‘Zimbabwe Today’ by Robb WJ Ellis (02-12-2007)

As the dust settles following the “Million Man March”, the stories of activities away from the throng of people have started to emerge…

“His name is Arnold Tigere, and a couple of days ago he and two friends were having a drink in a crowded bar. The conversation came round to yesterday’s march, and Arnold, a supporter of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), expressed his opinion.

“I just questioned the motive of the march,” he told me. “I asked why, if Mugabe is as popular as he says he is, people had to march up and down to prove it. What I didn’t know was, sitting next to us were four members of the CIO.” A moment later Arnold was staring down the barrel of a revolver.

The CIO men – for those who are happily ignorant, the CIO is the Central Intelligence Organisation, otherwise known as Mugabe’s Murderous Thugs – escorted Arnold and his two friends outside, and pushed them into a white Toyota Land Cruiser.

“They drove us out of Harare for about 10 kilometres. Then they threw us out of the vehicle, beat us up, and left us there to die.“

When it comes to the CIO, these three men, even though they are hospitalised because of their injuries, are probably luckier than some. In other cases, the victims have not been dumped on the side of an abandoned road to die, they have just been dumped – already dead….

“But can we take it that those who did march for Mugabe did so willingly? No we can’t. I know, for instance, that vendors in Harare’s high density suburbs, such as Mbare, Kuwadzana, Budiriro, Glenview and Chitungwiza, some 25 kilometres south of the capital, were ordered to close their market stalls and join the march. The alternative was a beating, and two Mbare traders who resisted are now in critical condition in hospital.

The streets of Harare were well policed, with more than 3,000 uniformed officers and soldiers on duty. Those not on duty were told to change out of uniform into civilian clothes to help make up the numbers on the march.“

You see, in Zimbabwe, if you are expected to be ‘patriotic’, and aren’t, then expect to either receive a beating and be forced to join the masses, or expect a beating and imprisonment.

This is how Mugabe’s party works. Violence and intimidation. It always has been his way and is not about to change anytime soon. The police, army, war veterans, youth militia and brigades are all under strict orders to beat and resistance down – regardless of who sees it.

Then Mugabe himself denies the violence, and because he said it, then it didn’t happen…

By the way, this article pegs the cost of the march at ZW$5 trillion…

“A Harare Court has summoned police commissioner Augustine Chihuri, five police officers from Marlborough police station and Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono in connection with a complaint of harassment and illegal detention of kombi owners, drivers and conductors wrongly accused of stealing the central bank chief’s diesel.

A Harare Magistrate Court in its order said that prima facie (on first impression) there is enough evidence to proceed against the accused under allegations of voluntarily causing hurt, voluntarily causing hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property, theft, house trespass in order to commit offence punishable with imprisonment and criminal intimidation.

They are suing for Z$5billion. The 5 officers, Chihuri and Gono have to appear in court on December 3, for the arguments on charge.“

As per most things in Zimbabwe, when a judicial order is issued that goes against the grain for ZANU PF stalwarts, the order is ignored or defied and the judiciary, so badly influenced by the ruling party can do little or nothing to counter it.

Justice in Zimbabwe comes at a price.

“In a criminal complaint filed in the court the kombi drivers alleged that they had been harassed, threatened and beaten by the police on allegations of stealing the governor's fuel.

ZimDaily heard that police launched a sustained harassment campaign over the past three weeks on the fleet of kombis servicing the Greencroft/City route as well as Marlborough and Civic Centre on allegations they were pirating using fuel they stole from Gono.“

The fuel was allegedly stolen from a guarded truck parked outside the Governor’s mansion. If the truck was guarded, then I suggest that their investigation should home in a little closer to their security personnel.

“An apoplectic governor Gono was said to have ordered that the fuel be recovered “to the last drop.”

What followed was a massive crackdown on all kombi drivers. Kombi owners also had their homes raided and thoroughly searched by detectives.“

Stories like this break the illusion that Gono is a reasonable man. He has often and loudly stated that he disagrees with the land grab, and has crossed swords with various people in Mugabe’s government about the price slash order and the economic situation, but this story drops the facade.

He is no different from any other member of ZANU PF. Selfish, pig-headed and full of his own self-importance.

I have been writing this page for almost three years, and I have come to associate the ruling party with death, destruction, intimidation and violence. Mind you, I had that impression before I left Zimbabwe, and long before I started this page.

“The Movement for Democratic Change Mashonaland East provincial executive on Saturday night narrowly escaped what the opposition party has described as an assassination attempt after one of the new official MDC vehicles was attacked by ruling party thugs at the Mutoko Centre.

