Police warn against unrest Snr Asst Comm Charity Charamba
Snr Asst Comm Charity Charamba

Snr Asst Comm Charity Charamba

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
POLICE have warned against social unrest saying they have deployed more officers on the ground to quell violence following skirmishes between touts and rank marshals and the police in Harare yesterday.

National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said police were aware of the identities of people trying to cause commotion in the country.

The police warning comes amid a series of violent protests in Harare and Beitbridge.

Yesterday, commuter omnibus crews were engaged in running battles with the police in Epworth, leaving many people stranded.

Police used teargas to disperse the kombi crews who were protesting against heavy police presence on the capital’s roads.

Commuters in Ruwa, Zimre Park, Mabvuku and Tafara were left stranded as touts fought pitched battles with the police.

At the weekend, over 70 people were arrested following the burning down of a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s warehouse in Beitbridge last Friday.

Property worth thousands of dollars was destroyed.

Social media networks like WhatsApp, Facebook and Tweeter have of late been awash with messages inciting violence.

A group calling itself Tajamuka is reportedly generating the messages, urging members of the public to engage in social unrest.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba yesterday read the riot act against unruly elements inciting public violence.

She said the police would descend on every criminal as lawlessness would not be tolerated in Zimbabwe.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) would like to warn all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that misconduct will be severely dealt with. The ZRP is quite aware that some people would like to engage in social unrest. It is in this regard that police officers have been heavily deployed to deal with any public disorder situation,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.

“Lawlessness of any nature whatsoever and those who are bent on causing mayhem by taking law into their hands will not be condoned.”

She said the police are aware of criminals who want to sway members of the public into causing violence saying they risk being arrested.

“As police we have information and intelligence on the identities of criminal elements that are behind the social unrest. We have put the monitoring teams in place and all perpetrators of violence will be arrested,” she said.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said police have also deployed security roadblocks to monitor the situation.

She said several people were arrested yesterday following violence that broke out in the capital.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators’’ Association (ZLWACO) Bulawayo province chairman Cde Siwinile Ncube called for calm saying the country cannot address its problems through civil unrest.

Cde Ncube said police should act on any social media messages that are likely to cause confusion and violence in the country.

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