Tsvangirai's MDC-T warns of CIO sting operation

THE MDC-T yesterday warned its members and partners to be wary of a suspected sting operation by the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) involving distribution of fabricated letters portraying a hostile relationship between the party and the British Embassy.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora told the NewsDay that the letters were designed to sow divisions and create an impression of a widening rift between the opposition party and the British government.

"It is a sting operation. This letter was not originated from any MDC-T office," Mwonzora said in reference to one of the alleged fabricated letters printed on a fading MDC-T letterhead.

"The inconsistencies include failure to show the office the letter was coming from and a font type that was very different from the one used by the party."

The British embassy secretariat in Harare also dismissed the letter purported to have been authored by projects officer Madelaine Johnston as "fabricated".

Officials said the letter did not have the embassy's official security marks, adding that Johnston's duties did not involve commenting on political matters. In the letter, dated August 10 2013, British ambassador Deborah Bronnert was portrayed as accusing the MDC-T of giving misleading data about the July 31 elections.

Part of the letter addressed to MDC-T secretary-general Tendai Biti read: "The British Embassy wishes to register its disquiet over misleading election information related to the July 31 2013 polls which was received from your party."

In his response in another allegedly fabricated letter dated August 20 2013, Biti is alleged to have said: "The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) wishes to give its sincere apology for providing you with apparently false and misleading information on the electoral malpractices that were witnessed during the July 31 harmonised elections.

"It has come to our realisation that such information was blatantly false and we take full responsibility for such a mishap."

The MDC-T has been rocked by serious internal fights which have since led to the suspension of four senior party officials for alleged indiscipline.