By Crime and Courts Reporter-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has escalated his crackdown on dissenting war veterans, using state security agencies to silence those opposing his rule.
The latest target is Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association leader Andreas Mathibela, who has come under state surveillance for criticizing Mnangagwa’s authoritarian grip on power.
The Joint Operations Command (JOC)—a shadowy security cluster comprising the CIO, Police, Army, Air Force, and Prisons—has issued a “catch and arrest” directive for Mathibela, effectively placing him on a government watchlist.
Security sources reveal that border officials at Plumtree have been instructed to intercept Mathibela if he attempts to leave Zimbabwe.
A leaked letter from the President’s Department to immigration officials at Plumtree reads:
Ref: Request for Watch-List for Persons of Security Interest
“This office kindly requests that you watch-list the following person of security interest, a Zimbabwean national: Ethan Mathibela.
Should the said individual present himself at Plumtree, Maitengwe, or Mphoengs border posts, your office is instructed to deny him exit and inform the President’s Department.”
Mathibela, aware of the escalating threats, confirmed his concerns:
“Indeed, we have gathered this information. It is obviously concerning for me and my family, especially in case of any attempts to kidnap me. I am making arrangements to ensure my family’s safety.”
Teachers Declare Strike Amid Political Crackdown
As political tensions mount, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has called for a nationwide strike on March 28, citing the government’s failure to address salary grievances despite skyrocketing inflation.
ARTUZ is demanding a minimum salary of US$1,260 for teachers and has urged educators to boycott compromised unions and directly confront the government through mass action.
“The March 28 strike is an opportunity for teachers to unite and demand fair wages without interference,” the union stated.
However, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi issued a chilling warning:
“We will not tolerate illegal protests, violence, or disruption of peace. Those who incite unrest will face the full wrath of the law.”
With Mnangagwa intensifying his authoritarian grip, both activists and workers now find themselves at the mercy of an increasingly repressive state.