WASHINGTON — Former Masvingo Resident Minister and Member of Parliament for Mwenezi East, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, has sensationally claimed that President Robert Mugabe personally deployed members of the Zimbabwe National Army to wage a violent campaign against his arch foe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the run-up to the presidential election re-run in 2008.
The opposition MDC alleges that about 150 of its supporters were killed in the campaign and tens of thousands forced to flee their homes due to political violence.
In an exclusive interview with VOA Studio 7, Bhasikiti says the military takes orders from Mr. Mugabe alone.
“Mugabe is the commander in chief of the Zimbabwe Defense Forces and the army cannot leave the barracks without his authority.”
But President Mugabe said then that the MDC was responsible for the violence in Zimbabwe and he ordered police to use “all necessary force” against opposition activists.
The direct military intervention in the country’s elections came in the second round of voting in the presidential election of 2008 after the first round failed to produce a 50% majority for either candidate. In the first round of polls, Tsvangirai had 47,9% of the vote compared to Mr. Mugabe who had 43,2% of the electorate.
Following this shocking defeat in the polls by the MDC, Bhasikiti says Mr. Mugabe turned to the coercive state apparatus – the army – arguing that the party structures were virtually non-existent and lacked capacity to mount an effective campaign. Some ruling party Members of Parliament were even accused of sabotaging President Mugabe’s election campaign.
“What happened is that there was full realization that the people had lost confidence in the Zanu-PF leader and then the only way to salvage the disappointment and embarrassment was for him as the commander in chief to command the military to salvage the loss…members of the opposition had stopped voting, they just went into hiding including their leader, and then, you cannot say there was an election, even the Government of National Unity was not warranted.”
He added, “It speaks against the sincerity of the African Union, because if a political party wins an election it must be given the mandate to rule, the MDC should have been given the mandate to rule in 2008 because it had won the election.”
Tsvangirai, noting the role of the army, claimed that Zimbabwe in 2008 had undergone a de-facto coup d’état as the military had effectively overthrown the democratic electoral processes.
Zimbabwe’s laws including the Defence Forces Act and the constitution prohibit the military from participating in politics and partisan interference in electoral affairs.
But in another worrying development, in March 2008 Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Constantine Chiwenga, signaled his readiness to set aside the constitution should Mr. Mugabe be defeated at the polls, describing Tsvangirai as an agent of the West and vowing to instruct the military not to take orders from him.
Before Bhasikiti’s confession, several senior Zanu-PF officials were said to have been behind the bloody campaign. Those fingered included Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, General Chiwenga, Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri, Air Marshall Perence Shiri, Major General Paradzayi Zimondi, the prisons chief, and ousted spy chief, Didymus Mutasa.
Former Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, who was monitoring the 2008 elections, was so shocked that he announced that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) would consider sending peacekeepers to halt the spiral of savage electoral violence.
Although countries in the region, except Gaborone have avoided criticizing Mr. Mugabe too explicitly in the past, Mr. Membe said it was clear that the Zimbabwean government was responsible for the violence.
“It is government-sponsored, there is no doubt about it,” he said. “The military is engaged, the police are engaged, security is engaged and the militia that comes from Zanu PF is engaged.”
Tsvangirai was forced to withdraw from the country’s presidential election runoff blaming the escalating campaign of violence he claimed was perpetrated by Mr. Mugabe. Tsvangirai charged that Mr. Mugabe had “declared war by saying that the bullet has replaced the ballot.”
Bhasikiti claimed that his new party, the Zimbabwe People First led by former vice president Joice Mujuru, has the full list of the officers who allegedly terrorized the people in 2008 and the party’s leadership will release the names at a later stage.
But in many of the cases, the perpetrators were named in statements and reports made to the police who up to now have refused to investigate the allegations. A report compiled by Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition titled, “The Military Factor in Zimbabwe’s Political and Electoral Affairs” has the full list of the deployments.
