Persecution of MDC officials goes too far

Tsvangirai’s top aide, Elton Mangoma, been formally charged with criminal abuse of office. Zanu (PF) spokesman Rugare Gumbo gave the impression that there was nothing at all bizarre about the government’s latest attempt to persecute the MDC minister of Energy and Power Development.

But to many Zimbabweans, the depths to which Zanu (PF) has now sunk can longer be considered ordinary. Detaining a minister for two weeks, over a deal that his permanent secretary as the accounting officer conducted, ought to be absolutely the limit of their aberration. “If someone commits a crime, why should he not be arrested?” asked Zanu

(PF) spokesman Rugare Gumbo.

“The MDC always talks about the rule of law. If the police establish that someone has committed a crime what’s wrong if that person is arrested? We find it absurd that each time something happens against the MDC, they say it’s a violation of human rights but if it happens to Zanu (PF), they say they must go to jail. Let’s be balanced,” he said.

Tsvangirai said last week it was surprising that the long arm of the law was only kinetic when it came to MDC officials and became paralysed when cases were brought against Zanu (PF). “In the past few weeks Zimbabweans have been shocked that there have been various concessions granted to companies other than Mbada and Canadile in Marange diamond fields,” Tsvangirai says. “These include Anjin, which has been mining for more than 18 months in partnership with the police and the army and has not remitted any cent to Treasury.

“It is obviously surprising how a State organ such as the ZNA could be involved in mining activities. It is also surprising how new concessions could have been granted without the scrutiny of Cabinet committees,” said the MDC president. The police have been completely disinterested in pursing the minister of Mines and Mining Development over $313 million which has vanished from Marange diamond revenues.

“Indeed, Zanu (PF) corruption infests and infects every aspect of our economy and Government,” Tsvangirai said. “To take example amongst hundreds, in the past year, more than three official complaints of corruption have been made to the police against Minister Ignatius Chombo and yet the police have refused to investigate these allegations. “The arrest of minister Mangoma is an attempt to cloud and obscure the massive corruption in Zimbabwe. It is an attempt to embarrass the people’s party of excellence. The people of Zimbabwe are not foolish.

The people of Zimbabwe are not cowards. The people of Zimbabwe will not accept this,” he said. Nyanga North MP Douglas Mwonzora and 23 other MDC members were freed from remand prison last week after the High Court granted them US$50 bail each on alleged political violence charges. But this was only after hours of interrogation and almost a month in jail, which observers say smacks of psychological terror tactics.

Shepherd Mushonga of Mazowe Central has also been granted bail after languishing in jail for almost a month on what the MDC says are “trumped up” charges of digging quarry stones in Chiweshe from a Zanu (PF) councillor. The councillor claimed that the stones were worth US$700. The MP is building a clinic in his constituency.

Another MDC MP, Costin Muguti of Gokwe Kabuyuni is still in police custody in Gokwe on allegations of committing violence in Kadoma. In January, Munyaradzi Gwisai and 45 others were arrested for watching a video of the revolution in Egypt. Six of them are still languishing in solitary confinement at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. To compound matters, there has been the unrelenting invocation of section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, which has meant that even where bail has been granted, people have remained in detention.

The world is expected to believe that, on the basis of a video film available to anyone with a TV set, the police will to build a cast-iron case of treason against the six. The key witnesses will be police officers who busted the meeting where they allege a plot to overthrow Mugabe was mooted.

Legal experts say the entire case has been built like a house of cards. As comic opera, it would probably win some prizes, but as a serious attempt to punish six citizens who allegedly cold-bloodedly planned to overthrow the 87-year-old head of state, dogged by ill-health for years, it would be laughed out of any court, but not in Zimbabwe, said one observer.

It is only too obvious that Zanu (PF) felt compelled to deal with Mangoma, who has instituted wide-reaching reforms at NOCZIM and exposed theft of US$35million by regime cronies, he had to be dealt with. Mangoma was set up. The State Press has gone into overdrive to bolster the government’s shaky case against him, and has virtually made itself part of the prosecution team. In many respects, State TV reported as if it was the plaintiff.

As to how the case will eventually pan out, it would be wise to leave that to the courts. But legal exerts are already giving a word of warning to the government: they could tie themselves into so many knots in this wild attempt to prevent Tsvangirai from challenging Mugabe in the forthcoming poll. Already government is saddled with massive lawsuits for malicious prosecutions. “This persecution could convince the fence-sitters which way to vote,” says political commentator Ronald Shumba.