Mavambo official flee

Col Dendere told The Zimbabwean that members of the CIO were not comfortable with document that he wrote which called  Mavambo  to take a pro-active position and help protect victims of violence during the build up to the presidential run off elections.

In the document Dendere states that by virtue of being one of the major players in the March 29 harmonized elections Makoni remains a key stakeholder to the resolution of the current political crisis in the country.  As such it is important that both Makoni and Mavambo become pro- active rather than adopt a reactive posture to the events in the country.

Dendere further states that most of the supporters of the Mavambo movement have their roots in ZANU PF and were aware that ZANU PF will go to any length to achieve its set objectives.The very militant nature of the party stems from its days as a liberation movement. As a ruling party it has maintained close links with the military. It has provided the retiring home for many soldiers who have gone on to contest as members of parliament.

Dendere says because of the extent of violence during the build up to the run off, Makoni should push for a negotiated settlement.Dendere states that the ward-based nature of the previous election had led to the partial revelation of the identity of the voters.  This he said had led to the identification of villages that were singled out as MDC activists, supporters and sympathizers.

The retired col who left the country with his family on the eve of the presidential run off and is now in Brussels, Belgium said  the net effect of the violence unleashed on the people in the rural areas had been to cow them into submitting to ZANU PF domination at least to save their life and property.

After the announcement of the run off dates Dendere had been working with voluntary  non governmental organizations in assisting victims of violence in the ZANU PF terror campaign. Dendere had also briefed the team of retired military officers from South Africa deployed  by the SADC mediator Thabo Mbeki in May to try and  establish  the extent of violence during the build up to the presidential run off elections.

Dendere said he had been under pressure from the state agents to persuade  Makoni to issue a statement to the effect that he would support Robert Mugabe in the run off which he was not prepared to do as the position of the movement was that in the event of the run off going ahead it would put its weight behind Morgan Tsvangirayi.