ZIMSPHERE
HARARE – Zimbabwe's government has issued a stern warning against any attempts to incite dissent ahead of the 44th Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Summit.
Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe made it unequivocally clear that any efforts to stir unrest will be met with a heavy-handed response.
Kazembe, addressing a press conference in the capital, underscored the government's intolerance for opposition-led demonstrations aimed at undermining its legitimacy.
He accused opposition groups of planning protests to coincide with the high-profile SADC Summit, in an attempt to draw international attention and pressure the ruling ZANU-PF party, which has faced accusations of unfairly winning the August 2023 elections.
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| Kazembe Kazembe |
"The opposition has a history of organizing demonstrations around regional and international events," Kazembe stated.
"This SADC Summit is no exception. Organizers seek to provoke a heavy-handed response from the government, assuming it will attract global attention and put Zimbabwe in the spotlight."
Kazembe urged the public to ignore calls for protests, warning that unlawful behavior would be met with firm action.
"Spoilers and anti-development-minded forces shall be dealt with decisively," he said. "This country has adequate laws to deal with those bent on lawlessness."
Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Prince Dubeko Sibanda has been vocal in urging Zimbabweans to protest during the SADC gathering.
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| Prince Dubeko Sibanda |
Sibanda is lobbying for the summit to address the disputed August 2023 elections, which the regional bloc deemed flawed. And this is what the government will not be tolerating.
Kazembe, to this end, defended the government's constitutional mandate to govern, asserting that the August elections were conducted democratically.
"We will not be apologetic for exercising that mandate given the will of the people through universally acknowledged processes," he said.
He criticized the opposition's "misplaced priorities" and accused them of attempting to stir civil unrest instead of focusing on hosting the summit.
"It must be recognized that those pushing for protests did not exploit internal legal remedies for their purported electoral grievances," he added.
Kazembe also revealed that security forces are aware of secret meetings held locally and internationally by individuals planning to incite civil disobedience.
"We already know the personalities and the institutions that they front. We are also aware of those giving them logistical and financial support," he said.
"Adequate measures have been put in place to account for and rein in anybody seeking to disturb the peace."
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