Zimbabwean President Speaks Out Against Protests
Zimbabwean president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has broken his silence on the deadly protests that have taken place in the country.
Since Monday, 14 January, Zimbabwean citizens have been protesting against the president’s announcement of a drastic 150% increase in the price of fuel made before he left on a state visit to Russia.
Shops in Harare, Kadomo and Bulawayo were looted, while roads were barricaded and a police station was burned down.
Over the course of three days, scores of locals have been arrested, beaten and shot at by security forces. Three people, including a police officer, have died thus far.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 16 January, via Twitter, President Mnangagwa condemned the protests.
He said: “There can be no justification for violence, against people and property. Violence will not reform our economy. Violence will not rebuild our nation.”
He added: “Resolving Zimbabwe’s economic challenges is a monumental task … we are moving in the right direction. We will get there. I call for calm and peace from all of our brothers and sisters.”
Image: Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has broken with the 38-year-old tradition of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe, by deciding to bury a professor in Heroes’ Acre. [online image] (2019) sourced on 17 January 2019 from: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/z0S3QecqFwbRvy9z9SiO_FH77V-CSthmhMMopOoTAUmYWftgGHhi4f6f5b87e8FyK9ch-vLDZNyHbg9tG-ahr_E=s750
