sign in sign up
<<
Home , Jakaya Kikwete, Morgan Tsvangirai, Sekai Holland, Simon Muzenda

CRISIS REPORTS

Issue 1 ■ March 2007 Fresh insights into the Zimbabwean situation

NEWS IN BRIEF A SENSE OF IMPUNITY ■ March 11 — Police arrested around 50 opposition leaders and supporters to prevent them attending a prayer meeting at Zimbabwe Grounds, . A rank-and-file supporter, Gift Tandare, was shot dead. People who saw the detainees after their first night in custody reported that they had been brutally beaten.

■ March 13 — The detainees appeared before a court, many of them showing visible signs of abuse. They were released into their lawyers’ custody as police had not formulated charges — this was done later in the week. , leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, spent time in intensive care with a head injury. Credit: Lazele Credit: ■ March 15 — Tanzanian MDC Deputy Secretary for International Affairs Grace Kwinjeh showing her bruised president Jakaya Kikwete held body and bandaged ear after suffering police beatings in Harare (14/03/2007) emergency talks with the Zimbabwean leader in Harare. After the meeting, a defiant A legacy of international then savagely assaulted in police cells Mugabe told western critics inaction encourages on March 11. they could “go hang”. In a subsequent TV interview, he Zimbabwe’s promised police would continue to believe there is no price The images of a badly beaten Morgan to “bash” opponents. Tsvangirai, president of the Movement to pay for his crackdown on for Democratic Change, MDC, that ■ March 16 — Tsvangirai was opponents flashed round the globe this week may released from hospital and have jolted the international commu- went home, still in poor By Benedict Unendoro in Harare nity from its slumber. physical shape.

■ March 18 — MDC spokesman Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, was beaten by The universal condemnation of the Tsvangirai was in intensive care after an unknown groups of police assault on Zimbabwean sustaining serious head injuries from a assailants at Harare airport, opposition leaders on March 11 is police beating. Other prominent opposi- preventing him from leaving unlikely to move President Robert tion figures also suffered serious injuries. the country. Other opposition Mugabe. Ordinary Zimbabwean members had also been interviewed by IWPR say their presi- Tsvangirai left hospital on March 16. He prevented from travelling, dent has got away with this kind of and others had been released into the including Grace Kwinjeh and , who were injured thing for decades, and the interna- custody of their lawyers three days in the March 11 police action tional community has done little earlier as police had not completed the and were seeking medical more than issue protests from a safe paperwork relating to possible charges. treatment abroad. The US State distance. Department has said it holds Yet the new international outcry seems President Mugabe “personally Fifty opposition leaders on their way to unlikely to alarm President Mugabe, responsible” for attacks on attend a prayer meeting at Zimbabwe given that he has not been swayed by opposition leaders. Grounds in the working class suburb similar criticism of his past actions of Highfield, Harare, were arrested and over the last 27 years.

