While on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was asked about the security forces and military responses to protests triggered by an unprecedented hike of fuel prices in January.
In response, Mnangagwa said that the only people the government could call in is the army to stop the destruction and bring law and order. He said:
If there is a political and economic jurisdiction in our region where free speech reigns freely and supreme, it is in Zimbabwe.
… The French police use water cannon and they use batons, but we don’t have those things.
We need to acquire them so that we can deal with civil disturbances.
Reports indicate that Mnangagwa aborted his tour he had to rush home to deal with the destruction of life and property caused by a tropical cyclone in Chimanimani, Chipinge and other areas.
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