Several officers told The Zimbabwean that the threats were meant to discourage people from voting against the status quo.
“Those making the noise are just a few individuals who have benefitted from Mugabe’s politics of patronage and would do anything to make sure he is voted back into office. When their threats fail we will see some of them changing course and others leaving their jobs,” said a former police Assistant Commissioner.
“Junior members and some senior members of the security forces have suffered enough to want to see the back of Mugabe. They have been persistently overlooked for promotion and United Nations duties and victimised on allegations that they support the opposition. Junior members of the ZRP go around in tattered clothes and oversized gear and have to walk kilometres to attend to cases, while their bosses drive around in expensive cars bought using state funds.”
The former cop said very few juniors would allow themselves to be used to return Mugabe to power outside the elections.
“We saw during the 2008 elections that most members of the army and police wanted Mugabe out. They voted for the MDC-T – a clear indication that they are tired of Zanu (PF) rule. I have remained in touch with some of my colleagues and they have told me their wish to see Mugabe out and Zimbabwe restored to its past glory.”
A former army Sergeant said junior members were too tired of Mugabe’s rule and would not want to be used in a coup attempt.
“Many people think junior members of the security forces are docile, but that is not the case. A lot has happened inside camps – members get punished every day and others desert. They now stand against what the commanders believe in,” he said.
“Even what happened just before the formation of the inclusive government, when armed soldiers looted shops in an open protest against Mugabe should have gone a long way to show that they are tired.”
A Chief Superintendent in the ZRP Bulawayo said most members of the force were irked by the channelling of state resources to a chosen few. “Commissioner Chihuri and company have claimed that they are there to ‘safeguard the gains of independence’ against renewed interest from the West, but most of us are not fooled because we know that they do not care less about Zimbabwe, Mugabe and Zanu (PF), but are more interested in protecting their ill-gotten wealth, but some of us have nothing to lose should Mugabe lose, so we have nothing to risk our lives for. People should not be scared by these empty threats because they will not be carried out. The whole world is watching and the bosses know themselves that once they try to hang on after defeat, they will see what happened in Libya and the Ivory Coast here.”
Harare-based political analyst, Blessing Ivan Vava, said there would be no need for a coup, as Mugabe’s party had done enough to rig the coming elections. “Zanu (PF)’s rigging machinery is already in motion and I don’t see them losing this election,” said Vava.
“The prevailing conditions make it practically impossible to have a credible poll. The international community is already gearing itself for a Zanu (PF) victory. The visits by the American envoy and the softening of the targeted sanctions are an indication of the direction the West is now taking.”
Post published in: News