MARCH 2007 ■ 1 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING

“Mugabe’s story since independence in commission of inquiry, but Mugabe particular, to take decisive measures 1980 is a bloody trail of mass murder ignored the demand and instead to curb Mugabe’s policies. and the torture of political opponents,” praised the soldiers who held the men said Thompson Zhou, a teacher in the captive. The Mugabe government “We know there is no one who can farming town of Kadoma. went on to launch wide-ranging save us,” said a woman at the wake attacks on whole sections of the popu- held for Gift Tandare, killed by police “With such a track-record, why would lation, defying critics abroad. as they moved to head off the March Mugabe lose sleep over the recent 11 meeting at Highfield. “We can’t round of condemnation over the In 2000, Mugabe loyalists embarked even save ourselves because of the torture of Tsvangirai and company?” on a campaign to force white farmers brutality of the state machinery. So we off their land, using violence against have no choice but to leave this in the In the Eighties, Mugabe began consol- workers as well as owners and their hands of the Creator.” idating his position by sending North families. Several farmers were killed Korean-trained troops into and more than a quarter of a million and the Midlands to farmworkers lost their jobs and homes. Within Africa, Mugabe has attack supporters of ZAPU leader been under little pressure . The official rationale was that the farms were needed for landless to change from fellow- Zimbabweans, but many believed the leaders Mugabe’s story… is a government was punishing the bloody trail of mass murder farmers, who were seen as part of the and the torture of political opposition to a controversial constitu- Although the European Union and opponents tion, which was defeated in a North American countries have referendum in February 2000. imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, including an arms embargo, the The broadest attack of all came in May country has other sources of military The Catholic Commission for Justice 2005, when the Zimbabwean leader and security equipment. and Peace subsequently found that sent police and soldiers into poor provides weapons while Israel has more than 20,000 people — most of suburbs to destroy homes and shops supplied water cannons. them from the Ndebeli ethnic group in what he called Operation which was ZAPU’s constituency — Murambatsvina (“Sweep Away the Zimbabwe’s cosy relationship with died or disappeared during a five-year Rubbish”) and characterised as an China has obstructed moves to reign of terror known as “Gukurahundi” urban regeneration project. Once address concerns at the United — which roughly means “sorting the again, critics said the authorities’ real Nations Security Council, as Beijing chaff from the grain”. intention was to destroy or disperse simply exercises its veto. communities seen as potential The killings received universal recruiting-grounds for the opposition. Within Africa itself, Mugabe has been condemnation, but no international under little pressure to change from action was taken to stop them. fellow-leaders. South African president Victims of Operation , for example, refuses to In the run-up to general elections in Murambatsvina called it condemn Mugabe’s actions and 1990, the head of the Central “Bob’s Tsunami” because its instead promotes a policy of “quiet Intelligence Organisation, CIO, in the diplomacy”. Midlands region, Elias Kanengoni, and scale was comparable to a senior ZANU-PF Youth League official natural disaster Mugabe has distanced himself from Kizito Chivamba shot opposition candi- the ’s New Partnership date Patrick Kombayi, who had made for Africa’s Development, NEPAD, the mistake of running against Mugabe’s special envoy Anna dismissing it as a western ploy to re- deputy, Simon Muzenda. Even though a Tibaijuka reported that 700,000 people colonise the continent. Zimbabwean court found the two men lost their means of livelihood and 2.5 guilty of attempted murder and the million their homes as a result of Tanzanian president Jikaya Kikwete Supreme Court upheld the conviction, Operation Murambatsvina. Victims flew into Harare for emergency talks Mugabe promptly pardoned them. called the campaign “Bob’s Tsunami” on March 15. As expected, little because the scale of the population came out of the meeting. Mugabe In 1999, two journalists, the late Mark dislocation was comparable to a emerged as defiant as ever, saying Chavunduka and Ray Choto, were natural disaster. that his critics in the West could “go tortured by the military for a week after hang”. publishing a report about a failed plot Many Zimbabweans remain frustrated within the Zimbabwean army. The with the failure of the international Benedict Unendoro is the pseudonym international community called for a community, and other African states in of a journalist in Harare. ■

2 ■ ISSUE 1 ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS

MUGABE LIKELY TO ACCEPT 2008 BALLOT

Under fire from all sides, including his own party, the ageing leader faces an increasingly narrow set of choices

By Joseph Tachiona in Harare

As pressure mounts for him to go, President Robert Mugabe appears to have accepted that his controversial plan to postpone the next presidential election for two years is unworkable, although he still appears undecided whether to stand again or anoint a successor.

Selling Mnangagwa as Mugabe’s successor has Robert Mugabe in Harare, August 2004 proved problematic

his preferred successor, Rural Housing after saying he had information that Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe Minister , fails she and her husband Solomon were gained independence in 1980, has to garner unanimous support within plotting a move against him. In a been pushing for the presidential the ruling ZANU-PF by the time the birthday interview broadcast on ballot scheduled for 2008 to be party holds its annual conference in national television last month, Mugabe delayed until 2010 so that it can take December. took pot shots at the “Mujuru faction” place at the same time as the parlia- which he alleged was leading an mentary election due that year. In the same newspaper interview, internal revolt aimed at “getting rid of Mugabe said he would be ready to me”. Official sources within the government stand as the ruling party’s candidate if and ZANU-PF told IWPR last week that it selected him to do so. The fact that even regime Mugabe had now acknowledged the open rebellion to this plan within the Selling Mnangagwa as his successor insiders have no appetite regime. both to ZANU-PF and Zimbabweans in either for an early election general has proved problematic. or for a President This recognition that the plan will not Mnangagwa only adds to work was in line with comments The sources said Mugabe was Mugabe’s problems Mugabe made to the Southern Times keeping his options open on whether newspaper in early March, when he to stand for another presidential term, indicated that the presidential election and would make that decision towards The fact that even regime insiders would take place next year as the end of this year, after assessing have no appetite either for an early planned, and it would be the parlia- whether Mnangagwa had made election or for a future President mentary election instead that would be enough progress in rallying solid Mnangagwa only adds to Mugabe’s brought forward. support within ZANU-PF and nation- problems. ally. The concession comes amid reports He is under increasing pressure from that the veteran president, now 83, will Mugabe has abandoned his previous African leaders and the wider world stand for another presidential term if hand-picked successor, , community to relax his iron grip on

