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This article participates on the following special index pages:
2008 harmonised elections - Index of articles
Zimbabwe
police licensed to shoot
BBC
News
February 26, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7266076.stm
Zimbabwe's police chief says officers will be ready to use firearms
if the country's forthcoming elections sparks violence like that
seen in Kenya.
Police Commissioner Augustine
Chihuri urged political parties to avoid clashes with police before
the 29 March presidential and parliamentary votes.
Speaking to reporters,
he said "machetes, axes, bows and arrows can not put anybody
into office".
Earlier this
month, Zimbabwe banned
the carrying of weapons in public.
Mr Chihuri said
the Public
Order and Security Act allowed a police officer to use firearms
"if he finds other methods to be ineffective or inappropriate".
"There has been
talk in some opposition circles and civic organisations of street
protests or Kenya-style riots if the ballot does not go in the favour
of one's political party."
He was referring to ethnic
and political violence in Kenya which has seen at least 1,500 people
killed since a disputed presidential election in December.
Economic
crisis
Both
President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
have urged their supporters to refrain from violence.The
two launched their election campaigns last weekend.
Mr Mugabe's launch coincided
with the celebration of his 84th birthday. He has been in power
since Zimbabwe gained independence from Britain in 1980.
The country
is suffering an economic crisis, with annual
inflation of 100,000% and unemployment at 80%. There are also
severe food and fuel shortages.
Many of Zimbabwe's problems
have been blamed by the opposition and Western countries on the
policies of President Mugabe.
Mr Mugabe has blamed
a British plot.
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