A group of soldiers were allegedly arrested recently, for reportedly stealing weapons from an army barracks in Harare. The Zimbabwe Times said 13 soldiers are accused of stealing 20 AK47 rifles and three shotguns from the armoury at Pomona Barracks.

The Zimbabwe Times named the detained soldiers as: Sungiso Musa, Darlington Kanyingwe, Nyaruwata Lawyers, Charles Muzondo, Dzingai T Chibutwaka, Stanley Mvindwa, Chamunorwa Chinyere, Maxwell Samudzi, Cosmore Mangenda, Misheck Kangwa, Callistus Mutero, David
Hamandishe and Farai Chitsiko. It’s reported the soldiers are being denied access to their families and that there are 10 more junior officers who were arrested over the same case, but their whereabouts are unknown.

The Zimbabwean newspaper alleged that at least ‘12 soldiers died after they were brutally tortured by military intelligence agents following the disappearance of an assortment of guns and bombs from Pomona barracks.’

It is extremely difficult to verify these reports, as military operations are a closely guarded secret, but the Zimbabwean went on to say: “The dozen soldiers, who were in a coma, died at Two Medical Company Hospital at KGV1 in Harare, while other soldiers are still admitted at the hospital and in a coma after undergoing what some soldiers described as 'robust and intense' interrogation at the hands of the Military Intelligence Division.”

The revelations come amidst claims by the MDC-T that ZANU PF is targeting their officials in a desperate attempt to link the party to the alleged disappearance of an arms cache from the barracks. A house belonging to the MDC in Harare was raided just over a week ago, with the police saying they were looking for weapons, but found none.

Political commentator Professor John Makumbe says that it is quite possible that some soldiers may have snatched some weapons, with the idea of tackling the regime. The outspoken critic said: “I read it without hesitation to say it’s largely true. There is no smoke without fire and there is a lot of disenchantment with ZANU PF at all levels of the security structures.”

Professor Makumbe said he believed this could also be infighting linked to the late Vice President Joseph Msika’s exit and the prospect that either John Nkomo the current ZANU PF Chairman, or someone from PF ZAPU, might ascend to the position of Vice President. He said the succession issues, especially for the position of Vice President and the ZANU PF chairmanship, are opening up a major fight within the party.

Makumbe said right now the ZANU PF province within Harare has failed to elect a provincial leadership, because of the factionalism. He said there is a lot of horse-trading going on in ZANU PF and there is a lot of concern over the Global Political Agreement where the old guard, the hardliners, are afraid of receding into the shadows. He said: “These are factors that can cause people to panic and go into all kinds of clandestine deals, including murders.”

Furthermore, the commentator said Robert Mugabe has completely militarised the structures of government because he needs the military support to maintain his position and to threaten any perceived opponents.