ZRP cops must be beaten up and taught a good lesson if they attack civilians, Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s party has said.

The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life, the party said.

Their comments came as Zimbabweans rose up in their groupings across the country and agreed on a total shut down tomorrow, Wednesday, in protest at the worsening situation in the country.

For the first time in Zimbabwean history, a political party has told the public to attack the police in retaliation. This historic juncture also saw the police commissioner Gen Augustine Chihuri yesterday surrendering to public pressure as he ordered junior officers to give in the public demands also strictly instructing them not to agitate the people ( ALSO READ – Chihuri Surrenders to Povo).

A fore-taste was Monday when taxi drivers went on strike, parked their cars resulting in hours of running battles with the police. Several groups including Pastor Evan Mawarire’s #TheFlag campaign, including other shadowy unidentified groups have warned of escalated violence, imploring citizens to remain in doors the whole day, Wednesday.
Civil servants grouped under the Apex-Council will also down tools Wednesday in protest over their salaries, they have not been paid on time.
The police has responded by voicing out threats on civillians. ZimEye can confirm that some riot tankers have been deployed to some volatile towns such as Chitungwiza. Monday’s skirmishes however, saw police in some areas being overwhelmed by angry crowds, and ZimEye can confirm that the order to react against civilians violently has not been fully received by lower police and military ranks who like others have also not received their salaries.
Armoured police trucks were seen along Seke road heading to Chitungwiza on Tuesday morning.
Schools in Harare and other parts of the country have also told pupils not to come for lessons until Friday.
Civil society organisations and opposition political parties are supporting the planned national strike which they say will force President Robert Mugabe to resign.
National Constitutional Assembly party, NCA, has urged the public to retaliate if they are attacked by the police tomorrow.
“The public must be fully aware that anyone in a police uniform must behave accordingly and once they start unleashing violence on citizens they are surely not police officers and members of the public are urged to protect themselves from violent attacks to preserve life that is sacrosanct,” Terence Maoneke, NCA, national youth chairperson said in a statement Tuesday.