A number of security personnel and innocent civilians were either injured or killed in riots, while a number of schools were closed and businesses lost out on potential revenue due to the illegal demonstrations. While the specific value of property destroyed is still being assessed, it is obvious that the riots affected the socio-economic development of the country in a significant way, thereby stalling development initiatives being undertaken by Government which has set itself a target of achieving a middle income economy by 2030.
The orgy of violence that was witnessed during the protests serves to demonstrate that the organisers had a hidden agenda as they worked in cahoots with hooligans and thugs to make the country ungovernable. A number of organisations and individuals such as Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights, Lawyers for Human Rights, Crisis Coalition for Zimbabwe, Citizens Forum Zimbabwe leapt in, to gain relevance through the unfortunate circumstances of the 14th – 16th January 2019. They are portraying perpetrators of violence as victims of riots for cheap political gains, trinkets and pieces of silver.
For the same reasons, their masters have promised to pay them handsomely to denigrate the very security apparatus mandated to protect people and property, for successfully thwarting their ill-intentioned goal of making the country ungovernable through use of violence and banditry. The most cunning of these have been found among politicians, churches and non-governmental organisations, among others. It is interesting to note that while there are opportunists bent on exploiting and cashing in on the unfortunate circumstances, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) continue to fulfil their mandate as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
As mandated by the constitution, the ZDF and the ZRP are to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests of the Republic of Zimbabwe and contribute to international peace and security. It goes without saying, therefore, that any threat to national peace is a cause for concern for the security forces who are bound to act in the event of violence outbreaks. The violence witnessed on 14th and 16th January 2019 should be a cause for concern to all right thinking Zimbabweans. The burning of police stations and ZINARA tollgate along the Harare-Masvingo highway, the killing and injuring of security personnel are some of the acts which directly affect the country’s security and lead to instability.
Lawlessness in whatever form should never be condoned and the Security Forces will always act whenever necessary; this is the position worldwide. Taking cognisance of the violence that was associated with the protests, the right to freedom as well as the security of the nation was affected and that should justify the relevance of having the security forces helping in stopping the protesters from demonstrating using violence. Those who understand the matrix of upholding the nation’s peace and security would agree with the fact that minimum force is at times consistent with quelling violent demonstrations. The Constitution of Zimbabwe provides for the citizens, the right to demonstrate, but demonstrations must be peaceful and respect rights of others, rights are not absolute.
Whenever demonstrations leave a trail of destruction such as was witnessed during the recent demonstrations, the country’s Security Forces will not fold their hands and watch, when the country is at risk of being destroyed.
