There are fears that the ongoing chaos and crackdown on protests in Zimbabwe could escalate in the coming days.
A presidential spokesperson has said that recent crackdown on protests over fuel prices “is just a foretaste of things to come”.
There have been reports of over 12 deaths and hundreds of arrests as security forces crackdown on protesters.
The security agencies have been accused by human rights groups of using excessive force in controlling protesters.
But Presidential spokesman in Zimbabwe, George Charamba told state-owned Sunday Mail newspaper that “government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come.”
He added that the government “will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently.”
The Zimbabwe government has always blamed the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of fueling violent protests.
President Emerson Mnangagwa has cut short his foreign trip to return home. He had been criticized for traveling during the agitations.
In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings. We will be ably represented in Davos by Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again.
— President of Zimbabwe (@edmnangagwa) January 20, 2019
Protests have been over the decision by President Mnangagwa to increase fuel prices. He increased petrol prices from $1.24 a litre to $3.31, with diesel up from $1.36 a litre to $3.1.
Mnangagwa says the increased prices of petrol and diesel are to help tackle a shortfall caused by increased fuel usage and “rampant” illegal trading.
Source: Africafeeds.com
