Zanu-PF flays regime change activists for causing mayhem in Beitbridge

Zanu-PF national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere has slammed opposition parties for taking advantage of the recent import regulations on foreign goods to cause mayhem in Beitbridge saying Government will not tolerate any form of violence in the border town.

Addressing hundreds of Zanu-PF supporters at a rally in Mazowe North constituency yesterday to drum support for its candidate, Advocate Martin Dinha, in a by-election to be held this month, Kasukuwere said violence would not be tolerated in the country.

"The issue in Beitbridge is very small, some people are angry that they have been banned from importing small products like jam from South Africa into the country,"he said.

"Some people are busy out here planting and auctioning their tobacco and working hard to sustain better living conditions, but other maniacs are out there burning warehouses at the border as a protest to buy margarine and chilli in South Africa."

He said the ruling party would not be shaken by organised demonstrations by failed politicians seeking relevance at the slightest opportunity.

Kasukuwere said the country's peace and safety should not be compromised by small misunderstandings.

"You have people burning down structures because they failed to buy chilli in South Africa, no, we do not joke around with the country to such an extent," he said.

"Comrades do not be shaken over what is happening in Beitbridge and we should not allow ourselves to be influenced by political misfits who are printing T-shirts labelled 'Tajamuka' as a way of promoting regime change."

"All those that are involved in any cases of violence should stop it. We will not tolerate any political noise, we mean serious business and youths must not be pushed to do wrong things."

Kasukuwere said the party structures remained united regardless of all disturbing cases of violence.

"Zanu-PF is intact, the Government is intact, membership of the party is intact we will meet man for man and to all those that want to spearhead political violence, don't be surprised if it visits you more. So this is just a warning to some of you out there,"

"MDC and its allies do not foment violence in our country and comrades desist from burning down your country, what we need is discipline, political discipline amongst the youths."

Speaking at the same occasion, Zanu-PF secretary for war veterans Dr Sydney Sekeramayi called on masses to remain united as the country was going through a difficult economic crisis following negative impacts of sanctions imposed on the country by Britain.

"Our country is facing many problems at the moment, job issues, hospitals and the cash crunch and I want to assure you that our President is aware of these situations and he is making strides daily to ensure that these issues are addressed.

"Every country faces problems and this is the time we are facing right now as Zimbabwe, but looking back where we came from, we faced worse things than this including the liberation war, a lot of things happened during wartime, but Zimbabweans never gave up," he said.

Dr Sekeramayi said: "Following our successful land reform programme, which angered the West, sanctions were imposed to weaken our systems so that people suffer so that they can revolt against the Government, but that did not succeed, we have our land and we are not going back."

The two leaders urged party supporters to vote Adv Dinha in polls set July 23.

Adv Dinha pledged to deal with challenges faced by farmers in the area including white farmers refusing to vacate gazetted land.