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NCA statement on the army chief's reckless statement
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
February 29, 2008

The National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) strongly condemns reckless statements made by the Defense Forces Chief and Retired Major-General Paradzayi Zimondi that are meant to cause chaos and perpetrate violence as the country nears a crucial election.

Rtd General Paradzayi Zimondi whose current position in the army does not allow him to make political statements reiterated commonly made statements from the army echelons that he will not salute anyone likely to unseat President Mugabe.

"We are going to the elections and you should vote for President Mugabe," said Rtd Maj-Gen Zimondi was quoted to have made these remarks whilst adjudicating state duties of conferring new ranks to 14 senior officers recently promoted by Mugabe.

Zimondi a commissioner of prisons an integral part of the country's defense forces, which is made up of the national army, air force, police and prisons made commanding statements that expose the nature of ruling elite's failure to acknowledge differing views.

First the NCA believes that any government official when performing state functions should make sure he remains neutral and does not expose party patronage and manipulate government functions for political selfish gains.

Secondly for a senior official who is party to a government which claims to be democratically elected come open and force sovereign individuals to support a certain political formation is uncalled for and defeats his presence in such a position and claims the government continuosly makes.

"I am giving you an order to vote for the President Mugabe and do not be distracted," the state controlled the Herald of 29 February 29, 2008, quoted Zimondi to have said.

"Supporting Dr Makoni and Mr Tsvangirai, he said, was tantamount to supporting former colonial master Britain.

"We still remember the blood and graves of our gallant sons and daughters who died for this country and we shall not sell them out to imperialists' forces," added the army General.

The above quoted statement as far as the NCA understands serves to further destabilize the country facing unexplainable recession. Alleging that those opposing Mugabe were replica to colonial regime is meant to intensify state sponsored violence on opposition supporters and hatred to anyone with a different view to that of ZANU PF.

The Herald further states that the two opposition presidential aspirants would give back land to former colonial masters if they won the elections and warned this would provoke war.

The NCA believes that such reckless statements serve only to prepare the minds of those in army who have benefited under the Mugabe regime's scandalous land reform to cause mayhem once the election declares a winner as anybody other than Mugabe who in level environment is tipped to lose by some sections of the society.

The calls on the President of the country to immediately dissociate himself from such statements if he wishes the coming elections to be free and fair.

Statements like these especially churned out by state mouthpiece lives even those who had already prepared to legitimize the coming elections as free and fair to think twice about it as threats like these will cause voters to cast ballots with fear.

The NCA however believes that Zimondi's statement is just rhetoric as he knows that the elections have already been rigged through the voters' role that is being prepared by ZANU PF, political violence already in full swing throughout the country among others.

Meanwhile police commissioner Augustine Chihuri said recently they would kill anyone perceived to be perpetrating political violence.

"There has been talk from some opposition circles and civil organizations of street protests or Kenya-style riots if the ballot does not go in favor of one's political party.... It is time for political parties to own up if they lose," Chihuri said.

The NCA believes statements like these are well misplaced as the government has been on the driving seat of politically motivated violence. An NCA member last march was shot dead whilst going for a prayer rally.

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