Nairobi — A Zimbabwean man has been arrested after making a police complaint that he was sodomised by a top ally of President Robert Mugabe in what is as seen an attempt to eliminate the top politician from the race to succeed the 85 year-old leader.
The man from the second city of Bulawayo reported Zanu PF chairman and vice presidential front runner, Mr John Nkomo to the police on Thursday last week for the alleged rape which he claims happened in 2002.
Police wanted to charge Mr Mncedisi Twala with robbery and making a false report but the courts refused to prosecute on Wednesday saying there was need for further investigations.
The details of the robbery case remain sketchy. Alternatively, police are also wanted to charge him with making a false report and perjury for allegedly lying under oath in relation to the sodomy complaint.
Mr Twala claims to have first reported Mr Nkomo back in April 2002 but "got no joy" from the police. The allegations are particularly embarrassing for Mr Nkomo who is favourite to succeed the late Vice President Joseph Msika.
If Mr Nkomo wins the vice presidency he will be in good stead to succeed Mr Mugabe once the veteran leader drops his plans to rule until he drops dead. But political observers see the allegations as a smear campaign engineered by his rivals.
Zanu PF is split into two visible factions jostling for Mr Mugabe's post and the infighting usually gets dirty towards elective congresses. In December, the party will hold a congress where all the top posts including the presidency would be up for grabs.
Mr Mugabe hates homosexuals with a passion and says they are worse that pigs and dogs. Zimbabwe's first ceremonial president Reverend Canaan Banana was persecuted until his death after he was convicted of sodomising his aide.
Meanwhile, Mr Mugabe put to rest speculation that he was seriously ill after secretly leaving the country for Dubai last week when he appeared in public on Wednesday afternoon.
The Zimbabwean leader visited the family of a struggle colleague who was buried at the national heroes acre on Tuesday in his absence.
State media said he was away on family business while some government officials described rumours that he was unwell as "rubbish"
Today, Mr Mugabe will receive South African President Jacob Zuma who will hold a crucial meeting with principals in Zimbabwe's coalition government to iron out several problems. Mr Zuma will be on his first state visit to Zimbabwe since he was voted president in April.
His African National Congress (ANC) said the man who succeeded Mr Thabo Mbeki will be quick to criticise any 'deviant' behaviour by Mr Mugabe's government.
Mr Mbeki helped negotiate the power sharing agreement that saw President Mugabe form a unity government with his former arch rival and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai in February.
The coalition is facing teething problems and Mr Tsvangirai asked Mr Zuma to intervene last month accusing Mr Mugabe of disrespecting the political agreement.
ANC secretary general Mr Gwede Mantashe cited the continued harassment of lawmakers from Mr Tsvangirai's party as an example of deviant behaviour.
"In our view all these issues are a hindrance to progress and that's why we will always be vocal," he said. "A neighbour, whether you like it or not is a friend because you do not have a choice."
However, Mr Mugabe's spokesman, Mr George Charamba appeared to dismiss Mr Zuma's mission saying the real problems facing Zimbabwe's coalition were sanctions imposed by the West.
"The one thing that is going to hit President Zuma in the face are the continued sanctions on Zimbabwe and the need for unanimity on strategy in and outside Zimbabwe including the SADC region in the fight against sanctions," he said.
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Let's see, Michael Jacksons doctor needs a new job now, so he can apply to be Bob's personal doc and he might just do to Bob what he did to Michael. But Bob might just say Sod that.
Zola, your sense of humor is sometimes scandalous!
You must have suffered greatly under Mugabe, otherwise it would be un-christian of you to harbor your feelings towards the man.
Remember brother, Christ instructed us to turn the other cheek and to love our enemies. Yes, we often sit in judgement of Comrade Bob, but for me it is only in a temporal sense.
Every man is judged by God, not man.
But yes, for the good of the people of Zimbabwe I too want him removed from power so he can inflict no further devastation on the people of Zimbabwe. But I was attempting to discuss in another post, the absence of Mugabe has certain implications, some of which I do NOT want to inflict Zimbabwe with.
Even if Mugabe is gone, would you be happy is his absence brought what happened in Kenya, or Congo or Rwanda to Zimbabwe? I would like to think that you would not. Although I personally equate Mugabe with a despot like Amin, I personally do NOT wish Zimbabwe to revisit the tragedy of what other countries in Africa have suffered.
Let's keep our eye on the ball - a future Zimbabwe that is well-fed, well-educated, free, diverse, and ready to take it's place in the world community.
God Bless you.......Let's discuss here and hold out the hope for a Zimbabwe that actually IS "Totally Empowered" and not just some empty rhetorical slogan mouthed by a morally bankrupt kleptocracy under the guise of "liberators".
Julman, I take your comments on board very much, It's just that when Samora Machels plane crashed in South Africa in 1986, the Zim police accused me of being a south african spy and a spy for the USA, just because I said , What's the bet these guys ( rioters) will go and smash up the US embassy next. Well what the CIO did to me is beyond words of unimaginable horror. Not only did they beat the living daylights out of me and proceede to stick bicycle spokes into my genitals and electricute me in the same area, you can start to appreciate that i have to deal with a lot of inner demons and i some times let loose the way I do. I can tell you now , it's blimen difficult at times to forgive, so when people who are evil doers get away with blue blooded murder again and again I get totally exasperated with the sanctimonious rubbish put on this blog by the likes of Takunya. Then Takunya says that he is a pastor/farmer etc and takes Jesus' name in vane by saying that Jesus is not the son of God and the Bible is a lie, that really grates me. I know it's not up to me to Judge and that is for God alone to do. Hope this clarifies my position to you.
Thank you for sharing - I understand much better now.
I didn't mean to admonish or condemn you - again, I did not previously know how you had suffered.
Yes, it's hard to be faithful when you see evil prospering by it's actions..... but freedom and justice WILL return to Zimbabwe!
But....... keep your eye on the ball, what I think we ALL want is a peaceful, prosperous, well-fed, well-educated and FREE Zimbabwe........
God Bless & keep you brother...........
I know that you weren't condemning or anything that Juleman. No-one knew about what happened to me and how were they know? it took me about 15 years to get over the trauma of it and it was only through God that happened. The pain is healed, but the memories will always be there. Sometimes the mind goes back and i have to forgive just as jesus said father forgive them for they know not what they do. The same people who caused atrrocities like that to many have also been let down by Bob and maybe they have seen the light. psalm 23 went through again and again that day, yay even though i walk through the shadow of death i will fear no evil, your rod and you staff comfort me. Brings the Word to life, It helped me and jesus said to me, they aren't doing this to you they are doing it to me, it took a lot of the physical pain at the time. Thanks again for your concern and keep up the great postings. God Bless you.
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