Heavy police presence in Bulawayo – soldiers “on standby”

An unusually large number of police officers and soldiers has been noted in the streets of Bulawayo this evening(Sunday).
Residents in the city report that there is an extremely unusual patrol by heavily armed police in anti riot gear around the city’s CBD and major townships.
Police vehicles carrying officers in anti riot gear here were noted early Sunday evening around Mzilikazi, Makokoba and Thorngroove areas. More vehicles were spotted later traveling along Luveve Road and areas around Pumula and Magwegwe high density suburbs.
By around 8pm the city’s CBD areas was reported clear as police officers intimidated people out of the city. Most bars and drinking places were reported to be closing early at the time of writing this as patrons made their way home earlier than usual following reports of heavy police presence around the city.
Some residents from Mahatshula area claims to have also noted an increased number of soldiers and heavy army artillery at Brady Barracks. One resident suggests that the soldiers could be on standby to compliment the police in their unusually heavy patrols in case there is need for reinforcement.
It was not clear why the police suddenly intensified their patrols in the city.
Some analysts however attributed the patrols to a social media message making quick runs around the country calling on all civil servants and other workers to stay away from their work places tomorrow.
Meanwhile, as at the time of this article, unconfirmed reports claimed that police have fired teargas canisters in the streets of Harare. The reports were still very sketchy and ZimEye correspondences are on their way to the scenes of the suspected teargas firing.
There is a generally tense atmosphere around the country following government’s failure to pay civil servants’ December salaries as scheduled. Doctors and nurses across the country are already reportedly on a mass labour action with most not reporting for duty today or on a go slow at their work stations.