Zim discovers arms cache

HARARE – Zimbabwe security forces have found an arms cache in the eastern city of Mutare and uncovered a plot to destabilise the country involving opposition members and army officers, state television said on Tuesday.

“Security forces have unearthed an arms cache in Mutare and arrested a former member of the Rhodesian forces in connection with the recovered arms of war,” state broadcaster Zimbabwe Television (ZTV) said in its main news bulletin. Zimbabwe, which became independent in 1980, was previously called Rhodesia and was a British colony.President Robert Mugabe recently said in Mutare that the country was still threatened by “the monster of imperialism.”The suspect, expected to appear in court soon, had said he was working for an organisation called the Zimbabwe Freedom Movement “with opposition members Bennett and Giles Mutseyekwa as the coordinators”, ZTV said.Roy Bennett and Giles Mutseyekwa are members of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which Mugabe accuses of working with Western countries to try to oust him from power, mainly over his seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to poor blacks.Bennett, a former coffee farmer and MDC legislator, was released from jail last year after serving about eight months for assaulting a government minister during a debate.Bennett and Mutseyekwa were not immediately reachable for comment.”Investigating officers say the suspect claimed to have been working with former members of the Rhodesian forces who are serving members of the uniformed forces, to obtain the arms of war as well as plan acts of possible sabotage and destabilisation,” ZTV said.Security agencies had recovered an impressive arsenal including AK-47 automatic rifles, machineguns, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, tear-gas canisters, flares, thousands of rounds of ammunition and a two-way radio communication system.Last week official sources told Reuters the government had put its security services on high alert over fears bitter wage disputes and a new round of consumer price hikes might spark street protests as the country grapples with a deepening economic crisis widely blamed on poor governance.- Nampa-ReutersZimbabwe, which became independent in 1980, was previously called Rhodesia and was a British colony.President Robert Mugabe recently said in Mutare that the country was still threatened by “the monster of imperialism.”The suspect, expected to appear in court soon, had said he was working for an organisation called the Zimbabwe Freedom Movement “with opposition members Bennett and Giles Mutseyekwa as the coordinators”, ZTV said.Roy Bennett and Giles Mutseyekwa are members of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which Mugabe accuses of working with Western countries to try to oust him from power, mainly over his seizure of white-owned farms for redistribution to poor blacks.Bennett, a former coffee farmer and MDC legislator, was released from jail last year after serving about eight months for assaulting a government minister during a debate.Bennett and Mutseyekwa were not immediately reachable for comment.”Investigating officers say the suspect claimed to have been working with former members of the Rhodesian forces who are serving members of the uniformed forces, to obtain the arms of war as well as plan acts of possible sabotage and destabilisation,” ZTV said.Security agencies had recovered an impressive arsenal including AK-47 automatic rifles, machineguns, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, tear-gas canisters, flares, thousands of rounds of ammunition and a two-way radio communication system.Last week official sources told Reuters the government had put its security services on high alert over fears bitter wage disputes and a new round of consumer price hikes might spark street protests as the country grapples with a deepening economic crisis widely blamed on poor governance.- Nampa-Reuters