ZwNews Chief Correspondent
The motive behind the recent closure of internet in Zimbabwe has been exposed, further opening up President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dirty linen.
When Mnangagwa’s administration came under fire for closing the internet and social media, the regime was quick to justify the move by saying it was done in good faith, in order to protect property. Mnangagwa’s presidential spokesperson George Charamba told the world that the move was done so as to prevent the cyber system from being abused by protesters.
The government blamed the internet and social media as the passage used by protesters to mobilize themselves and plan attacks, however, the real motive has come to the open.
Mnangagwa used the blanket cover of the block out to try to avoid international scrutiny, as people could not live-stream human rights abuses by the state during the dark hour.
While Zimbabwe was on the blackout, the government through its security details was busy torturing and abusing civilians; it has been revealed. Many cases have been reported by civic rights groups such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, to have had happened while the internet was closed.
The people who should be protecting and defending citizens are now facing serious accusations and heinous crimes including rape, torture and murder.
With reports that 12 women and 23 young girls were allegedly raped by security forces during last week disturbances, there is no doubt, we have a big problem beyond the capacity of our leaders.
Political analyst Alex Magaisa says it was such reports of state sponsored beatings, killings and torture that the government wanted to conceal from the outside world when it blocked the internet.
Underage(teenage) boys tortured by Zimbabwe security forces
“These are the hideous images of state sponsored terror in Zimbabwe as reported… These are the stories the regime didn’t want the world to hear or see when it shut down the internet,” he says.
Magaisa adds that despite Mnangagwa returning and condemning the abuses of civilians by the country’s security forces, the barbaric attacks persisted right under his watch.
Meanwhile, when Mnangagwa took over power through a military coup, he promised the world that he would be different from his predecessor, Robert Mugabe.
He assured the people that he was going to be as soft as wool, with a heart for the people, while some embraced his sweet talk, others took it with a pinch of salt. They say he was just as good as a same old Mugabe, but with just a different hair cut.
His sympathisers labelled such critics who called Mnangagwa ‘a Mugabe with a different suit’ with various names, blaming them for not giving the new leader some time.
However, the critics are now being exonerated, as their guesses are coming to pass.
Upon touching down from his aborted four nation state tour recently, Mnangagwa vehemently warned the country’s security forces for its barbaric blood thirsty appetite, for spilling blood as if in war time. He condemned the killings and threatened that the guilty officers will not go unpunished.
However, as if to expose him for a ‘liar’ the barbaric attacks are still continuing, right under his nose, the army has not returned to their barracks, are still on the streets antagonistically assaulting civilians, even after the protests have ceased.
Political commentators have taken a swipe at Mnangagwa for waving a white flag of peace during the day, while roaming the streets with a dagger during the night. They say Mnangagwa is a hypocrite who is preaching peace by day, while practising banditry at night.
“He is a hypocrite, that is why he shut down the internet, so that the world could not see what he was doing under the blanket,” says another political commentator Elder Mabhunu.
Mabhunu says politicians are not always what they say they are, but instead people are what they do. His sentiments have also been expressed by former minister of higher education Jonathan Moyo who recently tweeted; “While journalists and academics are judged by what they say, politicians are judged by what they do.” Moyo urged people to judge Mnangagwa with his actions and not his words.
