There is a lot of speculation in the media these days about coup attempts and other ficticious plots to overthow the thug regime of Robert Mugabe. The truth is that these so-called coup attempts are all to do with deep paranioa within the ruling zanupf regime. Mugabe is attempting to achieve two objectives. Firstly, by stage managing coup plots, he is able to keep his own party’s waring factions in line. Secondly, he can use “coup plots” to stage manage further attacks on his perceived enemies, Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic change.
Mugabe has changed his tactics from last March when he boastfully carried out his head bashing exercise on the opposition and other civic movements. Readers may recall seeing pictures of opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, with a deep laceration to his head after the severe assault on him by Mugabe’s police. I met with Tsvangirai recently and am pleased to report that he has recovered, bar a few headaches. In fact, despite what has happened, it has made him more determined to free Zimbabwe from Mugabe’s dictatorship.
The assault on the opposition continues but there is now a slight variation. Mugabe’s state orchestrated new tactics are to beat admissions of guilt out of their victims.
Here is a verbatum report from ground zero just in:
The following is a victim’s statement taken in Marondera yesterday. Please note that the trend is now to torture MDC victims into extricating statements admitting that they had:
1) petrol bombed
2) gone to South Africa for training
3) received training in sabotage
so it fits in with “coup plot” in line with allegations being made against certain military officers!
“I, GT, reside in Marondera was abducted on the 29th May, 2007 and released on the 4th June, 2007.
As an MDC activist, my house was burnt down and property worth millions of dollars was destroyed, by unknown assailants whom I suspect as Zanu PF or CIO. It was on the 23rd May, 2007 when nobody was at home, around 10 am, when somebody phoned me that the house was on fire. Everything was burnt to ashes. I reported the case to the Police.
On the 29th May, 2007 I went to Harare seeking some assistance from any organisation that can assist, since my property was destroyed, because I had nothing to eat and no blankets. That is when I met some MDC activists namely AC, and GM, who told me that there was somebody who can help me. We went together to Winston Court where the person was. Whilst some introductions were proceeding a group of CIO’s came and opened the door. They had some video cameras. They ordered everyone to stand up and surrender everything that we had in our pockets including our cell phones. It was around 2pm. We were told that we were dealing in foreign currency and then they proceeded to blindfold us with masking tape. They tied our hands and took us into a van downstairs. We could not tell exactly where they were driving us to. We were taken into a basement where the suspected CIO handed us to MIU. We were beaten and tortured and accused to toppling the government by midnight on the 2nd June. They used electric rods to turture us while recording us some statements of which we were made to admit that we were planning to stage a Coup. We were told that we were sabotaging the government and that we were influencing civil servants to rise up against the government.
We were blindfolded from Tuesday 29th May to Wednesday 30th May at 10pm. The CIO took us to different Police Stations ie Matapi, Rhodesville, Highlands, Mbare, Stoddart, Harare Central and Waterfalls.
We were denied food and water. On Thursday we were taken to Harare Central Law and Order Section. Statements were recorded again, and also our photographs were taken. The cells were dirty and again we were denied food, water, blankets and access to lawyers. Relatives were not allowed to visit.
We were released on Monday 4th June, 2007 “no charge”. The CIO’s stole my cell phone, jacket and money.”
This week saw Zimbabwe’s weak currency crash to new lows. Despite what some analysts may say, Mugabe still has a few choices and he is now more dangerous than he ever was. His next move to retain power and control loyalty will be his give-away of 51% of all public companies to his cronies. This undoubtedly be his last card prior to all out military control.
In the meantime, there is little confidence that Thabo Mbeki will solve this one with quiet diplomacy. For most Zimbabweans, the dream is to see Mugabe alongside Taylor of Liberia at the Hague answering charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
