Riot police, water cannons move around Harare CBD

Michael Mashiri

An escorted procession of riot police trucks and water cannons this morning was moving around the Harare Central Business District, with several people expressing surprise at the sight of the convoy.

The procession led by a siren-sounding marked police vehicle entered the city from Seke Road into Julius Nyerere Way. It turned back to face the Flyover before heading west along Charter Road.

Mai Lee, a vendor who sells vegetables on the pavement of Park Street asked as the convoy headed eastwards along Nelson Mandela Avenue: “What is the problem again? We want to go about our business in peace.”

Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, said they were just police members who were doing their work.

“There is nothing special. It’s just the police doing their work.

“The public have this mentality that if they see the police, something is happening,” Insp Chakanza said.

On Thursday, National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, in an update on the security situation in the country said that the general security situation in the country is peaceful and conducive for the various economic and social activities to flow.

“The police continues to urge members of the public to ignore social media messages trying to incite or invite people to engage in unlawful political activities or gatherings,” said Ass Comm Nyathi.

Police, Ass Com Nyathi said, are investigating some of the social media postings, warning that the police will certainly ensure that the law is applied without fear or favour on anyone who agitates or advocates for unlawful activities in the country.