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Zimbabwe: Zim Under Military Rule - Dabengwa
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Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
10 May 2008
Posted to the web 11 May 2008
John Mokwetsi and Kholwani Nyathi
Former Home Affairs Minister Dumiso Dabengwa says the country is virtually under military rule following President Robert Mugabe's dramatic defeat in the 29 March elections.
Dabengwa, a respected commander of ZIPRA forces and an ally of unsuccessful presidential election candidate Simba Makoni, told journalists on Friday the deployment of soldiers to campaign for Mugabe was an indication the army now ran the country.
He said there was a clique in Zanu PF forcing Mugabe to stay on as a figurehead, while a survival strategy, anchored in terror was being deployed throughout the country.
"What we see with the deployment of the army, the militia and the so-called war veterans smacks of a de facto coup," he said.
"I have been informed that a clique of powerful people within Zanu PF convinced Mugabe to stay on, despite losing the election. I have their names but I cannot mention them in case I am sued."
Last month, the government angrily denied opposition claims Mugabe had been sidelined by army generals who do not want MDC Morgan Tsvangirai to take over the presidency.
Defence forces commander Constantine Chiwenga, police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri and prison boss Paradzai Zimondi, swore publicly they would "never salute" Tsvangirai if he beat Mugabe to the presidency.
The army has been linked to the post-election violence targeted at MDC supporters. In one incident, the government blamed the victims after soldiers shot at unarmed civilians.
Last week the army "categorically distanced itself and any of its members from such activities".
"We acknowledge that there is violence but it must be noted that the perpetrators are not genuine war veterans," Dabengwa said.
"Imagine the youngest combatant in 1980 was probably 15 and this means that they should be 45 now.
"So most of the so-called war veterans you see today are too young to have participated in the liberation struggle."
Levels of organised violence and torture have escalated dramatically during the last fortnight in Zimbabwe amid mounting tension over the disputed elections.
Dabengwa said the only solution to the worsening problems was a transitional government of national unity (GNU), which would lead the country for a maximum of two years while fresh elections were being organised.
He said Mugabe could not be part of the new set-up and Tsvangirai as the candidate who received the most votes should be allowed to form the new government.
"Mugabe was amenable to the idea of a GNU before the mafia stopped him from stepping down," said Dabengwa. "The winner in this election is the leader with the mandate of the people and he must lead this formation.
"The leader can then choose a prime minister from the party that came second best, which in this case is Zanu PF."
Meanwhile, Dabengwa allayed fears that his life was under threat from war veterans and State agents following rumours that he was seriously injured when his Nyamandlovu farm was allegedly invaded.
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He said Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) agents had visited him last week to check if he was still alive following the persistent rumours.
"This morning (Friday) I had a visit from the CIO wanting to find out if I was still alive," he said. "When I was coming from Botswana recently people were shocked to see me as they thought I was a spook."
The former Zipra military intelligence supremo said he was receiving dozens of calls a day from people checking on his well-being.
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| Copyright © 2008 Zimbabwe Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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