Zimbabwe: Government warns that violent repression is a "taste of things to come" as families cry

The Zimbabwean government warned that its brutal crackdown on protesters was a "foretaste of things to come" as families lamented the deaths of at least a dozen people.

Speak to state-controlled Sunday mail President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman denied the widely accepted conclusion that the protests are the result of a dramatic increase in the price of gasoline.

Instead, George Charamba accused Nelson Chamisa, head of the country's main opposition party, the MDC, of ​​organizing the protests and warned of reprisals.

"The government will not stand by as long as such narrow interests are expressed so violently. The answer to date is just a taste of things to come, "said Charamba.

The government's statement comes as many deplore the death of a young footballer who was shot dead by security forces on Tuesday.

Kelvin Tinashe Choto is one of at least 12 people who were killed last week as part of the crackdown by the security forces.

Shortly after the murder of this 22-year-old man, a photo of his bruised body lying on the reception desk of a local police station was broadcast on social media.

The badbadination of Mr. Choto became the focus of protests and repression, undermining many Zimbabweans' confidence in Mr. Mnangagwa's government.

Mr. Chamisa attended the ceremony on behalf of Mr. Choto and denounced the violence of the security forces, saying that the victims of this week's attacks should be compensated by the government.

"It's a sick government," he said at the funeral as he held Mr. Choto's seven-month-old daughter. "Because no serious government will deploy the army and ammunition on ordinary citizens."

Unlike some people who were attacked by security forces, Mr. Choto was not a political activist. He was captain of a small football team near Harare and planned to travel to South Africa to play for a better paid team.

"It was our future," said his father, Julius Choto, at Saturday's funeral. "He was disciplined, respectable and nonviolent. He was only interested in his football. "

Mr. Choto said his son had attended the demonstrations from a football field when he was shot.

"I was stolen," said his father. "He was my only son and his future was brilliant. I was stolen by the state. "

Dozens of Zimbabweans were reportedly shot dead during the crackdown. Others say that they were tracked down at night and severely beaten by soldiers and masked men in civilian clothes.

Two men, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, said Associated press they were brutally beaten by the security forces.

"They arrived in the middle of the night, knocking on doors and throwing tear gas to force us out.Once they gathered all the men present in the area, they badaulted us at the airport. using motorcycle chains, "said a man, referring to security forces from house to house.

Albert Taurai, who was in the hospital with a broken spine, said he had been attacked by plainclothes gunmen when he had ventured out in search of bread.

He stated that they had hit him, as well as other people, with iron bars on his back, thighs and ankles "so that we could not run away."

"I'm 46," said Mr. Taurai AP. "I saw Mugabe and Mnangagwa. It's just worse than Mugabe. "

Reports of attacks came as government-imposed Internet closures continued throughout the country, which critics have called for attempts to conceal abuses.

Dewa Mayhinga, director of Human Rights Watch for Southern Africa, said the closure of the internet had allowed security forces to commit acts of violence "in the privacy of the eyes of the International community".

Charamba said Saturday night that the closure was intended to put an end to the coordinated violence of the protesters.

Additional reports by agencies