Ahead of the crucial elections, army officers on leave have been called back to the barracks as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks to control the military.
This has now been extended to those at Cleveland Shooting Range in Arcturus, Harare.
The decision was taken after reports that some soldiers were rampaging at night, defacing Mnangagwa’s campaign posters in Mabvuku, Harare, resulting in Zanu PF officials complaining.
A source told The NewsHawks: “The regiments stationed at Cleveland Shooting Range in Harare are being dismantled today, 28 July as soon as the Air Force competition ends.
“Soldiers based at the range, especially from 2 Brigade in Harare, Artillery in Shamva and 3 Brigade in Mutare were alleged to have had sprees of tearing Zanu PF President ED’s posters in Mabvuku. The Zanu PF Mabvuku leadership raised a complaint that the soldiers were a menace, especially at night.
The order to totally demobilise the range is immediate. All soldiers are going back to their barracks where they were also forced to register at their polling stations.”
A CIO-run structure, Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ, has taken over the running of the upcoming elections, with the army playing a peripheral role.
FAZ is led by CIO co-deputy director-general, retired Brigadier-General Walter Tapfumaneyi.This has created tensions within the security forces.
Source Bulawayo24
