Harare (New Ziana) – President Emerson Mnangagwa on Monday said violent attacks against the country’s security forces would not be tolerated and that perpetrators of such crimes risked attracting severe consequences.
His statement follows the murder of a soldier who was on Covid-19 patrol duty in Chivhu on Saturday last week by two assailants.
The two assailants, who have since been found and killed in a shootout with a joint police and army crack unit, had shot two soldiers and escaped with their service rifles and ammunition.
The other soldier who was wounded in the attack is battling for his life at a Harare hospital.
President Mnangagwa said:”Government will not tolerate anyone who attacks, harms or kills any member of the security establishment, let alone disarming and unlawfully taking arms of war in their possession. Any breach of this nature will attract severe punishment.”
President Mnangagwa described the attack on the two soldiers as cowardly and senseless.
He consoled the family of the deceased.
“On behalf of the government, the Zimbabwe Defense Forces and on my own behalf, I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Lance Corporal Mupanganyama on his untimely death. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” he said.
“In the same breath, i wish a speedy recovery to Corporal Peter Zvirevo who sustained injuries during the attack and to Corporal Stanalious Chiunye who was shot at yesterday (Sunday) in the course of apprehending the suspected assailants. Our hearts and prayers are with all the affected families.”
President Mnangagwa commended the Chivhu community for speedily coming to the aid of the wounded soldiers on the day of the attack.
“Their actions were a show of great compassion and high respect for the work our soldiers do to ensure national security and a demonstration of the spirit of Ubuntu that has come to characterize our great nation,” he said.
New Ziana
