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Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
THE violent protests in Beitbridge last Friday that led to the torching of Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) warehouse at the border post was no ordinary street march but a programme by the opposition to cause anarchy in the country.

In recent weeks, a shadowy group coordinated by former MDC-T youth leader Promise Mkwananzi and going by the moniker #Tajamuka has been using various platforms calling on Zimbabweans to turn against the government.

The group initially started planting seeds of anarchy at the start of the cash shortages in banks calling on the people to turn against the government alleging that the state had taken their money.

The MDC-T youths would visit various banks calling on the people queuing for cash to take to the streets in demonstrations against the government.

Through social media, the group called on motorists, found to have fallen foul of the law, to refuse paying fines imposed for various traffic offences.

The operation, which has been running for weeks, has posted clips on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, planting the seed of anarchy among Zimbabweans.

Zimbabweans ignored the calls until the opposition had to rally together people from different areas to stage a demonstration in Beitbridge last Friday leading to the destruction of property and burning down of a Zimra warehouse.

This incident cannot be viewed in isolation of developments in the opposition with recent disclosures around the health status of some opposition leaders.

The question everyone should be asking themselves is what is it that the opposition know that everyone else does not that is leading to such panic.

Could they be racing against time that they are now resorting to political arson?

The first MDC-T demonstrations in Harare were characterised by the same violence that saw the destruction of property as party youths went on a rampage in the capital.

It is not difficult to tell therefore from whom the Tajamuka chaos has inherited its form.

To confirm its links with the chaos the MDC-T held a press conference on Monday calling on its supporters to join hoodlums who were blocking roads in Ruwa and Epworth in Harare.

We therefore agree with State Security Minister and Beitbridge East legislator Cde Kembo Mohadi when he says there is a hidden hand behind Friday’s demonstration.

“What do you want to achieve by burning infrastructure and private property? These criminals are not even from Beitbridge.

Since time immemorial, that’s not how we solve grievances in the town. We suspect a third hand was involved in all that chaos,” said Cde Mohadi on Saturday.

“This is wrong; we can’t accept that. How can you have thugs destroying key infrastructure when we, as Government, are building?

The situation has been contained as roads have been reopened. Criminal elements have withdrawn to their shells, fearing security patrols.”

The government has refused to be cowed by the acts of cowardice by the opposition hiding behind shadowy organisations formed to pursue their agenda.

Zanu-PF national commissar Cde Saviour Kasukuwere told party supporters in Mazowe North constituency at the weekend that violence would not be tolerated in the country.

“Comrades don’t be shaken over what’s happening in Beitbridge and we shouldn’t 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 case of violence should stop it. We will not tolerate any political noise, we mean serious business and youths mustn’t be pushed to do wrong things,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

“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 don’t provoke violence in our country and comrades desist from burning down your country, what we need is discipline, political discipline amongst the youths.”

Defence Minister, Dr Sydney Sekeramayi, called on the masses to remain united as the country was going through a difficult economic crisis following negative impact of illegal western sanctions.

“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,” he said.

It is a recorded fact that the opposition has always tried to use ordinary people to further their agenda by blowing temporary problems like the cash shortages out of proportion.

Demonstrations are meant to get the authorities’ attention on a number of things that people may want addressed or corrected.

There has never been a cover for anarchy and wilful destruction of property and the spread of lawlessness in the country.

The burning down of the Zimra warehouse on the basis that the government implemented new import regulations does not make any sense. Even if one is to try and argue that on the other side of the border, there were demonstrations over the same issue, the answer would be that there are no records of property destruction to the magnitude of torching the Zimra warehouse.

Beitbridge is by far the country’s busiest border post and it’s common cause that it is the country’s cash cow in terms of revenue collection and disturbing operations is tantamount to sabotaging the country’s economy.

Days after the Beitbridge demos, no one can come out and said how the torching of the Zimra warehouse has actually helped their cause.

What can be interpreted from Friday’s incidents is that the opposition is on an offensive in its agenda to throw the country into chaos by targeting among other things critical infrastructure like border posts.

The opposition wants the police to react and in carrying out their mandate in enforcing law and order as prescribed in the national constitution, the opposition wants to scream to their Western handlers crying human rights abuses.

However, Zimbabweans are used to such machinations and the majority will stay away from these acts of political arson.

Only political activists under the guise of ordinary citizens would go around vandalising and looting property in pursuit of a regime change agenda.

They should not cry foul when the police carry out their constitutional duties because the country’s peace cannot be allowed to be compromised by political arsonists.

@tshuma584