MARCH 2007 ■ 3 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING

security minister does not command enough support within the party or among the electorate to win a presi- dential election.

Despite this, the sources said, Mnangagwa is working feverishly to convince Mugabe that he commands support and can improve his image. They alleged that he was masterminding a plan to sideline provincial-level politicians who oppose him so as to position himself for the nomination for the presi- dency.

Instead of Mnangagwa, the Politburo sources said they would like to see technocrat , at the very least as a running mate for Mugabe should he stand for another term. Credit: Boldwill Hungwe/ZIMIND Credit: An Israeli-made water cannon disperses people who attended an earlier MDC rally at Meanwhile, Mugabe’s regional neigh- Zimbabwe Grounds, Harare, on February 18 bours — whose criticism of his rule has traditionally been muted — are becoming more and more vocal. power. Despite the heightened interna- “Gushungo [Mugabe] has made it tional attention focused on Zimbabwe abundantly clear that he now wants since the March 11 police action Ngwena [Mnangagwa] to take over,” Mugabe’s regional which left prominent opposition said a member of ZANU-PF’s ruling neighbours, whose criticism leaders bruised and battered, Mugabe Politburo, who did not want to be of his rule has traditionally has stuck to his defiant position, telling named. “But then it depends whether critics abroad they can “go hang” Ngwena would be able to win the crit- been muted, are becoming while promising to “bash” those at ical support by the time of our more and more vocal home some more. conference. If he fails, then Gushungo would stand in that election.” Tanzanian president Jakaya Kikwete Mugabe is under increasing Another Politburo member agreed with flew into Harare last week for talks pressure from African this view, saying, “The restructuring which government sources said were leaders and the world which is taking place in the party is to aimed at discussing a “safe exit” for try to consolidate Mnangagwa’s posi- the ageing Mugabe. Kikwete was community tion, but if the plan fails Mugabe will said to have been dispatched by his go for another term.” predecessor as Tanzanian leader, , who last year was But even as he fends off these “If the plan fails, Mugabe tasked with addressing the external opponents, it may be his own Zimbabwean crisis by the then United restive party that is the bigger threat. will go for another term” Nations Secretary General Kofi His options look increasingly limited — senior ZANU-PF member Annan. — the ZANU-PF congress in December ducked out of approving Pressure to abandon the idea of a his two-year extension plan and left Mugabe and Vice-President Joseph 2010 election has also come from the matter for the smaller Central Msika are said to be in agreement that . IWPR has learned that Committee, which meets at the end of Mnangagwa should take over because South African officials made it clear to March, to decide. they see him as a strong politician who Mugabe that an election that year, would be able to guarantee their secu- when South Africa will be hosting the IWPR interviews with members of the rity once they go. football World Cup, was “completely ZANU-PF Politburo — an even tighter out of the question”. decision-making body than the Central However, most senior ZANU-PF Committee — suggest that Mugabe Politburo members are unhappy with Joseph Tachiona is the pseudonym of does not face an easy ride. Mnangagwa, saying the former state a journalist in Zimbabwe. ■

4 ■ ISSUE 1 ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS

CRISIS MOUNTS FOR CORNERED MUGABE

As the president orders a violent crackdown on the opposition, some say support for him is slipping in his own ZANU-PF party

By Frederick Tsotso in Harare

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe is now like a cornered cat. Faced with a fast-imploding economy, growing opposition from within his ZANU-PF party and a more militant opposition, he has thrown caution to the wind and like a desperate feline is lashing out at those around him.

