Mercy only after legal process – Mugabe
February 23, 2009
Jestina Mukoko, abducted December 3, first remanded in court December 24.
By Raymond Maingire
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe is adamant that he can only exercise his prerogative of mercy on dozens of incarcerated Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists, alleged to be plotters of terrorism, only when the court process has been exhausted.
Mugabe, who turned 85 last weekend, is under pressure to release the political prisoners in the spirit of the all-inclusive government inaugurated this month after painstaking negotiation between his Zanu-PF and his bitter rivals in the MDC.
Nearly 30 MDC and human rights activists have been languishing in remand prison since December 22, 2008 on allegations of terrorism and attempts to overthrow Mugabe’s government through acts of banditry and insurgency.
Following their abductions by state security agents in October, they had been kept in secret detention amid intense denials from Mugabe’s government about their whereabouts.
Lately, a top MDC official Roy Bennett, who was due to be sworn in as Zimbabwe’s deputy agriculture minister last week, was arrested as he was about to fly out to Johannesburg to visit his family.
Bennett, who escaped from the country three years ago after the state tried to arrest him on alleged illegal possession of weapons, had been granted asylum in South Africa.
But Mugabe on Monday defiantly told a visiting United Nations aid team that he could pardon political prisoners only when the courts have dealt with their cases.
The visiting UN team, led by UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Catherine Bragg, also met Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, together with ministers of Foreign Affairs, Labour, Education and Health to receive briefs on the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe.
A ZBC TV news broadcast reported Monday that the Zimbabwean leader had expressed satisfaction on the new relationship with his erstwhile rivals.
“He took the opportunity to clarify the issue of the so-called abductees, saying in the case of those facing allegations, some of them very serious, and whose cases are before the courts, the law should take its course,” said the ZBC.
“He explained that his prerogative of exercising mercy through granting amnesty can only be considered after the courts have completed their work.”
Mugabe, whose government was slapped with targeted sanctions by the West for human rights abuses and failure to free democratic space, was defiant on sanctions.
“Why are sanctions there now,” Mugabe said.
“They have punished the people sufficiently and Zimbabwe’s expectations are that the United Nations should not be abused by the powerful nations.
“No matter how powerful they are, we will oppose them and we will resist them (sanctions). We are frank here and unafraid.”
Tsvangirai has, on the other hand, said that the continued jailing of his party’s members is playing against efforts to bring credibility to the new government.
“We cannot claim we are a government which wants to give people their freedom while on the other hand arresting innocent people,” Tsvangirai said to crowd estimated at above 25 000, which had gathered to celebrate his party’s 10th anniversary in the Midlands capital of Gweru on Sunday.
“This government will lose credibility if we continue on such a path. We are very conscious, we are very much aware of the credibility gap when we engage on those activities of unmitigated arrests. We are concerned about that and we will deal with that.”
The MDC is adamant the charges leveled against its activists are trumped up.
Lately, the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC), was reported as “working on a solution acceptable to all political parties” on the fate of the accused persons.
The JOMIC is a local watchdog created at the instigation of SADC, brokers of the unity deal.
The new government, that has left Mugabe firmly in control of the levers of power while apportioning Tsvangirai the responsibility of repairing the bartered economy, is at pains to charm the charitable international community in efforts aimed at restoring economic prosperity to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s economy, which has pushed 94 percent of the population into the chaotic informal sector and further decimated the middle class, is reeling under years of economic mismanagement by Mugabe’s once populist government.
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This is a really frustrating situation; Zimbabwe has many teething problems and our people are dying and yet we are stuck on this one issue, human rights.
People like Jestine Mukoko were abducted not arrested and so the State broke the law and once in the hands of the State Security the prisoners were tortured which is also illegal. When they were finally taken to Court the Judges ordered that they should be release and/or allowed medical attention; again the State disregarded the Court orders.
So by insisting that he will not grant the prisoners a presidential pardon, which is one way of ending this sad episode, until the Courts have run the full course; Mugabe is trying to give the impression that he holds the rule of law in high regard. Who is he fooling!
Zimbabwe has a multitude of political, economic and social problems. And yet the nation is wasting time and resources on issues that serve no purpose other than gratify Mugabe that he is still the boss and has all his dictatorial powers. Well Tsvangirai’s “workable solution” is certainly NOT working; no nation can afford this criminal waste of material and human resources on such trivial pursuits, much less a country up to its neck in quick sand!
Mugabe and his cronies have been pushing for a blanket amnesty; well Mugabe has given the nation the answer- mercy only after legal process! It is a great pity of course that Tsvangirai does not have the spine to push that position through- another source of frustration!
It is really disheartening that innocent people are suffering in Zimbabwe prisons whilst the real criminals who murdered, tortured, raped and plundered the economy of the country are walking free and enjoying the protection of State (The State is even suggesting that all these criminals be given amnesty)
Mercy only after legal process, indeed Mugabe? What legal process? So abductions, torture, and false charges and courts presided over by tainted judges now constitute the legal process in Zimbabwe? What about the hundreds of murderers, rapists, arsonists and robbers roaming the cities and villages after committing these crimes before the so-called run-off election of 27 June? When will the legal process for them start? And the old man still asks “Why are sanctions there now”? It’s worrying that Tsvangirai is now speaking the same language. Wake up, Tsvangirai, Mugabe and his military are one and the same, they hate you and don’t care what happens to the people of Zimbabwe.
As long as you the Zimbabweans, especially the supporters of the MDC continue to argue against direct western interventions, either militarily or otherwise;
as long as you do not want to join the call to mass uprisings;
as long as you continue to have a soft spot for Robert Mugabe and
as long as you continue to see him as mwana wekumusha or home boy, etc – You shall continue to cry, mourn, until AMEN!
Akukho ozolisiza – you are beyond redemption!!
Diliza Muthwa Ndlovu, I hope you have a memory that goes beyond 1980 when your fathers were invading our lands and taking our farm produce and women and children? Have they been forgiven by us now that you want to talk of the MDC-T not mentioning gukurahundi. Why are you so selfish? They must just say there is no forgiving and people revenge on each other and we see what country we will still have after that.
Who is Mugabe?? He has to be brought before the Hague where he can be tried for the crimes he has commited over the years, this man has no shame.
In the same breath, the legal process must be allowed to take it’s course with regards to the rape, torture and murder of Zimbabweans in Matabeleland in the 1980s, Murambatsvina and the recent elections. The biggest terrorists this country has ever witnessed are Zanu-PF with Mugabe overseeing it all.
Mercy and Mugabe are two words that should not be placed in the same sentence.
To those who are calling for a blanket amnesty for Robert Mugabe’s goons and hoodlums,there is the perfect answer for you -” Mercy only after legal process – Mugabe” and from the mouth of Mugabe himself !
Its funny that the so called legal process is for keeping MDC-T activist behind bars and ZANU PF thugs on the street