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Zimbabwe Action Support Group accused of faking rallies
Lance Guma, SW Radio Africa
March 01, 2006

http://www.swradioafrica.com/news010306/ZASG010306.htm

The militant Zimbabwe Action Support Group (ZASG) has been accused of faking rallies and holding ‘ghost meetings’ in a bid to fraudulently solicit money from donors. The accusation was carried in a report by the Centre for African Journalists (CAJ) news website. ZASG co-ordinator Rogers Mudarikwa is alleged to have lied to journalists that he addressed a ‘star’ rally in Mozambique, which had grouped together Zimbabwean activists. CAJ News investigated the matter and found out that no such rally took place and even Mudarikwa himself had not even entered Mozambique.

Fernando Ferreira the Mozambique Bureau Chief for CAJ News who drove to the venue after being assigned to cover the rally found, to his dismay, no such gathering. The Mozambique Immigration department has also dismissed the claim of a star rally by the ZASG saying Mudarikwa ‘did not go through their roads or air if he visited Maputo.’ The revelations seriously harm the group’s credibility - something which even its President Remember Moyo agrees with. Moyo told Newsreel he is disappointed with Mudarikwa for lying and says he will investigate the matter.

The two have not met since the incident and Moyo says they are having a meeting this Friday, which should clear the air over what really happened. He did concede however that Mudarikwa was supposed to go to Mozambique to address a meeting but had simply told him there were State security operatives following him and hence the decision to withdraw. What Moyo says he does not understand is why Mudarikwa would then turn around and lie to the media about the rally.

The group has organised several demonstrations in South Africa protesting human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. The President, Remember Moyo, spent several years in remand prison after being falsely accused of taking part in the murder of Bulawayo war veteran’s leader Cain Nkala. Although he was later acquitted, Moyo ran away to South Africa after he was further implicated in the murder of Zanu PF activist Limukani Lupahla. A warrant of arrest remains out for him in Zimbabwe. Moyo’s problems don’t end there; he currently has a legal battle with South African authorities over his immigration status.

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