Top government official backs Chihuri
February 20, 2009
Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri’s call for amnesty receives backing.
By Owen Chikari
MASVINGO – A senior government official David Mangota has backed Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri over the dropping of all murder charges committed during the run-up to last year’s presidential election run off.
Mangota, who is the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, also ordered personnel in his ministry to effectively grab farms from the remaining white commercial farmers since they will not have the opportunity to do so after the inclusive government has taken full control.
Addressing civil servants among them magistrates and senior police and army officers here yesterday, Mangota said his ministry has already asked president Robert Mugabe to pardon those found guilty of cases committed during the campaign for the June 27 presidential election run-off.
He said all murder cases committed between March and June last year should be dropped to ensure that the nation starts operating on a new leaf.
“We are ordering you magistrates and other judiciary personnel to drop all murder charges committed during the run-up to the presidential election run-off”, said Mangota.
“We are in the process of promoting national healing hence those whose cases have not been finalised should be set free”.
“We have since asked president Mugabe to pardon all political prisoners especially those with cases committed during the run to the polls.”
On the issue of land Mangota ordered personnel in his ministry to grab the land from the remaining white farmers arguing that they will not have the chance to do so when the inclusive government takes full control of government affairs.
“We are saying those of you who have no land should grab it,” said Mangota. “We are giving you until the end of this month to do so.”
A wave of fresh farm occupations is reported to have swept across some parts of Masvingo during the past two weeks.
Some of the farms that have been occupied include Quagga Pen Ranch in Mwenezi, Iris farm owned by Digby Nesbit in Chiredzi, and Chidza farm owned by John Bolland.
During the run up to president Mugabe’s controversial victory scores of Zanu PF supporters among them youths war veterans and senior Zanu PF officials including former cabinet ministers unleashed a reign of terror in the countryside beating, torturing and killing people.
Among the former ministers named in connection with political violence is former Minister of Finance, Samuel Mumbengegwi and his wife, the late minister without portfolio, Elliot Manyika, and former Minister of Energy and Power development retired colonel Mike Nyambuya and former Minister of Health David Parirenyatwa.
While the MDC has called for the prosecution of all perpetrators of violence Zanu PF remains adamant that they should go scot-free.
Commissioner General Chihuri last week ordered provincial commanding officers to drop all murder charges committed between April and June 2008.
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Mr Mangota is now the Judiciary, Executive as well as Parliament? It shows clearly these Zanu-PF zealots are not willing to change.
Tell you what Mr Mangota- you are in for a surprise!, I understand you are a lawyer and have been a Magistrate before – you have heard the saying mhosva hairove handiti? ( a case, esp murder can never swept away). It might take so many years, but the truth is these cases should be and will be investigated.
In any case have you gone to the victims families to really understand how they feel, about loosing a beloved father, mother, son, daughter,domestic animals etc? and here you are waking up from your bed and pronouncing all is forgiven, typical Zanu-PF fashion!
Are you guys not Africans anymore? You don’t believe in Ngozi anymore?.. need I say more. Chimboitai (You may proceed with your designs.)
To imagine this is a Permanent Secretary who is encouraging chaos on farms and soon you are complaining I cant earn USD100? Mr Mangota which school did you go to, if I may ask?…
I rest my case.
If Chihuri and Mangota get their way, why would future administrations/governments not commit the same crimes?
Sorry, these guys must be held responsible. It is not like their bosses, who instigated this, did not know what they were doing. And it was all so that they could keep looted funds stolen from the nation.
We want see you in court Chihuri.
Now, this cannot be serious. We have called for an all party conference on national healing, modelled more or less on the same lines as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa immediately after apartheid and so far there have been no takers. In my opinion, that is the only legally constituted board that can call for a blanket pardon, and only then, after a full disclosure of misdemeanors and crimes committed. We certainly cannot afford to have politicians sit at a round table and start to trade in corpses and broken limbs ! That is lawlessness of the highest rank !
Who is Chihuri anyway ? Just a simple hoodlum given face and prestige by leading a national force that he has done little to put on a genuine path of professionalism.
I will wait and see, but the MDC will be foolish to agree to such wild ideas. Where has our sense of responsibility gone to? Out through the window! For what? A dry patch of land somewhere in the middle of nowhere! And this is what is called national leadership ! ! Phew !
Who is Mangota ?????
Mangota ndiani? Who is Mangota? He is just a tiny dot !!!! Where was Mangota and Chihuri when innocent people were beaten, rapped, humiliated, maimed, killed just for voicing their concerns or being opposed to Zanu-PF. Almost everyone opposed to Zanu-PF is alleged to have committed treason! You can make plans, but only the Lord’s plan will happen.
Swing from the gallows! Now you are bleating!
Mangota is supposed to be just a permanent secretary not God. He is not above the law and should be arrested for making provocative statements that insinuate hatred and chaos. How can someone talk of national healing when innocent MDC activists continue to be abducted and brutalised? Is that how rule of law works – one for Zanu PF and another for MDC?
What Mangota fails to comprehend is that winds of change are blowing. His time is running out. Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister and very soon, before Mangota realises whats going on, the government of Zimbabwe will be 100% MDC and whats Mangota gonna do when we come for him?
It is simple Chihuri can not wish murder away. We need to know who murdered who so that we can reconcile with the dead or lead to their new spiritual home.
We need to know who killed in Mugabe’s name and whether Mugabe gave such instructions.