Murambatsvina rubble removed under armed police guard

By Lance Guma
18 October 2005

The shame and anger generated by Operation Murambatsvina came to the fore when armed police details had to escort front-end loaders and lorries carrying the remaining rubble away. Unease over possible violent reactions from residents is thought to be behind the decision to escort the vehicles. During the operation, thousands of homes were destroyed using bulldozers. Only rubble was left with several roads getting blocked.

Beginning last week Thursday, the unelected commission running Harare began moves to clear the blocked roads. Each vehicle carrying rubble had an armed policeman sitting on the passenger side. For every area being worked on, at least 4 police ‘defender’ trucks could be seen providing security cover. Clearances were taking place in the Mbare areas of Joburg lines, Ardbennie Road and Nazareth near Beatrice infectious diseases hospital.

Correspondent Simon Muchemwa reports that curious residents could be seen milling around as they once again played host to armed police details removing the remnants of their own carnage. The areas with rubble had been nicknamed, ‘seri kwe gomo’ (behind the mountains) and served as a startling reminder of Robert Mugabe’s cruelty and iron fist rule.