ZIMBABWE: Heavy security presence on first day of general strike called by opposition

Record ID: 340047

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: Heavy security presence on first day of general strike called by opposition
  • Date: 15th April 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) HARARE RESIDENT, STANLEY SAYING: "I am sure the stay away is the government who are proposing this stay way, they should only announce the results for the presidential only, that will be that, like now the economy wont be stable if people go on stay aways." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) HARARE RESIDENT, STANLEY SAYING: "The economy i
  • Embargoed: 30th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA47SCMHRMOFTDA4XKTJB328A8W
  • Story Text: Zimbabwean security forces deployed heavily across the country on the first day of a general strike called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
    Soldiers and police fanned out across Zimbabwe on Tuesday (April 15) ahead of a general strike called by the opposition to pressure officials to release the results of a presidential election.
    Army trucks, some equipped with water cannons, moved through opposition strongholds around the capital Harare and riot police and other officers set up checkpoints.
    On police officer said this was a routine security exercise as he stood at a checkpoint in a township controlled by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
    The MDC has called on Zimbabweans to stay at home indefinitely.
    In Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, there were few people on the streets making it unclear if the strike call was being heeded.

    "I am sure the stay away is the government who are proposing this stay way, they should only announce the results for the presidential only, that will be that, like now the economy wont be stable if people go on stay aways," a Harare resident, Stanley said.
    He added that the strike would further wreak more havoc on the country's economy.

    "The economy is not stable, but with things like this, otherwise our country will go down up to nothing." Stanley added.
    Another resident who did not want to be named said the strike call was justified.

    "All along the MDC were quiet, they thought maybe ZEC will release the results, but now its almost two weeks yet we don't know the results, why are they keeping all the results?" he said.
    Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has declared victory in the March 29 parliamentary and presidential elections and has demanded that President Robert Mugabe step down. Parliamentary results have been released but the results of the presidential poll have not.
    Zimbabwe's electoral commission said it was still counting and verifying the votes.
    On Monday (April 14), a Zimbabwean High Court rejected the MDC's bid to force authorities to release the results. The MDC said one of its supporters was stabbed to death by members of Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party. Police disputed that, saying the killing did not appear to be politically motivated.
    Tsvangirai and his supporters are hoping that Zimbabweans will support the general strike. But there are concerns it could fizzle as others have in the past or wither in the face of the unspoken threat of a police crackdown.
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