Mnangagwa gets tough on violence

Government is aware of a renewed bid by the MDC-Alliance and its allies to relaunch violent demonstrations, and will deal decisively with elements that are hell-bent on making the country ungovernable, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.

Addressing a sea of Zanu-PF supporters that attended the ruling party's Meet the People Rally in Rutenga, Masvingo province, yesterday, the Head of State and Government said authorities will bring all those who instigated and stoked the recent violent demonstrations to book.

"Nyika yedu yeZimbabwe, vatakabvisira chingwa pamuromo, vachena, havasati varegera kurwisa kuti chingwa chidzoke pamuromo yavo nenzira dzakasiyana.

"There are puppets that they have been creating in the country that move around preaching violence. We in Zanu-PF want unity and development of our country.

"If our chiefs preach unity, our churches preach unity and our party Zanu-PF preaches unity, our country will develop; there is nothing that will take us back," said President Mnangagwa.

"When we went to the AU (African Union) last week, first I had sent some of my members to Sadc countries to brief them on how the violence had erupted in January.

"Because in areas like Bulawayo, people were moving around telling others that you must engage in violence and anyone who gets arrested will have legal representations and there are lawyers waiting to assist.

"They were saying there are doctors waiting to treat those that get injured.

"We are going after those doctors and nurses."

Added the President: "Uyo anenge asarudza humhesvamukono, aiwa, takakwana, tosangana naye.

"Anenge asarudza runyararo nerugare, hallelujah kwaari, mazuva ako ngaawedzegwe munyika inotongwa navatema. Asi avo vakasarudza mhirizhonga, mazuva avo anounyana."

The violent protesters, he said, had the audacity to bar people in Harare and Bulawayo from going to work.

"Vaipisa mabhazi, vachipisa police station nemota dzemapurisa. Makazviona kupi izvozvo?

"Ndikati haiwa, aiwa, hatidi violence, pasi nayo. Ndikati masoja pindai munyaradze vanhu avo, vakanyaradzwa, saka tava nerugare.

"Ikozvino, vari kuronga zvekuti vaite mhirizhonga.

''Aiwa ndiri kuudza nyika yose zvayo kuti vasingadi runyararo moita izvozvo moinda kumhirizhonga.

"Asi vanoda runyararo, garai kudzimba dzenyu titarisane nevanenge vachiita mhirizhonga tigovagadzirisa," he said.

He said investigations were in progress to fish out some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that were behind the violence, which claimed six lives and prejudiced businesses of more than $500 million in damages and unrealised earnings.

"We saw that the January violence that was organised by the MDC-Alliance was being backed by some NGO's. So we are investigating those NGOs that led to the destruction of a lot of properties and looting of businesses.

"They burnt police cars and killed a police officer. This was organised by the MDC-Alliance as they were fulfilling what they had said during the campaign last year, when we were moving around saying we want free, fair and non-violent elections.

"Asi ava ve MDC-Alliance vaiti tikaita sarudzo idzi tinofanira ku winner isu, kana tisina kuwinner tichakanda jecha musadza. Ndozvavaireva izvi, mhirizhonga iriko nhasi, ndokukanda jecha musadza.

"Zvino kune varipano here vanobva kudzimba kwavo vanofarira kuti nyika iva nemhirizhonga? Hapana.

"Isu mu Zanu-PF ticharamba tichiparidza runyararo. We shall campaign for peace, for peace, for unity ndokuti hurongwa hwedu hwekusimudzira nyika yedu hubudirire."

President Mnangagwa thanked the people of Masvingo for not being swayed to participate in the violent demonstrations.

Zimbabwe, he said, could only prosper and develop if people were united.

The President said the Meet the People rallies were also designed to preach peace and unity.

The rally was attended by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, senior Zanu-PF members and Government officials.