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Opposition 'stirring tensions'
29/04/2008 11:06 - (SA)
Harare - President Robert Mugabe's government accused the opposition on Tuesday of deliberately stirring up tensions after Zimbabwe's disputed elections and warned that it would not allow "anarchy" to prevail.
Mugabe spokesperson George Charamba charged that supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change had been attacking members of the police and army and warned the security forces would respond with "appropriate force".
"There is a flurry of distortions and irresponsible statements from within and outside the country by people and organisations who wish this country harm following the harmonised elections which were held in an environment of peace and tranquility," Charamba said in a statement.
"These careless statements are vainly calculated to heighten tension to spark incidents of politically-motivated crimes around the country."
"Police and indeed any member of the defence and security forces will use the necessary and appropriate force to ensure that life is respected and property protected."
The MDC says that 15 of its supporters have been killed by followers of Mugabe's own Zanu-PF party since the country held a general election exactly a month ago, the full results of which are still to be released.
The government however has denied that Zanu-PF has been responsible for any of the violence and instead says the MDC is the only guilty party.
Riot police on Friday detained more than 200 people, including women and children, who had taken refuge in the MDC's Harare headquarters as they searched for the alleged perpetrators of recent arson attacks.
In apparent reference to the raid, Charamba said seeking refuge at party offices or in safe houses "after committing barbarous acts of politically motivated crimes will not save anyone from the might of the law".
"Uniformed forces will therefore remain alert on the ground to ensure peace and security for everyone in any part of this country," he said.
"We discourage acts that could lead to anarchy."
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