The MDC provincial executive for Mashonaland East had just wound up its campaign programme in Mutoko and was driving out of Mutoko Centre when the rowdy mob ambushed their vehicle and stoned it with bricks, machetes and spears.

MDC Mashonaland East provincial organising secretary, Piniel Denga said: “It was clear. What would you say when a group of between 5 and 10 people attack you and almost destroy your vehicle? The attack could have led to death.“

The ZANU PF thugs are almost out of control – and whilst Mbeki and Mugabe play verbal lexicon over the dossier listing the political violence, it is apparent that the various arms of ZANU PF have been instructed to cause mayhem and destruction in the run up to the elections next year.

In a country where the currency is worth next to nothing. just why the wanton destruction of a vehicle is necessary, is beyond me…

“The windows on the passenger seat side of the vehicle where Denga was sitting were completely destroyed, while the rear windows were smashed open, leaving big gaping holes in them.

Denga continued: “We were leaving Mutoko after our campaign when a group of about 5 to 10 youths attacked our truck, the new ones the MDC has just bought.

The vehicle's windows were shattered by stones. We had to drive through the crowd first and then turn back. But fortunately no one was hurt.“

When the MDC took two of the youths responsible for the attack to the police station, the youths made false claims that they had been beaten, and the MDC member were arrested.

More ZANU PF influence being brought to bear, with little or no trying, and the target is clearly the MDC.

“We now have firm and solid information that ZANU (PF) intends to stop the MDC contesting the forthcoming elections by physically eliminating our officials and destroying our property.

The strategy is deliberately designed to be less sophisticated and involves the use of agents disguised as village vigilantes.“

“Fourteen people died on the spot while 60 others were seriously injured in a horrific accident on Thursday night when their bus collided with a lorry along the Masvingo-Bulawayo highway. The Mhunga Transport bus, which allegedly had 90 passengers on board, hit the trailer of a Delta Beverages lorry which was travelling in the opposite direction. The bus driver lost control of the vehicle.

The bus, which was travelling from Bulawayo to Masvingo, rolled several times and uprooted trees before landing on its roof at the 70 kilometre peg.“

There are just so many elements of road travel in Zimbabwe to look at when an accident happens. The licencing of drivers. The vehicle’s road worthiness.

The condition of the roads.

And the application of the laws regarding the use of roads and the vehicles on them…

“According to witnesses, the bus driver misjudged the length of the oncoming vehicle resulting in the bus hitting the trailer. While the bus was totally wrecked, the lorry which was loaded with crates of traditional beer was not seriously damaged.

“It was at night and our driver appeared to have misjudged the length of the lorry resulting in the bus hitting the trailer of the lorry,” said a survivor who only identified himself as Gumbo.

“The driver then lost control of the bus which later veered off the road uprooting trees and those who survived like me are lucky to be alive,” said Gumbo.“

As usual, the ensuing investigation will result in changes to the laws regarding licencing (not!), and we will see a step-up in the number of road blocks in Zimbabwe, and an increase in the number of tickets issued, but little more.

As we head into the festive season, there is little to celebrate in Zimbabwe, and those luck enough to afford travelling, take their lives in their own hands and others on the roads…

And finally, you may remember that not so many days ago I highlighted how the man heading up the National Incomes and Pricing Commission (NIPC) is a failed lawyer… Well, guess what? We have another one…

“Chinodyachi Mararike, the man appointed to head the committee that will consider the application for the licencing of the banned Daily News has been unmasked as having embezzled funds that were placed under his custody.

A week long investigation conducted by The Zimbabwe Times has revealed that Mararike's career as a lawyer in Harare was brought to an untimely end after funds placed in his custody suffered a mysterious disappearance.

Mararike, who was controversial appointed by Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, now head the Media and Information Commission, which is tasked with evaluating the application by Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, ANZ, for the licensing of The Daily News and a sister newspaper, The Daily News on Sunday. An investigation has since unearthed information that Mararike was de-registered from practice as a lawyer because of unprofessional conduct in respect of funds placed in his custody by clients.“

We are beginning to see more and more of this as Mugabe is having to rely on people known and proved to be of questionable morals.

Of course the, this means that they should blend into the ZANU PF psyche quite well.

“Ironically, another government minister, Obert Mpofu of Industry and International Trade, recently appointed a de-registered lawyer, Goodwills Masimirembwa to head the National Incomes and Pricing Commission (NIPC).

Within a few weeks of his appointment, Masimirembwa was caught on the wrong side of the law. He was arrested and charged for overcharging on the very commodities whose controlled prices he was supposed to enforce in terms of government's new pricing regulations.“

It speaks volumes when ZANU PF make it a habit of appointing known criminals to various posts within the administration. They balance those people within ZANU PF who are known to have committed crimes – but have yet to be investigated, or even considered for prosecution.