Defence and security chiefs to address media on Friday

By Tichaona Sibanda
27 March 2008

The country’s defence and security chiefs from the Army, Airforce, Police, Prisons and the CIO are set to address a press conference in the capital on Friday, the eve of the country’s crucial elections.

Our correspondent in Harare, Tagu Mukwenyani, told us on Thursday it’s not known what the military and security chiefs are going to say, but there is speculation they might try to repeat what happened in 2002.

On the eve of the 2002 presidential elections, the then defence forces commander General Vitalis Zvinavashe declared they would only back leaders who fought in the country’s wars of liberation.
Zvinavashe, flanked by commanders of the police, the air force and other security organisations, said he would not salute Tsvangirai, who was Mugabe’s only challenger, adding that any change designed to ‘reverse the gains of the country’s revolution’ would not be supported.

‘Its not clear what they want to say tomorrow (Friday) because the political terrain has changed significantly since then. Zvinavashe has retired and is rumoured to be supporting Simba Makoni. Other people can only assume they want to urge all parties not to engage in violence, but its anyone’s guess,’ Mukwenyani said.

Recently other service chiefs, namely General Constantine Chiwenga and Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri, have publicly rallied behind Robert Mugabe saying they would not allow ‘puppets’ to take over the country.

The MDC has condemned the threats saying it is a flagrant affront to the constitution of Zimbabwe, for the service chiefs to behave in such a manner. The service chiefs might pledge their loyalty to Mugabe on Friday, but that might not be the case with the rank and file members of the armed forces.

Some of them, including operatives from the feared spy agency, have been leaking information to the opposition and observers about Mugabe’s attempts at rigging the coming election. A senior commander in the Army and two airforce officers have also sent a tip off to a site set up by the non-governmental organisation, Zimbabwe Democracy Now (ZDN), which ran full-page newspaper advertisements inside the country and throughout southern Africa. The adverts called on anyone with information about any rigging by members of the regime, both ahead of and during the poll, to tip them off for a fee of up to US$5,000.

In a statement released Thursday, ZDN spokesman, Goodson Chibaya said they have been swamped with information. Although some had not proved credible, much had checked out.

‘In particular we had separate postings from the Manyame Airforce in Harare and the Thornhill air base in Gweru, corroborated by another tip off by a very senior person in the army, who not only gave us his name but allowed us to speak with him by phone,’ Chibaya said.

All three men had the same story. On the night of Thursday 27 March, trusted officers in the army, airforce and police would be required to vote under supervision for the ruling Zanu-PF party. The officers will each fill in multiple ballot papers.

At Thornhill, the papers will be filled in at the air force sports club. On Friday 28, a helicopter from No7 Squadron at Manyame will fly further supplies of ballot papers to the Mugabe stronghold of Mount Darwin where a crew is standing by to fill in multiple forms.

It’s alleged the CIO will conduct the exercise for the regime and Chibaya said they have passed the information to the SADC observer mission.