Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU PF party is currently pressing to have the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change leader, Morgan Tsvangirai brought to book on treason charges for allegedly trying to overthrow the government, The Zimbabwe Gazette can reveal.

Tsvangirai Likely to Face Treason Charge

Legal and Parliamentary affairs Minister, Patrick Chinamasa says Tsvangirai plans to revamp of the army, police, central intelligence and the RBZ.

“Basically, this is treated as treason. It means if this move was successful, Tsvangirai was going to arrested army chief Constatine Chiwenga, Air Force Marshall Perence Shiri and Police chief Augustine Chihuri, among others.”

“He would replace them with Retired Colonel Lionell Dyke, Martin Rupiya and Dr Chitiyo who served in the Rhodesian Government,” he said on state radio on Wednesday night.

On 15 October 2004, Tsvangirai was found innocent on treason charges based on accusations that he had plotted to kill Mugabe with the help of Canada-based political consultant, Ari Ben Menashe.

Chinamasa said the MDC moved on to the war veterans and government workers whom they said are partisan, support Mugabe.

“They want to accord MDC members who have died in the past 5 years with hero status, and exhume ZANU PF heroes buried there.”

“It was the MDC that was involved in these dirty works. This document and thinking is taking us long back, where they want to reverse our gains. They want to eliminate ZANU PF and its supporters.”

They went on to chiefs and tractors and implements that was handed over to new farmers.

Antony Gaby, Justice Blake were approached by Tsvangirai to come back to the bench as judges as soon as he gets into power.

They will return at least 200 farms allegedly taken from whites by Mugabe.

White farmers are coming back, black farmers would be given at least 10 hours to vacate the farms.

According to Chinamasa, when ZANU PF got the document signed by Tsvangirai and Biti, they asked them about it.

“The MDC profess ignorance and dismiss the issue. They just say vanhu veZANU makaoma, manga mazviwana se?”

“However, investigations are under way, and we want the matter investigated thoroughly so that Tsvangirai and MDC secretary general, Tendai Biti are brought to book.”

“Biti and Tsvangirai are in exile maybe in SA or Botswana.”

“The MDC also say Messrs Eddie Cross and Eric Bloch will make sure commodities and goods disappear from shops and hotels.”

“If you show that you want to be treated as an enemy, we will treat you se mhandu (an enemy).”

As a party we need to be honest, and drive the gains of the struggle.

The truth of the matter is of course people are hungry, not that it is bad governance.

“We have had drought for years, and this year only managed to get half of what we expected.”

Chinamasa hinted ZANU PF approached the MDC over the election results.

“We said to the MDC, now that there is no-one with a majority vote, what do we do?”

“The MDC came with the idea of a transitional government. There then came up a document signed by MDC’s Tendai Biti.”

There has been talks between ZANU PF and MDC since last year chaired by SA president, Thabo Mbeki, but to date nothing has come up. To a larger extent, Mbeki has been blamed for his quiet diplomacy on the Zimbabwean situation.

“The MDC said let’s form a government of national unity, but at the same time run to the international community and speak the other way. They are not decided, we don’t know what they want,” said Chinamasa.

ZANU PF says recounting and verification is still going on and the people will know the election results soon.

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