Police in Zimbabwe have started arresting protesters as they attempt to stop a major anti-government protest on Friday.
Already outspoken writer Tsitsi Dangarembga has tweeted that she has been arrested in the capital, Harare.
Dangarembga just this week was included on the Booker Prize long-list for her novel “This Mournable Body”.
The writer is also a well-known critic of the Zimbabwe government.
She was arrested along with another person identified as Julie Barnes and taken away by police while protesting in a suburb of the city.
Arrested with Julie Barnes
— Tsitsi Dangarembga (@efie41209591) July 31, 2020
From her place of detention the writer has been tweeting about what was going on.
She eventually said she may not be able to continue tweeting since she and others arrested were being transferred.
Sitting in the floor. pic.twitter.com/GXTbg6lxFW
— Tsitsi Dangarembga (@efie41209591) July 31, 2020
On Friday security forces were deployed to patrol the streets ahead of the planned anti-government demonstration.
On Thursday the steers in Harare and other major cities were cleared while shops were closed.
Zimbabwe’s opposition and Civil Society groups have been mobilizing citizens for a mass protest to demand the release of over a 100,000 people who have been arrested for flouting restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The government has warned that demonstrations will be treated as terrorists and severely dealt with.
Zimbabwe is facing an economic crisis as well as a pandemic and President Mnangagwa is under pressure to perform.
Source: Africafeeds.com
