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(TALKZIMBABWE) Commentary: Does the MDC-T 'transition document' exist or not?

Commentary: Does the MDC-T 'transition document' exist or not?
Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:22:00 +0000

TENDAI Biti today is incarcerated because a document he is alleged to have authored was apparently seen by the Government. The Movement for Democratic Change (Tsvangirai) denied the existence of that document; now infamously known as the MDC-T Transition Document. The MDC-T spokesman denied the existence of such a document. “As a party, we want to place it on record that there was no such document,” said Nelson Chamisa.

Chamisa denied the existence of the document saying this was merely another sortie in the Government’s battle to prevent Tsvangirai from taking power by frightening the higher echelons of the bureaucracy and security services about an MDC administration.

Fair enough.

But after this denial Chamisa says: "Our documents would not be circulating around Harare, unless it's a CIO means to try to cause panic."

What documents? This document? So does the document exist, or not?

Then Ambassador McGee ‘spills the beans’. He said he had seen the original MDC-T's transition document which he described as ‘a routine plan for any political party’.

Never mind the authenticity of the document, McGee contradicted Chamisa’s statement. Chamisa categorically denied the ‘existence of the document’. So a document exists; but it’s not the one we saw? And why is McGee privy to future state documents for Zimbabwe? Isn’t he just an ambassador or his mandate has been extended? He is not even a High Commissioner.

McGee went on and said a forged version had been circulating that raised issues not contained in the genuine document, including calls for punishing Mugabe hard-liners.

How does McGee know the forged one from the original one? Did he author it, perchance?

And how about the MDC-T clearing the air by showing us the authentic version — the one that McGee saw, at least? Maybe not us, but the police at least so that Biti is freed?

Then one would say to us: Why worry so much about a ‘transition document’?

Well Biti faces the death penalty over that document and that document only. It is the only piece of evidence that both the prosecution and the defence have for both their cases.

The penalties for the other charges are not as damning. He could get away with a fine.

It is now clear someone, somewhere, somehow, is lying about this document. But one thing is now clear: there’s a document. I don’t think Ambassador James McGee would come from thousands of miles to lie about having seen a ‘transition document’. Or would he?

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Labels: JAMES MCGEE, MDC

posted by MrK @ 10:50 PM