(Harare) Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday vowed to “flush out” his political opponents as rights organizations report the arrest of dozens of activists in the government's crackdown.
Posted on August 4 2020 at 6 a.m. 53
France Media Agency
“The bad apples that tried to divide our people and weaken our system will be eliminated,” he promised in a speech to the nation.
“We will overcome the attempts of a few thugs, acting with foreign detractors, to destabilize our society”, he continued.
On Friday, the authorities banned demonstrations to protest against corruption and the economic crisis in the country.
Several people were arrested, including the Zimbabwean writer Tsitsi Dangarembga, shortlisted for the prestigious British literary prize Booker Prize, released on bail the following day.
The Zimbabwean Association of Human Rights Lawyers said on Tuesday it represented around 20 people arrested since last week.
At the head of the small Transformer Zimbabwe formation, the opponent Jacob Ngarivhume had called for a demonstration, as did the journalist and whistleblower Hopewell Chin’ono. Both arrested before the demonstration are still in detention, accused of public incitement to violence.
Amnesty International has condemned a “witch hunt and the repression carried out against peaceful opponents”.
Successor of Robert Mugabe at the head of the country after a coup d'état in November 2017, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa had promised to revive a dying economy. But some believe the situation is even worse than under the Mugabe era.
Zimbabwe, a country in southern Africa, has been stuck for twenty years in a catastrophic economic crisis, which is reflected in runaway inflation and shortages of many basic necessities.
