Police banned rallies and demonstrations across much of Harare yesterday, imposing a virtual state of emergency in the Zimbabwean capital.

In the clearest sign yet of government alarm at the deepening public discontent over the country’s economic collapse, it invoked the three-month prohibitions under the draconian Public Order and Security Act.

The Act was brought into effect for the first time because existing regulations were “insufficient to prevent public disorder,” officials said.

Kembo Mohadi, the Home Affairs Minister, last week imposed a blanket ban on all political meetings “due to the volatile situation all over the country”.

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The clampdown — in the 27th year of President Mugabe’s rule — is taking place as opposition groups begin campaigns for presidential elections due next year. Rival factions within the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have promised to continue public protests in defiance of the prohibitions.

“This is a de facto state of emergency,” said Tendai Biti, secretary-general of the larger faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai, the former national trade union head. “We are going to go ahead with our meetings. If they want to beat us up, they can beat us up. We will not give up.” Nothing would be achieved “unless we get arrested, beaten up and shot at”.

David Coltart, shadow justice minister for the faction led by Arthur Mutambara, an academic, said: “For the first time in years, I am very excited.

It looks like we are going somewhere.” The bans were “an indication of the sense of paranoia” within the Government, he said.

“It would be a worry if we felt that the Government was in full control of all the service arms. But from what I have seen in Bulawayo last week, there are elements in the police who clearly lack the will to enforce the regime’s will.”

Witnesses cited unprecedented boldness by opposition supporters and timidity by police during encounters at demonstrations last week. In Bulawayo, Mr Mutambara stormed through the ranks of riot police to lead a march through the city without being hindered. Under normal circumstances he could have expected a beating and spent several days in police cells.

“[The Government’s] intelligence is showing them that levels of anger are higher than they have ever been,” said Mr Coltart. “They also know that the levels of anger and frustration in the police are very high.”

Mr Biti said that they would continue to pursue legal challenges to the Government, including charges of contempt of court against police for defying an order not to interfere with a big MDC rally in Harare on Sunday. Dozens of people were injured and vehicles stoned and burnt in unrest after riot police used baton charges, teargas and water cannon to drive off people arriving for the rally.

The ban on meetings came on Mr Mugabe’s 83rd birthday, marked by many advertisements in the state press showing a beaming Mr Mugabe, and glorifying him for his “sublime qualities of leadership”, On the eve of his birthday, he rambled, often incoherently, through an hour-long interview on state television, in which he expressed shock at the squabbling among senior party officials to be next in line for the presidency before he had stepped down.

“Even when they are not thinking of being president, they are thinking of where they would be and who they should support. I didn’t expect that,” he said. “There are no vacancies.”

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