Zimbabwe Army Boss Is Said to Demand: Who Ordered Crackdown?

  • Sibanda never authorized troop deployment, officials say
  • Six people died in unrest that saw troops fire on protesters
Zimbabwe National Army Commander Philip Valerio Sibanda.JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images)
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Zimbabwe’s armed forces chief is demanding to know who ordered troops last week to break up protests against the ruling party’s election victory and why he wasn’t informed about the decision, according to three senior government officials.

General Philip Valerio Sibanda asked for an explanation from President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, his advisers and intelligence chiefs of the events on Aug. 1 that left six people dead in the capital, Harare, and raised questions about who controls the security forces. No one shed light on what happened, according to the officials, who have details of the Aug. 3 meeting but asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to comment.