Zimbabwe Sinks To A New Low

Mugabe is happiest when Zimbabwe is drowning in anarchy. Much of the off-the-ball play is carefully orchestrated by ZANU PF, the police and the army - and whilst normal people are trying to get on with their lives, the violence and destruction that goes on without restraint or control.

I did note yesterday, that early reports yesterday stated that some of the unruly people were wearing MDC t-shirts - again, a calculated move that leaves the Zimbabwean people wandering just who was responsible for the incident.

"Zimbabwean police said that eight people have been arrested in the wake of a rampage by backers of the ZANU PF party in Harare, targeting foreign businesses.

In the latest violence attributed to activists of President Robert Mugabe’s party, a police official said an investigation was still going on into the rampage.

"We are still trying to see how much damage has been done. But we estimate the group was made up of about 700 people," the official said.

The group had marched from ZANU PF offices in the northern part of Harare’s central business district, chanting slogans praising Mugabe.

The approved march was in protest at the awarding of city parking lots management to a South African company by the city of Harare, police spokesman James Sabau said."

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So, the ZRP reaction is to arrest just over 1% of the protesters - and I am willing to bet that those that were arrested were wearing MDC t-shirts - even though they were evidently ZANU PF supporters.

"The marchers were carrying banners aimed against foreigners, including "No to foreigners controlling our economy" and "Foreigners, sanctions have destroyed our economy so we want to control our wealth". Most of the demonstrators were in their 20s and 30s, wearing ZANU t-shirts. Business came to a standstill and the marchers stopped a number of cars along the way and demanded that passersby join them."

Obviously agreed to by Mugabe and his upper crust party members, it would appear that destruction and violence still runs in the blood of the ZANU PF party.

I shake my head in frustration. Mugabe has been begging the foreign sector to invest in Zimbabwe, yet when they do, they have their businesses ransacked and their people beaten. What sort of advertisement is this for new business?

And Mugabe will tell the world that sanctions are responsible for the economic decline in Zimbabwe, but the reality is that no one wants to spend money is a country which allows political violence to take place as a norm.

"When the marchers got to the Gulf Complex largely run by foreigners, the marchers began looting and beating up those who resisted.

One victim was a Nigerian businessman who sells laptops and electronic equipment.

"They said I must leave their country yet I have been here for more than eight years," said the man, sobbing and declining to give his identity. "I was even importing stuff from South Africa when their economy was on its knees." The attacks on the foreigners has stirred fears of an escalation of violence as Zimbabwe gears up for elections later this year.

Mugabe is pushing for elections while his coalition partner and political rival, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, is against any new elections before a new constitution is written.

"We have had a gross increase in violence, particularly from January 1," said Tendai Biti, secretary general of Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change.

"The violence is state-sponsored, state-led and inflicted. Of concern is the failure by the police to stop the violence," Biti said."

I expect more of the same.

Robb WJ Ellis

The Bearded Man