Police crackdown on honk against Mugabe campaign in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe - In an effort to crush an embryonic protest campaign, police have arrested two opposition leaders for encouraging drivers to express their anger with President Robert Mugabe by honking.

Movement for Democratic Change lawmaker Abednico Bhebhe and senior aide Ferdinand Dropper were arrested late Thursday while putting up posters reading: "Hoot, enough is enough."

Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said Friday the men will be charged under strict new security laws, alleging their action was aimed at inciting public disorder and violence or would endanger public safety.

The charges carry a maximum sentence of five years in jail under the sweeping Public Order and Security Act that critics say was designed to stifle opposition to Mugabe.

In November, the government made it illegal to make offensive gestures at Mugabe's motorcade.

Bvudzijena said the two opposition officials were arrested while posting slogans on factory gates and walls in the western city of Bulawayo.

Literature and leaflets on the honking campaign were found in their car, he said.

Though opposition officials have spoken of launching such protests in urban MDC strongholds, Bhebhe, a lawmaker from western Zimbabwe, and Dropper were the first to start putting up the posters.

Opposition spokesman Paul Themba Nyati called the arrests "blatant harassment," saying they were meant "to silence any dissenting voices in the country, especially the voice of the opposition."

Mugabe, 78, was declared the narrow victor last March in presidential elections against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Independent observers said the polls were deeply flawed, and the opposition has refused to endorse Mugabe's new six-year term, accusing Mugabe of vote rigging and intimidating voters.

The opposition has called for a rerun of the poll and promised to begin a campaign of civil disobedience.

A honking protest had been used by political campaigners in neighboring Zambia, but it was quickly banned. Only honking during routine traffic flow and celebrations over sports matches, weddings and other events was allowed.

Zimbabwe is suffering its worst economic crisis since Mugabe led the nation to independence from Britain in 1980.

An estimated 6.7 million people, more than half the population, face hunger in coming months. Acute food shortages have been blamed on drought and agricultural disruptions caused by the seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms.

The scarcity of hard currency has caused gasoline shortages that have kept long lines of vehicles waiting outside gas stations for the past three weeks.

Long food lines at stores are also commonplace. Inflation and unemployment have soared.

More than 200 people, mostly opposition supporters, have died in nearly three years of political violence.

Zimbabwe is suffering its worst economic crisis since Mugabe led the nation to independence from Britain in 1980.

Revisionist history?

Last time I checked, Ian Smith led Rhodesia to declare its independence from Britain, not Mugabe.

An estimated 6.7 million people, more than half the population, face hunger in coming months. Acute food shortages have been blamed on drought and agricultural disruptions caused by the seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms.
The scarcity of hard currency has caused gasoline shortages that have kept long lines of vehicles waiting outside gas stations for the past three weeks.
Long food lines at stores are also commonplace. Inflation and unemployment have soared.
More than 200 people, mostly opposition supporters, have died in nearly three years of political violence.

What's wrong with this picture: the economy has been ruined, the farms destroyed, people are starving, and being murdered by the madman Mugabe, and they want to organize a horn-honking campaign.

What is wrong with these people? For crying out loud, we told King George III to take his Parliament and shove it for trying to levy a tax on legal transactions (Stamp Act). When he tried to tax our tea (Tea Tax) , we dressed up as Indians, snuck aboard the ship loaded with British tea, and SMASHED THE BOXES and THREW THE CARGO IN BOSTON HARBOR! And when he sent troops against the colonial militia at Concord and Lexington, we shot his soldiers and chased them all the way back to Boston!

I don't care if you call it Zimbabwe, Rhodesia, or Never-Never Land; the people there of every race need to get off their asses, quit honking their damned horns, and start killing some of the thugs who are trying to KILL them!

They need to stop blowing their horns and start blowing things up!

Arrrrggghhhhh!

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