Zim govt vows to crush planned protests

HARARE – Zimbabwe State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa has warned opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his supporters that the government will crush any mass protests against President Robert Mugabe.

Tough-talking Mutasa – who two weeks ago warned that the government may resort to physically eliminating opponents – also said the government is closely monitoring Tsvangirai after the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader last weekend told Zimbabweans to ready themselves for popular protests to press the government to embrace democracy. “We are watching them closely.We heard his [Tsvangirai’s] threats and we hope they will just end as threats, but if they start destroying things then they will see us,” Mutasa told independent news service ZimOnline, adding that if Tsvangirai and the MDC want war with the government, then it is more than ready for them.”If they want a fight then we are more than ready to hit back harder,” said Mutasa, who is probably the most powerful minister in Mugabe’s Cabinet.As security minister, Mutasa oversees the government’s dreaded spy Central Intelligence Organisation, which is accused of terrorising the opposition.He is also in charge of the government’s chaotic land reforms and food-aid distribution.Addressing the more than 15 000 delegates at the MDC’s congress last weekend, Tsvangirai said his party had lost faith in elections as a democratic tool to change the government because Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party always rig polls.Tsvangirai said he is ready to lead Zimbabweans “from the front” in mass protests against Mugabe’s government until democracy is restored in the country.With its strong support in urban areas, the MDC is best placed to organise streets protests against the government.But political analysts say the MDC is at the moment too weakened to confront the government and its army in the streets after the opposition party split into two rival political parties.- ZimOnline”We are watching them closely.We heard his [Tsvangirai’s] threats and we hope they will just end as threats, but if they start destroying things then they will see us,” Mutasa told independent news service ZimOnline, adding that if Tsvangirai and the MDC want war with the government, then it is more than ready for them.”If they want a fight then we are more than ready to hit back harder,” said Mutasa, who is probably the most powerful minister in Mugabe’s Cabinet.As security minister, Mutasa oversees the government’s dreaded spy Central Intelligence Organisation, which is accused of terrorising the opposition.He is also in charge of the government’s chaotic land reforms and food-aid distribution.Addressing the more than 15 000 delegates at the MDC’s congress last weekend, Tsvangirai said his party had lost faith in elections as a democratic tool to change the government because Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF party always rig polls.Tsvangirai said he is ready to lead Zimbabweans “from the front” in mass protests against Mugabe’s government until democracy is restored in the country.With its strong support in urban areas, the MDC is best placed to organise streets protests against the government.But political analysts say the MDC is at the moment too weakened to confront the government and its army in the streets after the opposition party split into two rival political parties.- ZimOnline