Dumisani Muleya
4 December 2008
Johannesburg — ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe appears to be losing his 28-year iron grip on the military, with protests by soldiers this week raising fears that a revolt could be brewing in the armed forces.
As the economic meltdown intensified and a cholera epidemic spread, sources told Business Day the Mugabe regime was trying to contain growing discontent within the armed forces. Its members staged protests twice this week against poor salaries and working conditions.
It is the first time that Zimbabwean soldiers have taken to the streets. On Monday, a group of uniformed soldiers rampaged through Harare to protest at poor salaries and working conditions. A similar riot happened last Thursday -- although that was confined to a small section of the city.
Mugabe was already facing widespread strikes and protests by discontented public servants, including doctors and nurses .
The groundswell of discontent poses a serious threat to Mugabe's regime, and if bolstered by military disturbances it could erupt into a nationwide anti government campaign.
The incident on Monday, which resulted in injuries to onlookers, looting and damage to property, shook the Mugabe regime and marked a watershed in Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis.
The country is reeling from shortages of food and basic commodities. It is also gripped by a cholera outbreak which has so far claimed more than 500 lives, according to United Nations figures.
Military sources said soon after the riot by troops that Mugabe's Joint Operations Command (JOC) -- which consists of the army, police and intelligence chiefs -- held an emergency meeting.
Sources said the JOC recommended that the army be placed on high alert and that serious measures be taken to contain the situation before it deteriorated into an uprising.
This led to the rapid deployment of military police.
The army also immediately launched an investigation into the incident, with Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi warning on Tuesday that "those found culpable will be brought to justice".
Sekeramayi, who was communicating the JOC decision, also threatened to deal with "those who may try to incite some members of the uniformed forces to indulge in illegal activities".
Sources said the army commanders had been caught off guard by the incident and wanted to get to the bottom of it as it was uncommon for troops to protest.
There were reports yesterday that 150 soldiers, mainly from 2 Brigade in Harare, had been arrested after the riot.
Sources said the army commanders feared that if left unchecked, the discontent may intensify and result in a general uprising.
Based on the slogans chanted during the riot, army commanders feared the protesting soldiers were pursuing a "mutinous agenda".
The soldiers chanted "hondo" meaning "war" as they ran through the city streets. This initially puzzled bystanders but many joined the soldiers.
Police intervened to stop destruction of property but showed marked reluctance to deal with the rioters. There were some clashes between soldiers and the police, but the police did not arrest any of the soldiers. Troops that were picked up were allowed to escape .
Sekeramayi tried to play down the incident, saying it was the act of "unruly elements" .
He tried to link the soldiers' actions to yesterday's nationwide strike, organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), saying that this "coincidence raises many questions".
The union federation, a key ally of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, faced a serious backlash by police.
At least 69 ZCTU members, including its secretary-general Wellington Chibebe, were detained .
Executive director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, Jestina Mukoko, was abducted by suspected state agents for allegedly being involved in plans for anti government demonstrations.
SABC journalist John Nyashanu and three colleagues were also arrested.
While the government was showing signs of panic, there has been speculation that the troops' revolt was engineered by elements within the state.
Some observers claimed the riots were instigated by the embattled regime, which desperately wants to create conditions for a state of emergency.
There was speculation the government wanted to use the army "rebels" protest as a pretext to clamp down further, possibly even declaring a state of emergency.
An observer said a state of emergency would allow Mugabe to rule without the MDC and deal decisively with the economy by taking extraordinary measures against anyone deemed a "financial terrorist".
"This is a planned and calculated action and it is not going to stop any time soon.
"Not until the final planned action, a state of emergency."
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As Mugabe likes to remind us, under Ian Smith, whites ate steak while blacks ate sazda.
What he does not like to see mentioned is that, under Mugabe, Mugabe eats steak, the other "war heroes" eat sazda, and everyone else in Zimbabwe eats dirt.
anD AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THERE WAS FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR EVERYONE NO ONE STARVED AND HOSPITALS WERE NOT CLOSED WHILE IN NEIGHBOURING ZAMBIA THERE WAS A SHORTAGE OF FOOD WHEN THE BORDER BETWEEN ZAMBIA AND RHODESIA CLOSED AND ALL WE HAD WAS BASHED UP CANS OF CHINESE FOOD AND BUTCHERS WERE EMPTY
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and until then, Mugabe's thug will rape and pillage the nations coffers, and the poor will suffer. There's a reason why Zimbabwe is the 14th most corrupt in the world.
what we "Africans" MUST realized is that there's greed up in the Air by some of this racist and neocolonist who don't want to see any good leaders for Africa. Let's take one, the rescent president of South Africa in which the true behind his dismisser as president was NEVER told. Africans should STOP playing with fire and face their reality or else that countinent "Africa" will Never develop. And if you ask me why; that's just how they racist and neocolonists of the western world want it to be. They want Africa to be their bread basket and dust bin. If these same people happen to win in Zimbabwe, they can doing it to ANY Good African leaders by doint to them the same thing or worst; and what that tells you? We Africans are FOOL. Also, it means will Africans are still face with the darkness and don't able to make better decission for our countinent. If that happen what a shame for zillion of years to come!!!!For this sake; Please remember good African leaders like Oboti, Julius Nyerere etc who such a thing or worst have happened to them. Let's stop being FOOL of ourselves, AFRICANS!!! Africans MUST dig thoroughly into anything and fine the truth brought about our countinent that's/are brought to us by these racist and neocolonists. My last question's this: where is the patriotism for Africa in terms of development, education, love for each africans, all the positive sides? Have you ever seeing a positive side of an African in a Western World? Have you? Though there are many, you will NEVER see such aa outstanding comment giving from the Western World about an African if NO European is involve. Please let's becareful of what Africans do to each other.
Your brother in Christ and Allah,
The talk about Ian Smith and his Rhodesia subjects does nothing to Zimbabwe nor it's future. Few people in Zimbabwe can relate to Ian Smith and his regime. Most people who were in their twenties or less during his regime either do not care who he is or view him as an oppressor. Hey, "Rhodes" I hear you, but I really do not care about Smith. Smith claimed once that entire villages would attend his funeral, that usual wishful thing! Alas, Smith died a lonely man in a nursing home in SA. With Smith, the question of race, land, imperialism always comes into play. I would rather focus on what is happening now. Smith in all his rule never at anytime recieve the majority vote. Exclusively, all people who voted for him were white at less than 200,000 of that group. That in Zimbabwe would be running in fifth place. Let's not talk about that dead "Ian Smith" white anglo" dictator
Even Field Marshall Idi Amin had "professors" defending him to his last days as the Life President of Uganda, all in the midst of decay and death. Whatever these people profess, it must be sick and grotesque stuff.
There is decay and death all over the world.
And your point is?
Professors have been heavily involved in giving economic advice to the President in the USA and the PM in UK. Result: The current worst financial meltdown in USA since the World War 2.
We have western and Asian economies now in recession - widely believed to be a depression.
Do you suggest that village idiots were advising President Bush - so a to avert economic disaster?
Well. Maybe you have a different take on things: Whoever - professor or not - that advised Al Hajji Idi Amin was bad. And you have no quarrels with the West and their current economic woes. Certainly you are not calling for Cde Mugabe to go for a total "regime change" in the Western countries ...
It sounds to me like a case of inferiority complex.
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