The Full List of the 2008 Military Deployments
The following are military personnel deployed to lead and run ZANU-PF election campaigns in April 2008:
Harare Metropolitan Province – AVM Michael Karakadzai. Bulawayo – Province Col. C. Sibanda Bulawayo Central – Maj. J. Ndlovu and Maj. J. Ncube Manicaland and Mutare South – Brig. Tarumbwa
Buhera Central – Col. M. Mzilikazi (MID) Buhera North – Maj. L. M. Svosve Buhera South – Maj. D Muchena Buhera West – Lt. Col. Kamonge, Major Nhachi Chimanimani East – Lt. Col Murecherwa Chimanimani West – Maj. Mabvuu Headlands – Col. Mutsvunguma Makoni North – Maj. V. Chisuko Makoni South – Wing Commander Mandeya Mutare Central – Lt. Col. Tsodzai, Lt. Col. Sedze, Mandi Chimene Mutare West – Lt. Col. B. Kashiri Mutare North – Lt. Col. Chizengwe, Lt. Col. Mazaiwana Mashonaland Central – Brig.Gen. Shungu Bindura South – Col. Chipwere Bindura North – Lt. Col. Parwada Muzarabani North – Lt. Col. Kazaza Muzarabani South – Maj. H. Maziri Rushinga – Col. F Mhonda, Lt. Col. Betheuni Shamva North – Lt. Col. Dzuda Shamva South – Makumire Midlands – AVM Muchena, Brig. Gen. S. B. Moyo, Lt Col. Kuhuni Chirumanzu South – Maj T. Tsvangirai Mberengwa East – Col. B. Mavire Mberengwa West – Maj. T. Marufu Matebeleland South – AVM Abu Basutu Beitbridge East – Group Cpt. Mayera, Rtd. Maj. Mbedzi, Lt. Col. B. Moyo Gwanda South – Maj. J. D. Moyo Gwanda Central – Maj. B. Tshuma Matopo North – Lt. Col. Maphosa Matebeleland North – Brig. Gen. Khumalo Binga North – Maj. E. S. Matonga Lupane East – Lt. Col. Mkwananzi Lupane West – Lt. Col. Mabhena Tsholotsho – Lt. Col. Mlalazi Hwange Central – Lt. Col. P. Ndhlovu Masvingo Province – Maj. Gen. E. A. Rugeje Rtd. Maj. Gen. Gibson Mashingaidze, Rtd. Brig. General Rangwani Bikita West – Maj. B. R. Murwira Chiredzi Central – Col. G. Mashava Chiredzi West – Maj. E. Gono Gutu South – Maj. Chimedza (Medical Doctor), AVM Muchena Masvingo – Lt. Col. Takavingofa Mwenezi West – Lt. Col. Muchono Zaka East – Maj. R. Kwenda Mash West Province – Brig. Gen. Sigauke Chinhoyi – Col Gwekwerere Chegutu East – Lt. Colonel W. Tutisa Hurungwe East – Lt. Col. B. Mahambe Mhondoro Mubaira – Col. C. T. Gurira Zvimba North – Cpt. T. Majongwe Mashonaland East – Brig. Gen. D. Nyikayaramba, Rtd Brig Gen Rungani Chikomba Central – Lt. Col. Marara Goromonzi North – Lt. Col. Mudzimba, Maj. F. Mbewe Marondera Central – Maj. Gen. Chedondo COSG), Lt. Col. B. Kashiri Marondera West – Squadron Leader U. Chitauro Murehwa South – Maj. Gurure Murehwa North – Lt. Col. Mukurazhizha, Lt. Col. Chinete
COMMENTS
WE SHALL DEAL WITH THEM!!
Now Biti can see how stupidity he has displayed when he been saying that MDC T under Tsvangirai has been loosing elections hence Tsvangirai should move out, evidence is there that Tsvangirai has the majority of the people, not withstanding that there should not a leadership renewal, but its not human to remove someone from leadership accusing him of defeat when he went to the fighting arena with his hands tied from behind.
My appeal to Mugabe and the entire ZANU PF leadership is that you should be embarrassed, apologies and leave office forth with
Madam you make naivety into an art form. In fact my suggestion to you is grow up.
@Amina please do not utter such naïve statements. If Tsvangirai really wanted to rule in 2008 he would have. The difference between liberation heroes and wanna be heroes that do not know war was once elaborated to me using that very scenario. Tsvangirai bluffs and cant take the heat, and his soldiers feel the same, Zanu does not bluff and they won a war by understanding that people die to liberate the country.
Morgan already had the support of the said west and every African country would have taken his side if he had stood his ground and everyone would have shown up for the runoff. Cowardice does not make a leader and those poor souls that did die, they died for nothing because had he shown courage then the youth that was his following would have marched with him to the run-off and we would be in a different place right now. Afterall Zanu lost that election helped along by its own party memebers.
So Biti was right, if your leader has exhausted his courage then it is time to pass the batton to another, he is not leading MDC to become a Zim president but to liberate the country and the sooner he realizes that it is not an issue of his personal ego the better MDC will be. Ngaarege kutiita maIsraelites tokoniwa kupinda mu Canaan because iye he is not willing to admit that it is not his destiny to become the president of the country
Kevin and Lucy are only siding with Mugabe to keep their I’ll gotten booty.
Guys, do yourself and the nation a favour. Go to the closest police station. Confess what you have done wrong and hand yourself over to the police for prosecution.
You won’t be there by yourself for very long.
There are no ill gotten gains, apart from my education they is nothing that Zanu has ever given me that I need to line up for, I was simply pointing out a fact. People as people will always follow a person with courage. Vanhu vako if they are willing to die for course as those that died in 2008, then the leader should be willing to die with them. Because after that incident the people did lose a bit of respect for him. For having their children, siblings die for he can run in the middle of the night to Botswana instead of standing up for his principles.
Heroes?
well said Lucy …
Rememember what The Bhobho said by mistake “Tsvangirai got 73% of the vote”
COMMANDER IN THIEF!!!!!
I have said it before. Africa cannot develop because the leaders are prepared to die in a hail of bullets. Africa will only develop because we put forward our best brains. Look at Mugabe, despite claiming to be the most educated, despite claiming to have the most educated cabinet all through 36years of theft and plunder, his notable successes are nowhere near delivering prosperity to the country. His notable successes lie in plunder, corruption and savage murders of citizens. He kills Zimbabweans, perhaps because he is foreign.
Come to think of it, what kind of progress is that when in 1980 our mothers and fathers went to work in the comfort of Salisbury United long chase buses complete with binding timetables; now they must squeeze themselves in matatus amid stench smells and abuse by unbathed, mabori bearing hwindis. You look everywhere, the economy has died, even his own family Gushungo Holdings is on its knees. But prosperity is his and his ministers, hangers-on and his Chinese and Russians. Yes, they have mansions all over the world, drive limousines and speak perfect English in description of poverty and theft of national treasures.