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Zimbabwe attacks ‘a taste of things to come,’ warns government

VIOLENT attacks by Zimbabwe’s security services on the growing protests over the country’s deepening economic crisis are “a taste of things to come,” the government warned on Sunday sparking fears over a return to authoritarian rule.

Government spokesman George Charamba issued the threat after at least three people were killed in separate demonstrations in the capital Harare and second city Bulawayo over the weekend.

“The government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is a taste of things to come,” he told the pro-government Sunday Mail newspaper.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has faced criticism for being out of the country on a four-nation trade trip to secure foreign investment to boost Zimbabwe’s flagging economy.

He cut short his planned attendance at this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos to deal with the unrest.

“In light of the economic situation, I will be returning home after a highly productive week of bilateral trade and investment meetings. The first priority is to get Zimbabwe calm, stable and working again,” Mr Mnangagwa said.

The country has been rocked by deepening unrest with a three-day national strike called last week in protest at the rising cost of living.

Security services are reported to have been trawling the poor neighbourhoods of the capital Harare, dragging people out of their homes and beating them. The city’s prisons are said to be full to breaking point with many held without charge as part of a violent clampdown.

Internet services remain blocked with the government threatening to jail providers if they fail to comply with demands.

The government has blamed the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for the unrest with Mr Charamba warning that the leadership of the political party and its affiliated organisations would be “held fully accountable for the violence and the looting.”

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