Calm returns

POLICE thwarted unruly youths that were riding on the civil servants strike to instigate violence in the country saying some of them were stopped in Bulawayo where they wanted to torch a Choppies supermarket.

Choppies was targeted because Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's family are shareholders in the giant supermarket.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said the rowdy people would soon be arrested, as police have identified them.

"Basically the situation is back to normal. The problem areas were Bulawayo and Harare. In Bulawayo there was a group of some thugs who looted some shops. The police also intercepted hooligans who were trying to get to the city centre to burn down Choppies Supermarket," she said.

In Bulawayo the hooligans broke into the Rumrich Supermarket in Mzilikazi suburb where they looted mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil and liquor, among other things.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said in Harare, some youths blocked roads and threw stones in Kuwadzana.

In Matabeleland South, she said, six people were arrested for trying to incite violence.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said police are investigating the people who have been identified as part of the mobs that tried to cause chaos.

"Those who know that they were looting in shops and those who were inciting violence should know that they are now on our wanted list," she said.

Some of the people who might find themselves in trouble include Pastor Evans Mawawire of #This Flag campaign, Promise Mkhwananzi of the shadowy Tajamuka/Sesijikile outfit and Sten Zvorwadza of the National Vendors' Union of Zimbabwe, who have been on a crusade to foment an uprising against the Government.

Their strategy is anchored on a social media misinformation campaign where they sought to inflame emotions by peddling falsehoods on platforms such as WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said police were also worried by the level of manipulation of members of the public through social media messages.

She slammed dubious websites such as ZimEye for claiming that the police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri was in support of the hooliganism.

She said there was no way Commissioner General Chihuri would support unruly elements seeking to destabilise the country.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba urged the Government to put strict measures to curb social media abuse in the country.

She said the police are aware of messages that are circulating in the social media calling for demonstration to the State House tomorrow.

"We want them to know that police will be out in full force to deal with any eventualities," she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba also hailed most Zimbabweans for not participating in violent protests.