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ATTEMPTS to subvert the will of the people through the sponsorship of civil disobedience, stay aways and violent street marches to unseat a constitutionally elected Government should be resisted at all costs and the country’s security arms must deal ruthlessly with such subversive elements.

A plot to subvert the outcome of the July 30, 2018, elections which were won resoundingly by President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF party was set in motion yesterday with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions joining forces with some Non-Governmental Organisations, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and civil society groups to unleash chaos, anarchy and violence in Harare, Bulawayo and some urban centres in the vain hope of torching civil unrest and toppling a democratically elected Government.

The three-day protests, which were disguised as a demonstration against the recent increase in the price of fuel, are meant to run until tomorrow.

Zimbabweans going about their business were harassed, molested and threatened with violence by marauding groups of intoxicated youths sponsored by NGOs to force a shutdown of the country and make it ungovernable.

While businesses opened normally yesterday morning, they were forced to shut down amid threats of violence and this cannot be allowed to continue unabated.

Gangs of protesters put up barricades on major roads leading to the city centres of Bulawayo and Harare, burnt tyres, looted shops, overturned bins, beat up commuters and forced commuter omnibuses to drop off passengers in a bid to ensure their shutdown succeeded.

Fearing possible reprisals from violent protesters, most shops closed early while others re-opened after police restored order in the Bulawayo Central Business District.

In the Western suburbs, there were violent skirmishes and running battles between the protesters and the police with some cars and kombis being stoned and burnt.

Some people were beaten up with their family members roughed up by louts and other drunken youths for allegedly being members of Zanu-PF.

Some teachers and pupils in Tshabalala were beaten up, whole shops and supermarkets in Nkulumane were looted.

Under the new dispensation, Government has said it respects the rights of Zimbabweans as enshrined in the Constitution which grants them the freedom of assembly and association.

However, this does not sanction subversion of the Constitution. “While Sections 58 and 59 of our Constitution grant freedom of assembly and association, and the right to demonstrate and petition, these rights do not sanction the subversion of the Constitutional order and the rule of law.

“Furthermore, they do not condone any activities designed and calculated to impede or stop broad socio-economic activity in the country, including challenging the right and entitlement of the rest of the citizenry to a normal, lawful, safe and secure, and productive daily life,” the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, said in yesterday’s edition of The Chronicle.

His comments came in the wake of reports that some foreign nationals were working with local NGOs to undermine the Constitutional Order.

Crisis Coalition was fingered as the co-ordinator of anti-Government activities meant to paralyse the country with sponsorship from the United States of America and Germany.

In a statement, Mr Mangwana said Government would not sit idly and watch as the country burns.

“Should that happen, the State, through the Government of the day, is mandated to step in with appropriate firmness, and on the strength of a mix of lawful instruments at its disposal, to protect and restore law and order in the Republic for the benefit of the ordinary citizen. This is more so when intelligence available to Government clearly points to a foreign hand bent on aiding and abetting such chaos. Government is aware of the involvement of non-citizens in the orchestration of this futile exercise. Government will not hesitate to take action against such persons by withdrawing their visas, deporting them and declaring them persona non grata,” he said.

“Government thus wishes to make it known to all those who have been conspiring to subvert peace, law and order in the country that it will respond appropriately. Both these unlawful meetings and treasonable liaisons with foreign organisations must stop forthwith.”

We implore foreign powers to desist from meddling in the internal affairs of Zimbabwe by sponsoring acts of banditry, sabotage and violence. Zimbabweans spoke loudly during the July 2018 harmonised elections and their will should be respected.

We also urge all peace loving Zimbabweans to ignore calls to engage in acts of violence as this destroys vital infrastructure and negates efforts to resuscitate the economy.

Stay aways/shutdowns are retrogressive as they retard development at a time the Government is working hard to smoothen the path to a middle income economy by 2030.

In this regard, all workers should return to work today as their security is guaranteed.

Shops and other businesses should re-open as the police and other security agencies will be out in full force. Merchants of violence should never be allowed to run riot in our peaceful nation.