Zimbabwe police chief Augustine Chihuri says he has intelligence that an unnamed opposition political party is planning to topple President Robert Mugabe’s government.
Speaking at a pass out parade for new police recruits, Chihuri, a fierce Mugabe loyalist claimed the protests will start in the capital Harare next month.
“The warped and polluted agenda is to try and overthrow the government,” he said.
“They are already de-campaigning the elections as noted by the incitement of people not to participate in the coming general elections.
“This is noted in their flyers entitled ‘one man vote to be assured.’”
The Job Sikhala led MDC99 has threatened to disrupt elections held under the new constitution saying they would not be free and fair.
Sikhala last month was arrested after he led his supporters in protests at President Robert Mugabe’s offices in central Harare.
Chihuri described the planned protests as “witchcraft” and promised to deal ruthlessly with those who will take part.
“The intention of these detractors is to use violence as weapon of choice to their advantage as they fear general elections which are just around the corner,” he said.
“Right now we are aware that there is a small political party outside government, which wants to start mass protests in early March 2012.
“They have planned to start from Africa Unity Square employing dirty tactic and desperate tactics such as hunger strikes and mass protests.”
Last year Zimbabwean police arrested several activists and charged them with planning uprisings similar to those ones that toppled authotarian regimes in Egypt and Tunisia.
The activists including University of Zimbabwe lecturer Munyaradzi Gwisai who were initially charged with treason are now facing public violence charges.
88 year-old Mugabe is now one of Africa’s longest rulers with 32 years at the helm and this week he indicated that he was not ready to step down.
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