MLO condemns shooting of civilians in Harare

MLO condemns in all possible terms the killing of innocent civilians by the Zimbabwe National Army in the streets of Harare on 1 August 2018. There is no justification for sending the army to shoot and kill unarmed civilians. This shows how the junta government will conduct itself in future.

We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and relatives of those who lost their lives.

The MDC Alliance is also to blame as some of its leaders clearly incited violence before and after the counting of votes. The same goes for ZEC which conducted the announcement of election results like a fashion show. Priscilla Chigumba and her team would come on stage, announce results from 7 constintuances, disappear to go and change clothes and return to the stage again looking like real beauty queens and kings  with another bunch of results. While being swanky they  kept masses in suspense and suspecting that something untoward was going on.

MLO notes with sadness that the Zanupf government has a track record of bloody violence that can be tracked as far back as 1980 elections. During this period  Zanupf held violent campaigns across the country.Masses were intimidated, beaten and forced to vote Zanupf. ZAPU was totally banned from campaigning in Mashonaland and only campaigned in Matabeleland and Midlands yet Britain that oversaw the process went on to declare Zanupf as the winner of the elections. This led to the forced unitary and defacto one party state in 1987.

From 1981 to 1987 Zanupf went on an ethnic cleansing process in Matabeleland that targeted ZAPU and Matabele civilians. The situation degenerated to a genocide with Emmerson Mnangagwa referring to Matabeles as cockroaches that needed to be exterminated. Britain, as the latest information suggests, protected the genocide perpetrators from facing prosecution in exchange of safety of their business interests. Election of 1985 were held in the middle of Matabeleland genocide and bloodbath and again the world misinformed and mislead by Britain endorsed the elections as free and
fair.

In 2000 to 2008 we saw the reemergence of both physical and psychological violence targeted at opposition supporters and the white community. War vets, green bombers and Zanupf Women's League threatened, beat and even killed people.

On 15 November we saw the Zimbabwe National Army staging a coup dubbed "operation restore legacy". But the fact of the matter is that the army poked its nose into Zanupf factional fights to depose the sitting president and replace him with their own favourite candidate. Guess who is back to support her blood soaked first born child! Yes it is Britain. First it endorsed the coup and it will declare the elections as free and fair. The unholy and bloody relationship between Zanupf and Britain is strong again. Cry my beloved Matabeleland! The coloniser and her proxy are back together.

Under the direction and authority of Matebeleland Liberation Organisation Supreme Council, The President of M.L.O. Paul Siwela served the British government under the leadership of David Cameron and Zimbabwe government under the leadership of Robert Gabriel Mugabe with Notices of Demand for The Restoration of Matebeleland State on 5 December 2015 and 7 December 2015 respectively.Both addressees acknowledged receipt of The Notices by signing for them. Surprisingly, the government of Zimbabwe deeps its head in the sand regarding this important issue. What do they want us to do? Should we take the route of violence so that they listen to us?

Israel Dube

MLO Secretary for Information an Public Affairs