Zimbabwe police, military show of force
2011-03-01 16:37
Zimbabwean police conduct body searches on public and private transport vehicles in Harare in an effort to thwart a call for mass protests. (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, AP) (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party has pledged to trim the army and ensure a free society if it wins upcoming general elections.
Harare - Zimbabwean police and troops put on a show of force in the capital amid calls for protests against the long time ruler Robert Mugabe on Tuesday.
The calls appeared to have gone unheeded, with no demonstrators on the streets Tuesday.
Armoured cars, trucks of riot police and Israeli-built water cannon vehicles had swept through Harare over the weekend, fanning out into townships around the city. Authorities gave no explanation for the display of force.
Police were not out in the large numbers seen over the weekend and Monday.
Messages, many of them anonymous, posted on Zimbabwean websites called for protests on Tuesday but there has been no open campaigning for demonstrators to turn out on the streets. Some 15% of Zimbabweans have access to the internet and social networking sites.
Mugabe is scheduled to address a mass rally in central Harare on Wednesday.
- AP
