By Nelson Banya
HARARE (Reuters) - A cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe has killed nearly 500 people in the biggest outbreak recorded recently in the crisis-hit country, the World Health Organisation said on Tuesday.
The cholera, easily prevented and treated under normal circumstances, is a sign of Zimbabwe's collapse as President Robert Mugabe and the opposition squabble over how to implement a power-sharing agreement.
The WHO said the cholera outbreak affected most regions of Zimbabwe with a fatality rate of up to 50 percent in some areas. It reported 473 deaths from 11,700 cases.
"Cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe have occurred annually since 1998, but previous epidemics never reached today's proportions. The last large outbreak was in 1992 with 3,000 cases recorded," the WHO said in a report.
Zimbabwean rights groups estimate that up to 1,000 people have died from the disease. The water delivery system has broken down in Harare and other cities, forcing residents to drink from contaminated wells and streams.
The country, once prosperous by regional standards, has the world's highest modern-day inflation, officially at 231 million percent but estimated to be much higher with prices doubling every 24 hours.
Food is short and limits on cash withdrawals from banks mean few can get enough money to buy a loaf of bread. Power cuts are frequent.
Zimbabweans have grown increasingly angry at the collapse of the once prosperous country, where the deadlock between veteran leader Mugabe and Tsvangirai over a power-sharing deal has delayed hope of rescuing the ruined state.
ARMY WORRIED
The army said it was worried about unprecedented clashes between soldiers and Zimbabweans on Monday and was investigating the conduct of "indisciplined" soldiers.
Dozens of unarmed soldiers were involved in running battles with mobs and riot police in central Harare after seizing cash from vendors and illegal foreign currency traders, heightening fears of growing instability in country.
"Those are just indisciplined soldiers. As you know, we've been having deserters, who are giving us problems," Simon Tsatsi, Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) spokesman told Reuters.
"We are equally worried about this development, which is in no way sanctioned by the ZNA."
Tsatsi declined to comment on the reasons behind the soldiers actions, but added that at least six troops were also arrested for similar actions last week.
"As you know, the police remain in charge of maintaining law and order during peacetime, so we're working with them and investigating this matter," Tsatsi said.
Police were not immediately available for comment.
Mugabe's government says the health system and economy are collapsing because of sanctions imposed by Western powers it says are trying to oust him for seizing thousands of white-owned farms and redistributing the land to blacks.
His critics say Mugabe, 84 and in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has ruined one of Africa's most promising economies through reckless policies and gross mismanagement.
The September 15 power-sharing deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai has offered the best hope for ending the crisis, but establishing a unity government has been held up by disputes over ministerial posts.
The MDC accuses Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party of trying to marginalise it in the shared administration. Tsvangirai said on Monday the opposition party would continue "peaceful democratic resistance."