Zimbabwe appears to be degener- ating into chaos as unrest simmers in Lazele Credit: Harare and other parts of the country, Gift Tandare’s brother (left) and sister Veronica at his wake in Glen View on March 17 sparked by government-sponsored attacks on political opponents and an economic meltdown that is fuelling shift the confrontation between the argue that the chaos is part of an public anger against Mugabe and his Mugabe government and its oppo- orchestrated campaign by the ruling party. nents up a gear — taking the fight out Zimbabwean authorities to ensure the onto the streets where it could spiral re-election of Mugabe, an increasingly Matters came to a head on March 11 out of control. unpopular leader who has ruled with the arrest of Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe since independence in leader of the opposition Movement 1980. for Democratic Change, MDC, and other political, civil society and The ageing president has “This is a political game that is being student leaders and human rights held out and rejects the played,” said Alois Chaumba, activists. They were detained as they opposition’s demands national chairman of the Catholic were on their way to a prayer Commission for Justice and Peace. meeting in the capital Harare, organ- “There is no way we could have free ised by the pro-democracy Christian and fair elections because of the Alliance. Following the March 11 violence, the amount of intimidation going on at unrest spread to the streets of Harare, the moment.” After their arrest, leaders including the eastern city of , and Gweru, Tsvangirai and , the Midlands provincial capital, as Tevedzerai Marecha, an office worker the chairman of the National activists staged demonstrations in the capital, said, “Seven years ago Constitutional Assembly, were badly demanding the release of the jailed Zimbabwe was a wonderful country. beaten by police while in custody, opposition leaders and the ousting of Now we are in hell; we are slowly according to supporters who gained the Mugabe government. hurtling towards civil war.” access to them. Tsvangirai and others were initially denied access to lawyers But the ageing president has held out, The MDC, Zimbabwe’s leading opposi- and health care. rejecting the opposition’s demands. tion party, said trigger-happy police loyal to Mugabe had killed three of its Political analysts had long predicted Human rights workers, opposition members in recent days, in what it that a surge in police violence could leaders and international officials said were politically-motivated attacks.

MARCH 2007 ■ 5 THE INSTITUTE FOR WAR AND PEACE REPORTING

“Lawyers spent the whole night serving copies of the court order, but the police have simply thumbed their noses at the court and shown total disdain and contempt of due process.”

Countless human rights bodies and key western governments, including the administration, have roundly condemned the police action, as has the European Union.

“These actions are symptomatic of a rogue regime that has lost all semblance of sanity and decency” — Innocent Gonese, MDC Credit: Lazele Credit: MDC faction leaders (left) and Morgan Tsvangirai (centre), with National Constitutional Assembly Chairman, Lovemore Madhuku (right) leave the The Zimbabwean government raced to magistrate's courts in Harare on March 13 defend its position, saying Tsvangirai and his supporters were trying to court international attention by breaking the The authorities in Zimbabwe confirmed In a serious indictment of the law laws of the land. only one of the killings — that of Gift enforcement agencies, the court Tandare, killed as security forces conceded that detainees had been “Tsvangirai knew there was a ban on moved to head off the meeting at tortured. Justice Bhunu later issued an rallies. I think [he] wanted to be Highfield. Police spokesman Wayne order demanding that they be brought arrested, because he wanted more Bvudzijena said Tandare was shot before the courts immediately for an support from and dead after attacking police officers on initial remand hearing. Washington,” said ZANU-PF the way to the assembly spokesman . As Tsvangirai appeared with other detainees at the Rotten Row magis- Speaking from South Africa, The court conceded that trates courts in central Harare on Shamuyarira denied allegations of detainees had been March 13, he could hardly walk and rights abuses in an interview with the tortured had deep bruising all over his body public broadcaster SABC 2. and a massively swollen face. Several other detainees had to be The police killing of Tandare, which the Police claimed the meeting — organised carried into the court, and some sat opposition has described as “cold- by the Save Zimbabwe Coalition, an on the floor. One wore a bloodstained blooded murder”, has heightened emerging alliance which brings together shirt and all appeared dirty, tired and tension in the capital, touching a raw all the opposition parties, civic groups dishevelled . nerve among an already agitated and church organisations — was in fact population, reeling under the unprece- an anti-Mugabe political rally disguised Disregarding the High Court order that dented economic decline that many as a prayer meeting so as to circumvent they be formally charged, the state blame on Mugabe’s misrule. a ban on such events under the refused to provide a trial magistrate, draconian Public Order and Security Act. resulting in the detainees being taken Mourners at wake held for Tandare in back into police custody for a fourth Glenview, a poor suburb on the Lawyers representing the detained day. outskirts of Harare and a bedrock of opposition and civic leaders had to file opposition to the Mugabe government, an urgent application to the High Court “These actions are symptomatic of a vowed to avenge his death. There was Chamber to gain access to their clients. rogue regime that has lost all a palpable mood of anger at the wake. It took a High Court order from Justice semblance of sanity and decency,” Chinembiri Bhunu for the detained Innocent Gonese, legal affairs At least two opposition activists, leaders to be allowed to see their secretary for the opposition MDC Nickson Magondo and Naison lawyers and receive medical attention. told IWPR. Mashambanhaka, were shot by riot

