Kitsepile Nyathi
25 June 2008
Harare — As the crisis over the dramatic pull out from Friday's presidential election run-off by Zimbabwe's main opposition leader intensified, President Mugabe's government scrambled to repair the damage caused to its electoral system by almost two months of unchecked political violence.
Police began forcefully taking opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters hiding in safe houses in the capital Harare to so-called rehabilitation centres "for their protection."
They also assured the MDC leader, Mr Tsvangirai, arrested five times in one month before announcing his withdrawal from the discredited election on Sunday, that he would not be detained before the poll.
This was after Mr Tsvangirai sought refugee at the Dutch Embassy amid reports that he had received fresh threats to his life from militant ruling party supporters blamed for the deaths of 86 opposition supporters and the displacement of 200,000 since the March elections.
"As far as we are concerned, we do not want Mr Tsvangirai for any crime and we have always been open about any arrest we make," said police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri."For him now to turn around at the eleventh hour running away from his own shadow is a development beyond comprehension.
"Aspersions of threats on his life decry the safety he has always enjoyed since he entered into the political arena and even when he was still with the trade unions."
Always enjoyed
But, Mr Tsvangirai has survived many attempts on his life. Last year, Mr Tsvangirai and several opposition leaders faced extreme torture while in police custody after they tried to attend a prayer meeting in the capital Harare.
The opposition leader spent about six weeks in exile in South Africa after his first round presidential election victory sparked widespread violence against his supporters and mass arrests of newly elected opposition legislators.
After his return, police banned all of his rallies in preparation for the run-off saying his security could not be guaranteed.
The police chief, who has vowed that Mr Tsvangirai would never be allowed to rule Zimbabwe, was also at pains to defend the arrest of victims of political violence hiding at the MDC headquarters, described by analysts as an attempt to hide the extent of the crisis.
"There were only 37 people found at Harvest House and not 2,000 as suggested by the rumour. "They are now at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre," he said.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which said it was still pressing ahead with preparations for the election said it, believed a credible poll was still possible, despite a world wide chorus of condemnation.
"I do not believe that the level of violence in the country is such that a credible election cannot be held," said Justice George Chiweshe, the ZEC chairman."This is not a war and we do not have a war in the country. You will always not be able to hold an election that is 100 per cent perfect," he said.
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They don't have balls to stand up to mugabi. They've sold their souls to the devil. History will judge them hashly. mugabi is going down like a sharp sword falling from the sky, and anybody attaching himself will get hurt at the end.
Power to the people.
The ZRP, ZEC(Justice Chiweshe)and Brighton Matonga please gentlemen do not be hypocrites unless you have suddenly become blind and deaf as well as become mentally obscured by your crimes against humanity you have been committing, I will understand.Justice Chiweshe you seem to be very unjust: where were you when the JOC took away all the Presidential ballot boxes before you announced elections final results and what action did you take to show that justice to prevail even in the face of evil? Brighton your name resembles someone very clever but you dont seem that bright as all your contributions seem to be done in darkness. As qualified journalist I expect you to employ those skill not to insult and betray your intelligence.Your boss clearly threatened and encouraged war against the opposition with the comparison of the powers of a bullet and an X. The fact that your regime have legal access to guns and military resources and ability to manupulate the government justice system renders opposition parties vulnerable and makes it impossible for a democratic process to work making your job and your contributions unbelievable and ficticious and unprofessional.You seem to be the defender of evil than the innocent dying black people in Zimbabwe.If your brother is burnt to death for whatever reason then you may wake up to reality of humanity.
What the world should realize is that Mugabe has stuffed all top positions with his yesmen who are only too happy to do his bidding. This Augustine Chihuri fellow was a commander in Mugabe's bush war. He was supposed to be executed with others for insurrection and spent years in an underground cellar in Mozambique. Mugabe saved him from certain death so how can he ever turn against his saviour? This is only one example. I could talk of the army commander, Constatine Chiwenga, the murderous Airforce commander Perence Shiri who has the blood of 20 000 Ndebele people on his hands. All of these people are murderers who have benefitted from Mugabe's system of patronage going back to the Liberation War and the 80s.