No coup threat, says Sekeramayi

DEFENCE Minister Sydney Sekeramayi has denied the country faced any security threats from the army in the wake of continued Zanu-PF factional fighting that has often sucked in top military personnel.

According to NewZimbabwe.com, he was speaking in the Senate on Thursday while responding to a question by Manicaland Senator David Chimhini.

Sekeramayi allayed fears any of the three militant groups could pose any national security threat.

"There is no real threat to national security at the moment from the groups mentioned by honourable Chimhini.

"However, threats to national security, if any, are managed through the Joint operations Command system (JOC), which brings together all national security agents to progressively review the security situation in the country.

"When a determination is made by the JOC that a security situation has arisen where appropriate, security measures need to be taken and a collective informed position is adopted to guide appropriate action to be taken by assigned national security agents.

"Action to be taken may be in the form of a joint statement by the security forces as was in the case of recent clashes between elements of the army and the police.

"Such statements indicate a common position of the security forces on the development and appropriate action they will take to resolve the situation."

While the country's military continues to claim independence, commanders have infuriated the opposition for meddling in the country's political affairs in support of President Robert Mugabe.

President Mugabe has also claimed publicly that the army's meddling in Zanu PF's internal fighting in support of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa amounted to attempted coup.