Charamba castigates 'confusionists' propagating 'foolish conspiracy theories'

MEDIA, Information and Publicity Secretary Cde George Charamba has castigated sections of the private media for propagating "foolish conspiracy theories" around the death of Retired General Solomon Mujuru, saying their reportage sought to stoke hatred and confusion.

Reacting to reports published in the Zimbabwe Independent and NewsDay last Friday suggesting foul play in the death, he said the newspapers were part of a group of confusionists whose politics thrives on mischief.

He said it was misplaced for them to draw conclusions ahead of the results of an ongoing forensic investigation.

The Zimbabwe Media Commission should feel challenged by this kind of reporting, he added.

"We are getting to a situation where a little-informed media run by uneducated people build foolish ideas to create violence in society," he said.

"Everyone is mourning the death of this enormous figure in our history. And here they are, stoking the fire of hatred.

"There are confusionists in our midst: There is politics that thrives on mischief . . . Why are these questions being raised? Why ahead of the results of a forensic investigation?"

Rtd Gen Mujuru died last Tuesday after a fire broke out at his Alamein Farm in Beatrice. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire could have been caused by a candle left burning in the house.

A forensic investigation is under way.

The Retired General's widow, Vice-President Mujuru, has since urged everyone to await the outcome of the investigation instead of speculating wildly.

In its main story last Friday, the Zimbabwe Independent concluded that the former military commander was murdered.

It claimed he could not have been trapped because the house has several exits. The publication further claimed it was impossible for his corpse to have been burnt in the manner it was, given the huge water component that makes up the human body.

NewsDay, on the other hand, inferred foul play by claiming the house was fireproof. Cde Charamba, however, dismissed the claims as "harebrained theories".

"There is this harebrained theory of a 'fireproof' house. What is a 'fireproof' house? Where is a 'fireproof' house?

"Not even Buckingham Palace (in England) is fireproof! Not even the church is fireproof! This theory is being peddled by a white man whose farm was occupied by General Mujuru.

"He took the General to court and now wants to redeem him? It is clear the white man wants to fish in troubled waters."

The Secretary added: "The 'cub-doctors' in the newsroom are ingeniously trying to tell us why the General should not have been consumed by fire.

"In their little lives, they cannot fathom this charred body. Yet, they have carried stories of charred bodies and accidents before."

Political analysts also dismissed the reports, saying they were inspired by a sinister motive. An analyst ' who preferred anonymity ' said the claims were tailor-made to create confusion.

"So much is being made out of the failure of the fire brigade (to get to Beatrice on time). The fire brigade belongs to the Harare City Council, which is run by the MDC-T in the main," said the analyst.

"What is being suggested; that Zanu-PF consorted with MDC-T to kill its own? If there is an SOS in Beatrice, which is a good 50 km plus out of Harare, part of it dust, would they reach the farm on time? Is that possible?"

Another political analyst said: "Another dubious view is being put forward: that he being a trained soldier, why did he not escape? Even an experienced driver dies in an accident!

"In what state was the General when the house caught fire? A person dies from asphyxiation, not burns. If you were asleep, you are weakened by the time you wake up. You also panic. These (private media) are geniuses of hindsight who do not anticipate an emergency situation. The instinct of a human is to go for the door. But these immortal geniuses of hindsight don't die."

The analyst also blasted a strange theory which sought to align Rtd Gen Mujuru to the MDC-T.

The analyst said such attempts were in sync with an MDC-T notion to "paste its cause" on every corpse.

"It smacks of callous opportunism. The same people are the ones who ran acres of space making wild allegations about the general's businesses and farm ownership."