MDC's Brutal Tyrant - Part 2

MONDAY MEETING
BUGALO CHILUME | Monday May 7, 2007 00:00

From Coltart's account so far we have learnt how over the years Tsvangirai used violence against those he perceived as political opponents within his own party - including female legislators! The Western media (with our pliant local media on hand for local consumption) go to great lengths to hide this sordid side of Tsvangirai and the MDC as part of imperialist efforts to get Tsvangirai elected as Zimbabwean president. Allegations by the ruling Zanu PF that the MDC uses violence to intimidate Zanu-PF supporters during political campaigns are therefore always swept under the carpet. One can only shudder at the prospects of Tsvangirai becoming president, as this would give him unfettered access to the national armed forces - he would surely give 'repression' a completely new meaning. Incidentally, the West's tolerance towards Tsvangirai's thuggish behaviour explains why Third World dictators propped up by the West are by far the most repressive in the world.
Part 1 concluded at the point where Coltart was telling us that Tsvangirai prematurely ended a June, 2005 National Council meeting held to consider an enquiry into intra-party violence before the fate of senior party members implicated in the violence could be decided. Coltart continues with his narration: 'I was so concerned about our failure to get to the bottom of the violence that I prepared a statement that was tabled at the next meeting of the National Executive held on the 15th July. (In the statement) I reiterated my belief that the investigation had been incomplete and that further investigations and disciplinary action was needed...It was with this in mind that I suggested to Morgan Tsvangirai when I met him on the 12th November that an independent commission of enquiry into violence be established...Tsvangirai promised to consider the suggestion.'
However, it was only in January 2006 that Coltart learnt from a senior National Executive member in the Tsvangirai faction that 'Morgan Tsvangirai was no longer interested in pursuing the suggestion. I subsequently had a private meeting with Tsvangirai on the 27th January and it was clear in that meeting that he was not interested in pursuing the proposal any further.'  In addition to having been disappointed by Tsvangirai's refusal to commission an independent enquiry into the violence, Coltart informs us that he had also become increasingly dismayed by the following: 'The senior member of staff dismissed by the National Council in its June 2005 meeting has been re-employed by the Tsvangirai faction; the youths responsible for the violence in Harvest House in September 2004 and May 2005 expelled from the party by the Management Committee (and endorsed by the National Council) have been re-employed by the Tsvangirai faction: at least one of these youths was involved in the unlawful hi-jacking of a vehicle in the lawful possession of the Mutambara faction in March. It appears as if no internal disciplinary action has been taken against that youth.'
Coltart continues: 'the senior members of the National Executive and MPs implicated in the Harvest House violence were all elected to the National Executive and some are on the new Management Committee of the Tsvangirai faction; senior members of staff implicated in the Harvest House violence have retained their positions; the Tsvangirai faction's winning candidate in Budiriro is one of the very people suspended by the MDC National Council in June last year for 2 years on the accusation of being involved in the Harvest House violence; the Budiriro by election has been marked by violence and illegal activity including the tearing down of the Mutambara faction candidate's posters; Tsvangirai faction Chairman of Harare Province Morgan Femai was quoted in the press as having told a rally in Mufakoze on the 2nd April 2006 that 'before we remove Zanu PF we will stamp them (the Mutambara faction) out.' No statement rebutting this policy has been issued by the leadership of the Tsvangirai faction.' To be continued.
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