OPPONENTS of President Mugabe’s regime in Zimbabwe are using an unlikely resistance tactic: condoms. Millions of them, bearing anti-Mugabe slogans, are being distributed in Harare and other cities in an effort to rally opposition to the Government.

The American-made condoms carry a yellow and red sticker with Bob Marley’s rebellious injunction: “Get up, stand up.” The product advertises itself as a “revolutionary condom” and gives the website of a group of non-violent underground activists called Zvakwana, which in Shona means “enough is enough”.

Zimbabwe’s official media reported that the condoms carried “an oppositional political message” and that their distribution appeared to be effected through “collusion” between the opposition group and a United States-based condom manufacturer. The US Embassy declined to comment.

“The Americans had nothing to do with it,” a member of Zvakwana, who asked not to be named, said. They had bought the condoms, glued the stickers to them and handed them out, he said.

Zvakwana has sprayed its name over walls, posters and roads as an appeal to Zimbabweans not to be cowed by repression from Mr Mugabe. The group said in an e-mailed statement that its “network of young activists” had distributed about 650,000 condoms last month. “Revolutionary condoms are vastly popular among the youth,” it said.

The condoms are part of a consignment of 89 million provided this year for Zimbabwean couples by the United States Agency for International Development as a measure to curb the spread of HIV, the virus that causes Aids.

A decree recently issued by Mr Mugabe makes it an offence to call for “resistance”. Lawyers said that possession of Zvakwana condoms might lead to four weeks in jail.

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