By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) yesterday threatened to clamp down on social media users who “cyber-bully” government officials, which critics say is meant to muzzle critics of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on social media.

Media experts also accused the government of trying to close media space. This came as Harare’s provincial development co-ordinator Tafadzwa Muguti claimed he was being targeted on social media, while Zanu PF last week also claimed that Mnangagwa was a victim of online cyber-bullying.

“The ZRP warns individuals and groups from committing crimes through cyber-bullying of government officials who will be performing their constitutional and lawful obligations in terms of service delivery to Zimbabweans,” the police said in a terse statement.

They further said the cyber-bullying of government officials was perpetrated by “certain groups of suspects who know their arrest is imminent”.

Police tagged Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana and Muguti in their statement on Twitter.