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MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai wanted Airforce Commander Air Marshal Perence Shiri to be the commander of the defence forces and pacify the military once his party had assumed power, the High Court heard yesterday. Air Marshal Shiri told the court that Tsvangirai also wanted him to be his special advisor once he had taken over after the removal of President Mugabe. Air Marshal Shiri said this when giving evidence in the treason trial of Tsvangirai and two other senior party officials accused of plotting to assassinate President Mugabe ahead of last year�s presidential poll. The trial resumed yesterday after it adjourned last Friday. Tsvangirai is being jointly tried with MDC secretary-general Welshman Ncube and Gweru Rural MP Renson Gasela. According to a transcript of a tape, Tsvangirai told a meeting to plot the assassination of President Mugabe that his shadow defence minister Mr Giles Mutsekwa had met with the Minister of Defence Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, Air Marshal Shiri and Army Commander Lieutenant-General Constantine Chiwe-nga "to smoothen the relationship and lay down our views, that the army has to remain professional". But Air Marshal Shiri denied that such a meeting ever took place. He said two MDC parliamentarians Mr Tafadzwa Musekiwa and Mr Job Sikhala approached him in January last year and told him that Tsvangirai was interested in working with him. "He wanted me to be the commander of the armed forces and to assist play a pacifying role to war veterans and the armed forces who would have been disgruntled by his election," said Air Marshal Shiri. He said Mr Sikhala told him that of all the generals, he was the most influential and war veterans and the armed forces would listen to him. Air Marshal Shiri said Mr Sikhala further requested him to have Tsvangirai phone him to merely greet him but he refused. After the two MPs gave him their view of the pending presidential election, Air Marshal Shiri said he asked them the exact role they wanted him to play. The two said upon Tsvangirai�s election, the Airforce Commander should quickly give him advice. Air Marshal Shiri would take the responsibility of convincing other generals to work with the MDC. He said he spurned the MDC offer as he did not agree with the opposition party�s policies. MDC policies were bent on vilifying President Mugabe forgetting that it was him who led the liberation struggle. The party had no clear land policy as it was simply a figurehead of the whites, Air Marshal Shiri told the court. "They also want the land to be returned to the whites. "I told them they would render my mission impossible to convince other people and the generals to work with MDC," he said. Three days after meeting the two legislators, Air Marshal Shiri said the lawmakers returned to him now in the company of the MDC deputy secretary general Mr Gift Chimanikire who had been sent by Tsvangirai to explain MDC policies. They discussed MDC�s untoward behaviour to President Mugabe, which Mr Chimanikire said was mere politicking. MDC acknowledged President Mugabe and that if it assumed power it would give its due respect to the President, Air Marshal Shiri said. Tsvangirai�s emissary said their party was quite happy with Government�s land reform programme but was against the modalities used in the exercise. But Mr Chimanikire stressed that even if they assumed power they would not return the land to the whites, the Air Marshal added. "The MDC said their relationship with the whites was a marriage of convenience, as they would abandon them once they achieved their goal," he said. The court heard that it was at that meeting where Mr Sikhala offered Air Marshal Shiri $10 million as an incentive to convince army generals and the rank and file of the armed forces as well as war veterans to agree to work with an MDC government. Air Marshal Shiri refused the offer and reported the matter to his superiors. He said he had informed his superiors about the meetings before they were held and a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation had attended both meetings as a witness. Under cross�examination by defence counsel Advocate Eric Matinenga, Air Marshal Shiri denied that he once met with Mr Mutsekwa. "That is a blatant lie. There was never such a meeting," he replied. "He was lying if Mr Mutsekwa reported that to you, Tsvangirai I urge you to look for another shadow minister," he said. Adv Matinenga suggested to him that although he was not offered the money the issue was discussed. Adv Matinenga said the money was discussed as possible assistance the MDC could offer for the school Air Marshal Shiri wanted to build in Mvurwi. "With respect, is it possible to call a member of the CIO to witness me extending a begging bowl to MDC?" asked Air Marshal Shiri. "If I had wanted to build the school I have money, clean money for that matter," he added saying he did not have interests in Mvurwi. He was also questioned about the statement issued by the defence forces at the height of the presidential election campaign alleging that they would not accept a leader who lacked liberation war credentials. "I was present at the press conference and what did I say?" Air Marshal Shiri asked. He said it was unfair to have him cross-examined on the statement issued by his superior General Vitalis Zvinavashe. He said he could not speak on behalf of General Zvinavashe. The trial continues today with the defence cross-examining Mr Constantine Musango the recording supervisor with the courts at the magistrate courts. Mr Musango is one of the local officers who transcribed the proceedings of the taped meetings plotting the assassination of President Mugabe. Judge President Justice Paddington Garwe is hearing the case with assessors Major Misheck Nyandoro and Mr Joseph Dangarembizi. The
Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
