Cheap attempts to scamper justice: A forgotten case of Retired Army General Solomon Mujuru

MORGAN RICHARD TSVANGIRAI is the sole name that holds the perennial truth about revolutionary process and democratic transformation of Zimbabwe. The MDC-T under the captainship of President Richard Morgan Tsvangirai has typically endured damning and bruising challenges during the struggle. Though some battles may have been lost before the war is won, a lot is at stake as the Zimbabwean child is being held at ransom by Zanu Pf and Robert Mugabe.

This truism explains the raging demonization of the people's president which is a programme that has preoccupied some malcontents in our midst over the last few years with specific reference to Zanu Pf and Robert Mugabe as well as the politically irrelevant Lovemore Madhuku and Tendai Biti.

The big Zanu Pf cats in dark glasses and unmarked vehicles have been living on a wobbly precarious premise that Morgan Tsvangirai will fall on the sidelines after throwing all sorts of allegations and traps to him. Nothing fells a strong leader. As it stands all is now in jeopardy under the cloud of perfidy posing as due diligence. Morgan Tsvangirai is here to stay! He is the next president of Zimbabwe.

After round one of booing by MDC-T parliamentarians, Robert Mugabe ordered those in black suits, dark glasses and unmarked vehicles to send threatening messages to the opposition members. This Zanu Pf directive to attack and threaten those in the opposition smells of sickening and intolerable political bigotry last seen in Rhodesia. As it is impossible to stop the change winds, Robert Mugabe made himself a laughing stock when he repeated a speech in parliament, and the opposition couldn't even stop him!

Zimbabwe has a few true sons of the soil left and such common and natural directives from Zanu Pf have left the ruling party unchallenged and henceforth the maladministration by selfish big wigs. The damning aspect of these directives is that they have not been sufficiently interrogated in parliament for transparency and openness. This has led to the death of parliamentary sovereignty as Zanu Pf is exposed for the fake rule of law.

This lack of parliamentary interrogation has left a lot of voids in the democratic processes in the motherland. Zimbabwe can never have a commission of inquiry for there is no transparency in all levels of governance. Had there been transparency, Zimbabwe would have had commissions of inquiry for, to but just to name a few: Josiah Magama Tongogara, Herbert Chitepo, Susan Tsvangirai, Learnmore Judah Jongwe, Mazda-Willovale-Gate, Zifa Gate, LandGate, Marange-Diamond-Gate and recently Itai Dzamara and a proper and real one for General Solomon Mujuru.

At this point in time, allow me to dwell on the case of Retired Army General Mujuru.

REWIND:

It did not surprise many of us who have been exposed to the Robert Mugabe regime that the court application to ascertain whether there was foul play connected with the death of the Retired Army General. The General's demise was in a in a routine domestic fire in the dead of night. The commission of enquiry was just a delayed match on justice denied.

Solomon Mujuru's death raised inevitable questions but Zimbabweans never dared asking them except in hushed tones and in international outlets. As has been the norm, once the last respects are given together with a twenty one gun salute at the national shrine the entire episode was and has been forgotten and we have seen many other Zanu Pf stalwarts continue biting the dust in controversial style.

That is Zanu-Pf style. So many of the inconvenient, turbulent or suddenly distrusted have disappeared or been involved in supposed crushes and no one is ever brought to book. Charismatic opposition leaders have been assassinated, including Jongwe, Kauzani, Mabika, Chiminya and, in some opinions, Susan Tsvangirai to name a few.

Nor does Zanu-Pf spare its own?  Manyika, Gezi and Mahachi, died in mysterious car accidents and no one was arrested. No one seriously investigated the deaths of Herbert Chitepo, General Josiah Tongogara, Susan Tsvangirai. No-one wanted to find the truth because everyone already knew it. Anyhow they were too busy arresting opposition leaders on trumped up charges.
Tyrants seek absolute power, and scorn the rule of law.

The mighty Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo, the first black Rhodesian to become a barrister, was killed in 1975 in controversial circumstances and to this day we still do not know the identity of his murderer. Chitepo defended African nationalists such as Ndabaningi Sithole and served as a legal adviser to the Father of Zimbabwe, Joshua Nkomo.

Chitepo was respected so much internationally that even Ian Smith's government dare not touch him. He canvassed support for ZANU and earned recognition and trust for the party he loved and served. When called to lead, and with the aid of his comrade Josiah Tongogara, he organised and planned successful guerrilla attacks.  And then he was mysteriously lost.

At such times its worth examining who might gain advantage from the elimination from the face of the world of such an iconic figure. Chitepo's death purged ZANU of its many rebellious factions and empowered Robert Mugabe as sole leader. Kenneth Kaunda, the Zambian President, commissioned an inquiry into the death, and it placed the blame on ZANU infighting. The implication was clear. Ian Smith did not kill him.   

As if this was not enough, Josiah Tongogara, Zimbabwe's version of Che Guevara and a prospective political rival to Robert Mugabe because of his aspiration, recognition and influential style, was likewise suddenly lost. His solders and supporters held their tongue because a man capable of such deeds was capable of anything. And so it proved, with Gukurahundi and other atrocities. Thereafter Zanu Pf was ruled by fear, and before long so was Zimbabwe.

