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Mnangagwa has damaged his presidential ambitions - Coltart
03 Apr 2016 at 11:14hrs | Views
Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has severely damaged his presidential ambitions by seeking to deny his key role in Gukurahundi atrocities, politician David Coltart has said.
According to human rights activists, the Zimbabwe army allegedly killed at least 20 000 innocent civilians.
The massacres - commonly referred to as Gukurahundi or "washing away dirt" - have reportedly unsettled the vice-president, who is believed to be harbouring presidential ambitions.
Last week, Mnangagwa denied his involvement in the atrocities.
In his new book, Coltart published several remarks he says were made by Mnangagwa 33 years ago as head of the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Coltart and others interpreted the remarks as a contributory factor in the slaughter of about 20,000 people in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces from 1983 to 1987.
Mnangagwa claims he did not make the statements published in Bulawayo's Chronicle newspaper at the time.
Said Coltart : "I have no doubt that Vice-President Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the minister in charge of the CIO at the time, played a key role in Gukurahundi.
"Vice-President Mnangagwa is in an awkward position. He is trying to convey to Zimbabweans and the international community that he is someone worthy of holding presidential office in Zimbabwe. The revelations made in my book, alongside those contained in older publications, affect this goal. Had he said nothing about the revelations contained in my book, some would have assumed that he agreed with what was written.
"Accordingly, he had no choice but to deny what he is alleged to have said and done in the past. It does appear, however, that he did not anticipate that Chronicle would reveal the source material which confirms that my book accurately reflects what Chronicle reported him saying in 1983".
Mnangagwa is tipped to succeed President Robert Mugabe, 92, when he retires or dies.
According to human rights activists, the Zimbabwe army allegedly killed at least 20 000 innocent civilians.
The massacres - commonly referred to as Gukurahundi or "washing away dirt" - have reportedly unsettled the vice-president, who is believed to be harbouring presidential ambitions.
Last week, Mnangagwa denied his involvement in the atrocities.
In his new book, Coltart published several remarks he says were made by Mnangagwa 33 years ago as head of the Central Intelligence Organisation.
Coltart and others interpreted the remarks as a contributory factor in the slaughter of about 20,000 people in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces from 1983 to 1987.
Mnangagwa claims he did not make the statements published in Bulawayo's Chronicle newspaper at the time.
Said Coltart : "I have no doubt that Vice-President Mnangagwa, in his capacity as the minister in charge of the CIO at the time, played a key role in Gukurahundi.
"Vice-President Mnangagwa is in an awkward position. He is trying to convey to Zimbabweans and the international community that he is someone worthy of holding presidential office in Zimbabwe. The revelations made in my book, alongside those contained in older publications, affect this goal. Had he said nothing about the revelations contained in my book, some would have assumed that he agreed with what was written.
"Accordingly, he had no choice but to deny what he is alleged to have said and done in the past. It does appear, however, that he did not anticipate that Chronicle would reveal the source material which confirms that my book accurately reflects what Chronicle reported him saying in 1983".
Mnangagwa is tipped to succeed President Robert Mugabe, 92, when he retires or dies.
Source - The Standard
