Picture: Biti’s bombed durawall

Less than 10 hours after confronting Robert Mugabe over his unwarranted attacks unidentified men threw an explosive device at the durawall of Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s house in the Grange suburb of Harare.

In this picture you can see all that remains of the explosion which rocked the neighbourhood Sunday morning. Biti threatened to quit the coalition government if standing up for what is right, meant risking the lives of his family members.

Biti blamed the country’s service chiefs for an explosive device that was thrown at his house claiming ‘they’re out to kill me and my family.’ In a candid interview with the Daily News, the usually composed and no nonsense Biti shed tears as he threatened to quit the inclusive government over the latest attack on his residence.

On Thursday Mugabe used a rally attended by traditional chiefs to attack Biti, claiming he was allocating himself presidential powers, cutting support to black farmers and also failing to help struggling businesses, particularly in Bulawayo.

“This man we gave the job of managing the country’s finances does not think along the same lines as us. To him and some of his colleagues, agriculture is not an important area because they think that if they finance this sector, they will be strengthening ZANU PF,” Mugabe is reported to have told the rally.

Biti confronted Mugabe the following day, during an explosive National Security Council meeting also attended by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the army chiefs, police, CIO, prison chiefs and several cabinet ministers.

Biti demanded an explanation for the verbal attack but Mugabe non-chalantly said; ‘Ibvapo mhani iwe’ (get away from here, you). Army commander General Constantine Chiwenga and Police Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri supported Mugabe and told Tsvangirai and co-Home Affairs Minister Theresa Makone to intervene. They claimed Biti was being disrespectful.

Several hours later Biti’s home was bombed.