GOVERNMENT has deployed soldiers in residential areas to maintain peace and order ahead of the 44th session of the Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit, NewsDay can report.
Police yesterday said they would dispatch law enforcement agents to suburbs “where there is a need” to assure the public of police visibility.
This comes at a time when the government has increased security in urban areas ahead of the summit to be hosted by Harare on August 17.
There was heavy presence of police details and soldiers in Chitungwiza yesterday, leaving residents in shock.
Soldiers and police moved around in convoys, with the soldiers in motorised military gear, while police details moved around armed with water canons, batons and guns.
Sources told NewsDay that it was not business as usual in the dormitory town as residents went into self-enforced curfew.
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Most bars yesterday closed early while vendors were forced to leave their stalls, sources said.
“There is limited loitering here,” a resident at St Mary’s shopping centre said.
“People are afraid of the soldiers. There is a lot of uncertainty, so people are staying indoors to be safe.”
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the deployments were “normal” and could be extended to other areas should need arise.
“Those are normal police deployments. Just to assure police visibility. So there is nothing sinister or alarming about the presence of police officers,” he said, “whether on foot or cycles or when they are conducting motorised patrols like what you are indicating (has happened in Chitungwiza).
“It’s not only Chitungwiza, but where there is a need for police to show its presence, we will certainly do so.”
Nyathi, however, refused to comment on the duration of the police deployments.
Police have also launched an operation targeting pirate taxis and vendors to “restore sanity” in the capital.
Government recently launched a crackdown on activists suspected to be plotting protests ahead of the Sadc summit.
Dozens of political and human rights activists are in incarceration as government intensifies the crackdown.