Mwonzora prepared for the worst

Abridged comments by MDC Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora on Thursday morning about the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry and comments made by security chiefs:

There are certain statements that have been made by some people within government, statements which we take very seriously because they have a bearing on the stability of the country and he integrity of those institutions.

We are ready for them, we're prepared for the worst. We knew it from the beginning that they would be offended by our defeating of them in an election.

They are pre-empting the judgment of an inquiry; we refuse to be actors in a play we don't know. The MDC has nothing to do with the commission. We will not be appearing before the commission unless certain legal issues are addressed.

We have written to the commission to seek certain clarifications before the president can go there. What happens to John must happen to Peter. If we think there's discrimination, then we are not interested.

The MDC has noted the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe. The shortage of drugs and medicine being sold in US dollars, which our people do not have.

We have also noted events at the Commission of Inquiry led by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe. This is an inquiry into the notorious murder of innocent and unarmed civilians on August 1. Given the clear constitutional provisions governing deployment of armed forces, this Commission is largely unnecessary. The constitution makes it clear the person responsible for deploying the armed forces is the President. So therefore the answer lies in the Office of the President, it is Mr Mnangagwa who knows whether he deployed or not and if he deployed, he knows the terms under which he deployed and whether or not they fulfilled the mandate. So the answer lies squarely in his Office.

We also noted the testimony of our trusted institutions, testimonies that have exposed to the world the absolute disregard of the truth on their part. This is, however, common in corrupt, irresponsible and unaccountable governance systems worldwide.

The brazen testimonies, and the brazen lies vindicate the MDC position that we are in a serious situation of state capture. The Zimbabwean state is a captured state. There's complete disregard of constitutionalism and a blatant abuse of state institutions.

We owe it to the Zimbabwean public, region and international community to set record straight. What we are seeing at the Commission are paid actors as witnesses. Rules of evidence are being ignored, hearsay is inadmissible but the Commission is taking all of it.

What is common cause is that there was a soldier who was shooting in public; what is common cause is that he adopted a kneeling posture and what is also common cause is that he was not shooting at a 45-degree angle. That gun is shooting, shooting at what?

You don't need a military expert to see the blatant lie. Why is that soldier, if that soldier is there to scare people, why is he in a mask? You are only in a mask because you don't want to be known! When a soldier is dispersing a crowd without harming them, there's no need to put on a mask. We can put two and two together, as the people of Zimbabwe.