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(NEWZIMBABWE) MDC poses 'sharp, serious threat': general

MDC poses 'sharp, serious threat': general
20/10/2012 00:00:00
by Gilbert Nyambabvu

A SENIOR army officer has claimed that political parties sponsored by the West pose a “sharp, serious security” threat, in a development that may highten tensions in the country’s badly fractured coalition government.

Major-General Douglas Nyikayaramba’s statement comes after senior Zanu PF official and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa rattled the coalition by claiming that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai was headed for trouble with the military in the event he won next year’s elections.

General Nyikayaramba, who has previously described Tsvangirai as a national security threat, told soldiers gathered for an army anniversary celebration that opposition parties were working for “interests” opposed to Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.

“A typical example is the cur­rent threat we have in Zimbabwe where the Western-sponsored opposi­tion parties pose serious sharp and ideological threats,” he said.

“It is futile for a government to pre­pare and maintain a military force for physical defence only, but only to find the state structure collapsing from within because of subversion or eco­nomic failure or an ideological explo­sion.”

Chinamasa recently told the BBC that the liberation war veterans who make up the top brass in the country's security services would not allow Tsvangirai to assume power even if he won next year’s elections.

"If (Tsvangirai wins), that result will not be acceptable. We will not accept it. We will just not accept it. Isn't that clear?" Chinamasa said.

He was backed by Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo who added: “I can say it will be a mess; that is what I can tell you. It will be messy. We will be asking for too much from our guys (the military) to accept these people who we all know fought against them and were responsible for the deaths of many comrades.”

Tsvangirai however, said rank and file members of the security services would not join the “coup” threatened by Chinamasa adding regional organisations such as SADC and the AU would also not accept an unconstitutional government.

“Our colleagues have already conceded defeat and are mulling unconstitutional methods of averting that defeat,” the MDC-T leader told a public lecture in Harare last week.

“But I have news for Patrick Chinamasa and one Rugare Gumbo; we have patriots within the rank and file of our security forces. They will not join the so-called coup. I can assure you the soldiers, most of whom I talk to every day, will not take part in it.”

Zimbabwe is set to hold fresh elections to replace the coalition government next year. President Robert Mugabe has indicated that the polls will be held in March but Tsvangirai says they have yet to agree on the date.

posted by MrK @ 9:36 PM