6 ■ ISSUE 1 ZIMBABWE CRISIS REPORTS police as they tried to lead a proces- stopping people pray[ing] for their Critics say Mugabe has mismanaged sion from the wake to a police station country, which is clearly in crisis.” Zimbabwe’s economy and violated to demand justice. human rights, plunging a once-pros- “These are the last kicks of perous nation into crisis. Annual Police fired teargas and used water a dying horse” inflation last month exceeded the cannons for several hours as they 1,700 per cent mark — the highest battled protesters at the wake, who rate in the world — unemployment is were chanting, “Ndimi makauraya, Nyasha Moyo, an MDC activist, told above 80 per cent, and there are hazvina mhosva” — “You have IWPR at Tandare’s wake that Mugabe’s chronic shortages of food, medicines murdered him, no sweat”. government had created a climate of and fuel. intimidation and political violence to Angry mourners said police and secu- silence critics of his plan to postpone rity forces in Zimbabwe were waging a the next presidential election from a “We want elections next campaign of intimidation against scheduled date of March 2008 to year, and we will make this opposition leaders in a bid to cripple some time in 2010. the Save Zimbabwe Coalition. country ungovernable if “We are not intimidated by these bully- they try to postpone” Rita Sithole, who sells vegetables at the boy tactics,” said Moyo, wearing Machipisa shopping centre in Highfield, opposition MDC regalia. “We want the densely-populated suburb where elections next year, and we will make Faced with a rising tide of anger, Tandare was shot, said she was this country ungovernable if they try to Mugabe has now fixed his eye firmly shocked at the level of police brutality. postpone.” on the opposition, especially Tsvangirai, promising in a TV interview Tandare was given a quiet burial on that his police would continue to “You have murdered him, March 18. Government sources said “bash” them. no sweat” this was at his family’s request, while the opposition said the rural ceremony But analysts say change is likely to was a ploy to prevent a large funeral come from within his own party, as “How can they kill a person for going taking place in Harare, which could internal opposition continues to to a prayer meeting?” she asked. “This have led to further demonstrations. mount. They say different factions is the height of impunity. It goes to within ZANU-PF now see the presi- show how callous this regime has Mugabe, who marked his 83rd birthday dent as the major impediment to their become.” last month amid great pomp and fanfare, own futures — political and announced this week that he would seek economic. “These are the last kicks of a dying another term of office if asked to do so horse,” said another woman, by ZANU-PF party, whether the election Frederick Tsotso is the pseudonym of requesting anonymity. “God will judge was held as planned in 2008 or delayed a journalist in Zimbabwe. ■ Mugabe and his police harshly for by two years.

The Zimbabwe Crisis Report is an The key purpose is to increase Importantly it also builds the initiative of IWPR-Africa’s awareness in the Southern African skills and capacity of the media Zimbabwe Programme. This region of the Zimbabwean situa- to reliably and accurately report programme promotes democrati- tion and the implications for political transition, governance zation and good governance with regional peace, security and and human rights issues. Southern Africa and contributes to economic development. the development of a culture of human rights and the rule of law. It also contributes to the devel- Focusing on Zimbabwe the opment of regional policy, The programme is managed by programme has three core compo- promotes dialogue and builds the Institute for War and Peace nents — information provision, bridges within the region. It also Reporting — Africa. For further capacity building and dissemina- raises the Africa wide and inter- details go to www.iwpr.net tion and distribution. national profile of Zimbabwe in the context of the region.

MARCH 2007 ■ 7