Chamisa dares Mnangangwa, Chiwenga

An angry opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, yesterday threw the gauntlet at both President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, challenging them to also testify at the official probe looking into August 1 killings.

The MDC leadervowed he would not appear before the commission of inquiry on the August 1 shootings claiming the probe was misplaced and described as stupid the demonstrations over the alleged delay in announcing the July 30 presidential results.

Chamisa, his deputy Morgen Komichi, deputy chairperson Tendai Biti among others have been subpoenaed to appear before the commission led by former South African leader Kgalema Motlanthe.

But the party leadership said it was unfair for the commission to subpoena Chamisa and others, as securocrats who testified embarrassed themselves by presenting "lies" that sought to incriminate the opposition.

Chamisa said President Emmerson Mnangagwa must give his testimony first as he also denied sending protestors into the streets.

"It was very stupid even for people who demonstrated, to demonstrate for the results to be released. It was stupid because they then opened themselves for attacks and for manipulation," he told journalists in Harare yesterday.

"I think those who demonstrated have their rights, but I feel that it was uncalled for and that is my view. I am not insulting them but I have a right just like any other because it was premature. It was not strategic and open to be manipulated by the enemies of the people, the enemies of peace, the merchants of violence, the archbishops of violence."

Chamisa said the commission of inquiry was working on a script to destroy the MDC.

The MDC leader said he had no time to mobilise protests at the time because he genuinely believed that he was the winner.

"We have said we have no time for these shenanigans. We know that this is choreographed and they are working from a conclusion. Once you said you want to know what necessitated the use of violence, you are already saying the violence was necessary," he said.

"Once you want to say who sent the people you are already assuming that the people were sent. What about if they were not sent? It's clear that they are working from an answer and they have a script which is to decimate the opposition, the script is to destroy the MDC."

Chamisa claimed that there was a conspiracy to make some people give false testimony before the commission that it was the MDC that provided people with guns with instructions to shoot.

He said threats to arrest him were cheap talk, insisting he was not worried at being persecuted just like his predecessor the late Morgan Tsvangirai.

"You can arrest Chamisa, but that is not arresting the problem. This nation is deeply divided and in fact there will be no need for a commission of inquiry if there was no crisis in this country," he said while accusing Mnangagwa of failing to engage locally yet claims to be wanting to engage the international community.

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora chronicled various violent and ugly incidences instigated by Zanu PF since Independence in 1980.

He also took a swipe at the securocrats for trying to shift blame on the MDC leadership and expressed disappointment at the subpoenas targeting his fellow leaders at the Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House.

Mwonzora said there was unparalleled evidence that the authorities had everything to do with the August 1 shootings.

"The evidence of the commanders is clearly uninformative. What is clear is that there is State capture in Zimbabwe," he said.

"What is happening at the commission of inquiry is a situation where people are moving from the answers to the workings, for those who know mathematics."