Gone in a puff of smoke, or a blazing inferno? Accordingly it's unsurprising that news of Mujuru's death in an inferno on his farm was sceptically received. Leading figures mistrusted by the regime keep suffering accidental deaths. How could a former Zimbabwean National Army commander and a man of courage and strength be unable to escape from a simple house fire before the roof collapsed?  

All the doors were unlocked and the windows had no security bars. We wondered why the two soldiers stationed 50 yards away did not hear the flames. For that matter where were the security forces, usually omnipresent in the country? No wonder locals concluded that Mujuru's demise was no accident. Fire wiped out all evidence! Most convenient. Of course it is just speculation; it always is, the first time, the second time, and the sixth time.  

But why was Mujuru a target? Of course it was all about the bitter succession battle in Zanu-Pf. The ferocious battle behind the scenes fought between the supposed moderates led by the Mujurus and the hardliners line up behind Emerson Mnangagwa. The stakes could hardly be higher, with massacres, murder, torture and theft to cover up, and millions to make.
 
It is common cause that the real struggle over presidential succession has been between two factions within Zanu-Pf, the Mujurus and Mnangagwa, who has cronies in the security agencies and armed forces branches. Now Joyce Mujuru's Zanu Pf ticket has been lost because her husband was her main ally due to his wide support amongst the grass roots and soldiers.

After the funeral formalities and sympathy, she became an isolated figure. The forces of reform and moderation in Zanu-Pf have been fatally wounded. By all accounts in 2013, the Mujurus considered forming a post election act with MDC-T, a notion anathema to the angry old men of the party.
 
Now in 2015, the Mnangagwa camp can be certain that the future, or at any rate Zanu-Pf, belongs to them. Solomon Mujuru was buried at Heroes Acre and the hypocrites sang his praises even as the relatives divided his immense wealth (for he collected many farms, mines and diamonds, in the Zanu-Pf tradition). He will be remembered as a warrior and officials will portray him as a Zanu-Pf stalwart, omitting to mention that he knew the game was up, poor that the knowledge probably cost him his life.
 
Meanwhile the MDC knows now the ruthlessness of its foe. It is dangerous even for a war hero so much as to contemplate Zimbabwe without Zanu-Pf in charge. It is the end of moderation, the death of peaceful transition. Leopards don't change their spots. It hardly matters whether Mujuru's passing was accidental. No-one will believe pleas of innocence.

Can MDC-T seize the moment?  Of course yes!

Zimbabwe's only true democratic party has not been slow to react, but has been patient and has often seemed weak in the eyes of those who do not perceive the long term goal. There is zeal for power in the MDC-T, and that has been its strong point.

But for Zanu Pf's implants in MDC-T in the form of Tendai Biti, Solomon and Paul Madzore and Prof Welshman Ncube, the party would have been on another level as they deviated from the main course. Their sheer arrogance and no willingness to die for the people exposed them. Shame on those who sold the souls of many.

MDC-T is waiting for the ballot and an open and democratic manner of taking over. Violent plots have no room in the MDC-T house. It is common cause that Zanu Pf has always regarded elections as a ceremonial event staged every four years to appease Westerners. Now it is more concerned with placating African allies. Accordingly it goes through their motions, counts the votes itself, forces soldiers and the dead to vote umpteen times, relies on intimidation and media control to do the rest and still needed five weeks to cook the books. Zimbabwe is an autocracy presented as a democracy.
 
The death of Solomon Mujuru forced to the surface a lot of infighting in the ruling party. It's time for genuine democrats to stand up, especially those lingering within Zanu Pf and Madam Widow Joyce is already out.  Did they fight for this, the killing of moderate voices, the fixing of elections, starvation, economic collapse, rich elite? Is that the Zimbabwe they imagined? It is the one produced by the party in power these last thirty some years.

To Zimbabwe, we say to you, where to from here?
To Solomon Mujuru, we say to you, may your soul rest in peace!
To Itai Dzamara we remain dumb found!
Till we meet again…
Free Zimbabwe, Mugabe and Zanu Pf Must Go!
President Morgan Tsvangirai is the ultimate solution to the problems of Zimbabwe that emanated from the incapacity of Zanu Pf.
Vote MDC-T where there are Equal Opportunities for All!
Morgan Tsvangirai the President in waiting!
MDC-T stands for EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL!

Ntate Moruti Chadya Tapiwa Diamond is a Father, a Legal Practitioner, a Lecturer, a Researcher, a Political Analyst-cum-Activist and is also the director of Information and Publicity in the South African Youth Assembly of the Morgan Tsvangirai led Movement for Democratic Change. Diamond is a man after God's heart like King David and serves as a resident Jnr. Pastor in the House of the Lord at Light House Ministries in Gauteng. He read law the University of KwaZulu Natal and is Researching towards an LLM. He concomitantly lives in the Natal Midlands and Johannesburg. He can be contacted on 27 (0)84 566 2756 or email him at diamondtapiwa@gmail.com,or twitter @mantronieqscie or like Tapiwa Diamond Chadya on facebook. He writes in his own personal capacity.