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Presidential spokesperson threatens paper
MISA-Zimbabwe
March 13, 2006

President Mugabe’s press secretary, George Charamba, has threatened to set the police on the privately owned Zimbabwe Independent and institute legal action against the paper over a story linking him to Zanu PF’s succession battles.

Six Zanu PF provincial chairpersons were suspended in 2004 after attending an ‘illegal’ meeting at Dinyane High School in Tsholotsho where they reportedly plotted to block Joyce Mujuru’s ascendance to the vice president’s post.

President Mugabe embarked on a purge of the party’s leadership to stamp his authority ahead of the party’s national congress in 2004.

Charamba was linked to the plot which received extensive media coverage. He has, however, denied the allegations and threatened, through his lawyers, to bring in the police unless the weekly newspaper issues a retraction of the story published on March 10, alleging he was involved in the Tsholotsho saga.

"Our client has also made a report to the police who are investigating the matter for possible crimen injuria (unlawful impairing of someone’s reputation)," reads part of a letter from Charamba’s lawyers to the Independent. In the letter Charamba also threatened to sue the paper for $15 billion (approx US$ 152 000) for defamation.

Contacted for comment by MISA-Zimbabwe, Vincent Kahiya, the Editor of the Independent on 14 February 2006 declined to discuss the matter saying it was subjudice adding that their lawyers were already looking into the issue.

The story alleges that Charamba drafted a speech for Emmerson Mnangagwa to further his succession battle with Joice Mujuru. Mnangagwa was reportedly the leader of one faction involved in the battle for supremacy in Zanu PF’s succession concern. It is further alleged Charamba hired a plane for the meeting, allegations which he denies.

Despite Charamba’s denial, the state controlled newspaper, The Chronicle, in December 2004, published a story alleging he hired an aircraft for the meeting, which he did not publicly deny then.

His former boss, former Information Minister, Jonathan Moyo, disclosed his alleged authorship of Mnangagwa’s speech.

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