pick you up and throw you into a car when you
misbehave – that is child’s play – but when you start destroying property, the
army is constitutionally mandated to step in,” said Matemadanda.
let us work to build our country and not destroy it. Regular protests are dealt
with by the police who will pick you up and throw you into a car when you
misbehave – that is child’s play – but when you start destroying property, the
army is constitutionally mandated to step in,” said Matemadanda.
Matemadanda said he was surprised that people tried to
make an issue of who deployed the army in times of trouble like the August 01,
2018 demonstrations which saw six people being shot dead and 35 more being
injured in Harare.
make an issue of who deployed the army in times of trouble like the August 01,
2018 demonstrations which saw six people being shot dead and 35 more being
injured in Harare.
“We hear people
asking about who deployed the army but the answer is right in the country’s
constitution. The army is mandated to step in to help the police when they are
overwhelmed and from that moment, it will be deadly force. So I am warning
people to desist from engaging in violent protests because violent protests
will be dealt with violently.
asking about who deployed the army but the answer is right in the country’s
constitution. The army is mandated to step in to help the police when they are
overwhelmed and from that moment, it will be deadly force. So I am warning
people to desist from engaging in violent protests because violent protests
will be dealt with violently.
“We had been
complaining of potholes on our roads for a long time. Now when those roads are being
fixed, someone comes with a tyre and burns it to create new potholes. Do you
then expect us to fold our hands and do nothing?
complaining of potholes on our roads for a long time. Now when those roads are being
fixed, someone comes with a tyre and burns it to create new potholes. Do you
then expect us to fold our hands and do nothing?
“We have faced bigger threats before and many people
paid the ultimate price and we are here today because of that,” Matemadanda
said.
paid the ultimate price and we are here today because of that,” Matemadanda
said.
He said it was high time President Mnangagwa stopped being
a listening President and started ‘biting’.
a listening President and started ‘biting’.
“President Mnangagwa is a listening President but
people have abused that. He should stop listening and start biting. I was
angered by one Mkwananzi (Tajamuka/Sesjikile leader Promise Mkwananzi) who said
there would be a blood bath in Harare yet he is in South Africa, what a coward.
Whose blood is he talking about? Whose child’s blood? He should come here and
lead from the front and not mislead people into harm’s way while he remains
safe in South Africa. When we said ‘It Can’t’, we did not go out of the
country. We were here and we even forgot that we had passports,” said
Matemadanda, referring to his campaign of defiance against former president Robert
Mugabe’s alleged plans to set up his wife Grace as his successor.
people have abused that. He should stop listening and start biting. I was
angered by one Mkwananzi (Tajamuka/Sesjikile leader Promise Mkwananzi) who said
there would be a blood bath in Harare yet he is in South Africa, what a coward.
Whose blood is he talking about? Whose child’s blood? He should come here and
lead from the front and not mislead people into harm’s way while he remains
safe in South Africa. When we said ‘It Can’t’, we did not go out of the
country. We were here and we even forgot that we had passports,” said
Matemadanda, referring to his campaign of defiance against former president Robert
Mugabe’s alleged plans to set up his wife Grace as his successor.
Matemadanda warned that Zanu PF will never surrender
power to ‘people who burn tyres on the streets’, saying that would disappoint
even the dead party cadres who fought in the liberation struggle.
power to ‘people who burn tyres on the streets’, saying that would disappoint
even the dead party cadres who fought in the liberation struggle.
“If the heavens were to open up one day and our
departed comrades like Hebert Chitepo asked us what became of the country they
fought for, and we told them that the country was taken from us by people who
burnt tyres…ahhh,” said Matemadanda to loud applause.
departed comrades like Hebert Chitepo asked us what became of the country they
fought for, and we told them that the country was taken from us by people who
burnt tyres…ahhh,” said Matemadanda to loud applause.
Earlier on, Zanu PF secretary for security in the
politburo, Lovemore Matuke had given a summary of his department’s national outreach
work, warning that the party will not allow ‘shutdowns’.
politburo, Lovemore Matuke had given a summary of his department’s national outreach
work, warning that the party will not allow ‘shutdowns’.
“We have been going around the country briefing the
people on government programmes. We are asking the people to accept the new
Zimbabwe dollar introduced by government and not engage in misguided shutdowns.
We will not sit around and let provocateurs mobilise our people for shutdowns,”
said Matuke, who is also Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister.
people on government programmes. We are asking the people to accept the new
Zimbabwe dollar introduced by government and not engage in misguided shutdowns.
We will not sit around and let provocateurs mobilise our people for shutdowns,”
said Matuke, who is also Labour and Social Welfare deputy minister.
