Terrence Mawawa|Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner General Godwin Matanga has said he sought the support of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to quell the “violent disturbances that rocked Harare on August 1.”

Matanga claimed there was no time for discussions as the demonstrators wanted to march to State House.

“We had to invite the army to assist us because we had deployed our officers to various polling stations to assist in the voting process,” Matanga said.

“I was going to lose my job had I not acted in the manner I did. I got information that the demonstrators were trying to fight the army but unfortunately some members of the public died.”