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Securocrats scale up surveillance

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE THE State security establishment is reportedly planning to track and attack perceived opponents of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime, with local and foreign-based journalists, ex-security officers, ex-Zanu PF and opposition politicians being targeted, a leaked security document has shown. The document, based on the minutes of a Joint Operations Command (JOC) meeting compiled on August 20 this year which was copied to directors of the Zimbabwe Military Intel Corps (MIC), Air Force of Zimbabwe Intelligent Corps, Police Intelligence and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZCPS) Intel, revealed names of individuals who were under constant surveillance for allegedly working against and sabotaging the government. The meeting was held on August 10 and security forces were put on high alert saying they must widen the arrests of all people leading online campaigns and to engage Interpol and Southern African Regional Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (Sarpcco) to locate those in the diaspora. Contacted for comment, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was not aware of the document. Three security personnel have since been reportedly nabbed for interrogation over their links to ex-security members turned anti-government campaigners. “I am not aware of that document. You can send it to me for confirmation,” Nyathi said. Even after receiving a copy of the document, Nyathi professed ignorance on the authenticity of the document. However, a top intelligence officer confirmed the minutes were authentic. “Yes,” the intelligence officer yesterday said, adding “our documents are encrypted when we are sending to each other.” The document read: “Following a JOC meeting on August 10, 2020 on the backdrop of ongoing incessant attacks on the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe … Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa, the ruling party Zanu PF and the government of Zimbabwe by malcontents in Zimbabwe and in the diaspora who are working in cahoots with our erstwhile colonisers to destabilise Zimbabwe and pave way for an illegal regime change, it is hereby directed that all security services be on high alert and reinvigorate efforts to stop this growing anti-government campaign.” The minutes showed that the meeting resolved that all those who spread hate-speech and anti-government statements communicating violence by the government like ZimbabweanLivesMatter and ZanuPFMustGo hashtags should be tracked down and arrested, and that the “successful” arrests of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume were part of the co-ordinated attacks on Mnangagwa’s perceived opponents. “This has reached a tipping point, therefore, those spearheading the campaigns should be tracked down, arrested and brought before the courts of justice. The campaigns are not only meant to foment violence and sabotage government ongoing efforts to revive the economy, but to subvert a constitutionally-elected government and replace it with foreign-funded opposition politic

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