This week I saw clear evidence that the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Mugabe's much feared and fiercely loyal secret police force, is alarmed by the government's latest attempt to control inflation, and has warned top politicians that it could lead to total economic collapse and a mass revolt against the President.
Three weeks ago, in a desperate bid to control an inflation rate of 5,000 per cent, the ruling Zanu-PF party ordered shops, businesses and all commerce to slash prices of basic commodities by 50 per cent or more. CIO hit squads and other paramilitaries went from shop to shop enforcing the order. The result was a desperate rush to buy by the hungry populace.
This week I was shown a copy of an astonishing memorandum, written by the CIO's director general, Happyton Bonyongwe, and addressed to the Minister of State Security, Didymus Mutasa. It warned of chaos and revolt once the shelves are empty.
"Basic commodities like sugar, bread, mealie-meal and cooking oil will soon be available only on the black market at even more exorbitant prices... This will lead to people becoming even angrier with the government, especially the President, whom they have always held responsible for their suffering," Bonyongwe wrote.
"This will then see them rising up against the President in mass public revolts that might succeed in toppling the government."
The two-page memorandum, dated July 18, reference number BN113/2007 and titled "Impact Of Price Monitoring And Stabilisation On National Security", was also sent to Obert Mpofu, minister of industry and international trade, who chairs the task force on price monitoring, and home affairs minister Kembo Mohadi.
It goes on to say that as a result of the government's efforts, shops and industries are dismissing workers and scaling down their operations - something which will "worsen hunger and worsen this deep rooted anger against the President."
This warning - an extraordinary step move by the head of the brutal organisation that keeps Mugabe in power - may still fall on deaf ears amongst top government ministers. Many of them are said to be planning take-overs of businesses when they are forced to cease trading.
I called state security minister Mutasa for his comments on the memorandum, and after the usual abuse of media he considers hostile he admitted that he had not yet read it.
Then he told me there would be no change in governmental policy towards food prices.
"We are not going back. People cannot be taken for granted by profiteering firms that want to be a law unto themselves. They should be warned that they will soon find themselves out of business if they do not want to comply with our orders."
With such intransigence at the top of government, it is no wonder that the hard men of the CIO are looking nervously over their shoulders and speculating about what starving people will do when driven to desperation.
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