Mugabe harmonised elections to go down with party foes

By Itai Mushekwe

President Robert Mugabe unilaterally suggested the harmonisation of presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe in a bid to fall off the political stage with his own enemies within Zanu PF after it became apparent he was going to lose elections in 2008, Nehanda Radio has been told.

Extensive briefings from a cross-section of diplomatic, government and intelligence sources brings to light for the first time, how Mugabe had been warned by his Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives of his pending demise from power in “frank behind the door briefings” prompting him to decide on sinking the whole ship.

The intelligence he received suggested his own senior party members wanted him out, therefore forcing him to tie presidential and legislative polls together to seal his fate and that of party foes.

The long-serving and veteran political survivor, is said to have been frustrated by the chameleon colours of his top lieutenants, who would smile and rubber-stamp his polices by day, yet draw the sharpest of daggers against him at night.

Mugabe did not mind losing and relinquishing power to the army in a putsch, political sources say.

Furthermore, the Zanu PF leader had received shocking intelligence from then South African leader, Thabo Mbeki, whom the International community was pressing in secrecy to stitch an exit package deal for his troublesome counterpart, but Pretoria opted for a coalition administration now better known as the Government of National Unity (GNU) to rescue him from being booted out.

The CIO had already told Mugabe, his challenger Morgan Tsvangirai, would come out tops but could not be allowed to rule since some Zanu PF party cadres had planned to throw away votes by campaigning for their own parliamentary seats, while de-campaigning Mugabe in silence in what became known as “The bhora musango lobby” (Lobbying for kicking the ball outside the nets).

Nehanda Radio also has diplomatic correspondence evidence, between a trenchant Mugabe critic, former Canadian Member of Parliament for Esquimalt – Juan de Fuca, Keith Martin calling on Mbeki to help in easing Mugabe out citing Zimbabwe’s appalling maternal mortality, morbidity figures, evidence of torture, and human rights abuses.

Martin dished a carrot, for Mugabe stepping down by accepting the exit deal in exchange for him not having to face crimes against humanity charges.

Interestingly, we have also managed to get hold of an audio interview Mugabe gave in 2007 in Harare, to a Canadian Televison firm OMNI, in which he makes the tacid admission that he is the one who suggested marrying the two polls, under the pre-text of cutting the presidential term from six years to five, because it was too long and would also cut election costs for the nation.

Readers can listen to the short audio interview and read one of the many diplomatic letters in our hands attached herein. Click here for letter

Mugabe’s ploy to harmonise polls, will not just haunt his Zanu PF officials this time around in July when a new presidential and parliamentary poll is due, but also Tsvangirai and his legislators, as the current regime of MP’s is facing joblessness after the elections due to the ever changing dynamics of Zimbabwean politics.

There has been a rush in demanding mad exit packages by some parliamentarians, including luxury cars, houses and farms or financial golden handshakes to secure their future following a brief stunt in parliament.

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