President Robert Mugabe is surreptitiously arming his war veterans and violent youth brigades with guns so that they can crush the planned street protests to topple his regime next month. The street protests, called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, are set to be held in winter. Army sources promised chaos and bloodshed on a scale never seen before if protesters tried to march against President Mugabe's administration. The MDC has kept the actual dates under wraps although it has promised a cold season of mass protests. Mugabe's militant war veteran supporters have vowed to crush them. "Mugabe's resolve to crush any challenge to his authority must not be underestimated," said a middle ranking army official, who preferred not to be identified. "He has ordered the army to give weapons to his war veterans and the youth brigades for his defence," added the official, insisting that they would use these guns only if necessary.
A senior army officer said there was nothing wrong with arming war veterans and youth brigades because they were considered a reserve force of the Zimbabwe National Army. "You may recall that the war veterans have been constituted into a reserve force of the army. They are entitled to weapons, if this is necessary for them to defend their leader."
Officials say Mugabe trusts the war veterans more than the young soldiers who joined the army in large numbers after independence from Britain in 1980. He feels the war veterans are more loyal to him and more reliable than young soldiers who did not fight in Zimbabwe's liberation struggle, say the officials. The notorious war veterans, who spearheaded Mugabe's often violent farm invasions, last week vowed to use "military tactics" to thwart the planned protests against Mugabe. National Liberation War Veterans' Association leader, Endy Mhlanga, said his militias would forcefully resist the MDC mass resistance.
"We have stood aside and observed you for too long and this time we will not," said Mhlanga. "This time, using our own military experience, we will mobilise against you. I do not mince my words." Mhlanga added: "The consequences of any mass action will be grave. We will co-ordinate with state security agents to fight you off.
The MDC has vowed to press ahead with its protests, despite the threats. Its spokesperson, Nelson Chamisa, said there was nothing wrong with the people of Zimbabwe using peaceful mass protests to free themselves from "this rogue regime". However, the MDC is not taking Mugabe's threats lightly. It has been urging the country's uniformed services not to allow themselves to be used against the people. The opposition party is telling the army to disobey illegal orders, warning that those who partake in Mugabe's repression will face serious consequences under a "future" MDC government.