Zimbabwe NGO’s – “Brace for the worst…”

Posted by ZDN on October 26, 2009

NANGO – DETENTIONS UNDER POSA

NANGO, the official umbrella organisation for NGOs in Zimbabwe, held a Directors’ Forum (Summer School) at Victoria Falls on 23 and 24 October 2009. On 25 October, the Chief Executive Officer of NANGO, Mr Cephas Zinhumwe, and the Chairperson of the Board of NANGO, Ms Dadirai Chikwengo, were detained on their way to the airport, and are being held under POSA, Section 25.1.d, for failing to notify the police about a political meeting.

During questioning, they were asked numerous questions about why the meeting was discussing the Global Political Agreement, the Constitutional Process and political party activity. They have been detained overnight in police custody and will appear in court tomorrow. (See statement).

YOUTH MILITIA

In the meantime, reports have been received of militia moving into the Mhondoro area, and Mashonaland East. Another report was received on Sunday evening (25 October 09), that trained militia, as part of the Zanu-PF military junta, are moving into Masvingo Province, and that “all NGOs should brace for the worst”.

Correspondents in Zimbabwe state that “there will be bloodshed in Zimbabwe”, adding that the ripple effect will reach South Africa, which is currently preparing to host the World Cup Soccer tournament.

South African President Jacob Zuma has declined to send a fact finding mission to Zimbabwe to ascertain the effect of the recent pull-back by the MDC, which has ‘disengaged’ from working with Zanu-PF.

The two most powerful members of Robert Mugabe’s Zezuru clan, Emmerson Mnangagwa (Minister of Defence) and Sydney Sekeramayi (Minister of State Security and head of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation), are directing the deployment of the militias.

In addition, presidential heir apparent Mnangagwa has been chairing Mugabe’s Politburo meetings in the past few weeks. This according to historical patterns of behaviour, indicates a very imminent spate of violent repression, which normally takes the form of abductions, torture, murder, arson and beatings.