Uniformed soldiers on Friday night emptied Harare's night clubs and ruthlessly attacked people on the streets after police triggered violent protests in the capital earlier in the day as President Robert Mugabe's government fought to suppress dissent against his rule.

Zimbabwe's 18 opposition parties including former vice-president Joice Mujuru's Zimbabwe People First and MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai had obtained a High Court order barring police from interfering with their intended demonstration.

The parties under the banner of the National Electoral Reform Agenda (Nera) and Coalition for Democrats wanted to protest against unfair electoral laws and systems, but were violently blocked by the police; minutes after the High Court had okayed the event.

The situation turned violent and for close to 12 hours, police were engaged in running battles with protestors in the central business district. Th protesters were angered by the police provocation. Some ran amok, looting shops, smashing cars and setting property ablaze.

But as it appeared the police were losing ground, the military took over in the late hours and spent the rest of Friday night patrolling the CBD and surrounding areas such as the Avenues where they attacked people on the streets, including commercial sex workers.

Truckloads of soldiers were seen patrolling the Avenues area and raiding night clubs where revellers were bludgeoned without reason or explanation.

Most revellers fled from the city centre fearing for their lives. Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi was part of a press conference by Home

Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo where the government threatened to unleash terror on protestors last Thursday.

Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore yesterday refused to comment when asked about the involvement of the military in patrolling streets, referring all questions to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

However, police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said she was out of town.

Opposition political parties and observers yesterday said they were worried about the involvement of the army, saying it showed how Mugabe, who has realised he was now sitting on a cliff edge was desperate to defend his continued hold on power.

Douglas Mwonzora, MDC-T secretary general who is Nera's legal affairs head said opposition parties would not be intimidated by the army.

"This shows that the system is in a fix," Mwonzora said.

"This is the work of a now panicky regime which is afraid of its own shadows.

"This was supposed to be a peaceful protest that was disrupted by the state itself. We won't be intimidated. We are not fighting the army, we are fighting the system."

Nera has called for another protest next Friday, which the union's convenor Didymus Mutasa said would be of a greater magnitude.

ZimPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire said deployment of soldiers to do crowd management was unconstitutional as soldiers were not trained for such tasks.

more on this at http://www.bookspen.com/zimbabwe-mugabe-panics-soldiers-rampage/

Hmm..
The only thing constant in life is change..
So that man can ever panic?

I thought its only in my country that the word 'clueless "is used..
Though "dullard"is often used these days.

Lol...maybe the end is near for the 'everlasting' president afterall

chocolateme:
Hmm..
The only thing constant in life is change..
So that man can ever panic?

I thought its only in my country that the word 'clueless "is used..
Though "dullard"is often used these days.

Mugabe should just die in peace.

The only country a military coup would be accepted by the world powers