By Political Reporter- The military has imposed a silent curfew in the Harare city centre until the end of the ongoing  SADC Summit.

Workers from fast-food outlets and those who do night duties are being threatened by police while moving around town after 9 PM.

One employee shared in their WhatsApp group that they faced intimidation from the police for being out after “curfew”. Said the employee:

(We were) threatened by police while closing doors at (name of shop supplied). They asked us what we were still doing in town after 9 PM.

Another employee said that it was challenging for workers finishing their shifts late to find transportation, as the kombi had been driven out of town. Said the employee:

We were chased after by the police. They did not care that we were in our uniforms. Now there is no transport, allcommuter omnibuses have been chased out of town. Be careful guys.

Along Julius Nyerere (Way), people are being beaten up. They are being ordered to board any form of transport they see and vacate town. Be very careful for those who are still in town.

On Friday, 16 August, George Charamba, the Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet (Presidential Communications), said there was no curfew in Harare. He posted on his @dhonzamusoro007 handle on X:

No curfew in Harare or any part of the country. The problem of people who grew up after the liberation war is not knowing what a curfew is. When the curfew is in place, you will not need your foreign friends to tell you.

And after all, you won’t even say a thing. You will be silenced to an extent where you feel that the curfew is indeedoperational. Don’t wish for bad things. We can make you taste just a bit of it.

In recent days, convoys of military tanks, police outriders, anti-riot units, and water cannons have been patrolling many high-density residential areas.