Radio publishes names of 'CIO agents'
01/07/2011 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
A LONDON-BASED Zimbabwean radio station has published a list of what it claims are names of Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) agents in what could be potentially a major national security breach.
The radio station, which broadcasts to Zimbabwe on short wave, posted a list of 83 names on its website and promised to release more names every Thursday for the next six weeks.
CIO director general Happyton Bonyongwe appeared sixth on the alphabet-organised list released on Thursday. The radio station offered no justification for the move which analysts say has no precedence anywhere in the world.
Writing a week before the disclosures, SW Radio Africa reporter Lance Guma said: “For years, agents working for the CIO have relied on their secret identities to carry out abductions, torture and the murder of opposition activists.
“But recently, SW Radio Africa received a document, leaked in 2001, containing a list of CIO agents at the time.”
Guma said it was “expected that a number of the people on the list may have retired or passed away”, adding: “Agents recruited after 2001 may not be found on the list but there will be many who are still serving.”
We could not independently verify the authenticity of the list last night, described by SW Radio Africa as an “Internal Directory of the President’s Office”.
But the news value of the decision to publish names of serving CIO agents, including their ID numbers and addresses, was questioned by one respected Zimbabwean political commentator.
Oxford University-based Blessing Miles-Tendi, the author of ‘Making History in Mugabe's Zimbabwe: Politics, Intellectuals and the Media’, said: “Firstly, what evidence is there that the list of names is authentic?
“Secondly, what does SW Radio Africa hope to accomplish, which is constructive, by publishing these names, ID numbers and physical addresses?
“Thirdly, SW Radio Africa's Lance Guma once made an outlandish claim that UK-based public intellectual George Shire is Air Marshal Perrance Shiri's brother. George suffered serious consequences, one of which was the desecration of his father's grave, because of Guma's fable.
“SW Radio Africa's latest action underlines the dearth in responsible practice in Zimbabwe's journalism fraternity.”
The Zanu PF-side of Zimbabwe’s power sharing government has long called on Britain to shut down the donor-funded SW Radio Africa, saying its continued broadcasts were a violation of Zimbabwe’s “sovereignty”.
SW Radio Africa has justified its broadcasts on short and medium wave saying it is denied space in Zimbabwe where the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation enjoys a radio and television monopoly despite commitments to reform by the power sharing government.
Labels: CIO, HAPPYTON BONYONGWA, LANCE GUMA, SW RADIO, TREASON
Read more...
COMMENT - Fantastic. The US 'regime change effort' is paying a heavy price for basing it's foreign policy information on a crook like Andrew Cranswick. He could be Zimbabwe's Curveball.
CIO boss, Gono demand millions over WikiLeaks
by Staff Reporter
17/12/2010 00:00:00
CENTRAL Intelligence Organisation boss, Happyton Bonyongwa and the central bank governor, Gideon Gono, have
filed multi-million dollar suits for damages following claims they were at the centre of diamond smuggling at the country.Bonyonga is demanding US$10 million from Africa Consolidated Resources (ACR) chief executive, Andrew Cranswick while Gono has slapped The Standard newspaper with a US$12.5 million dollar damages claim.
The claims come in the wake of another US$15 million damages suit filed against The Standard by President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace.
The three were fingered in classified communications from the US embassy in Harare which have been made public by the whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks.
In one of the cables the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe wrote: “RBZ Governor Gideon Gono, Grace Mugabe, wife of President Robert Mugabe, Vice President Joice Mujuru, (the then) Mines and Mining Development Minister Amos Midzi, General Constantine Chiwenga and wife Jocelyn, CIO director Happyton Bonyongwe, Manicaland Governor Chris Mushohwe and several white Zimbabweans including Ken Sharpe, Greg Scott and Hendrick O’Neill, are involved in the Marange diamond trade".
The envoy said he had been informed of the officials' involvement in illicit diamond deals by Cranswick.
Gono and Grace Mugabe are suing The Standard for stories published in the newspaper which were based on the leaks.
Gono’s lawyer, George Chikumbirike, who is also representing Grace Mugabe, said The Standard’s reports were “false and highly defamatory of the Governor”.
However, Bonyongwa is demanding restitution directly from Cranswick, who was said to be the source of the allegations.
Joseph Mafusire of Harare law firm Scanlen and Holderness said claims his client was onvolved in diamond smuggling were false adding the reports had damaged Bonyongwa’s fame and reputation.
"Our client was never involved in any trade in diamonds from Chiadzwa or anywhere else. He has not been involved in any mineral of whatever kind in Zimbabwe or elsewhere," Mafusire said in his letter of demand.
Mafusire demanded that Cranswick pay his client US$10 million in damages within five days failing which summons would be issued out at the High Court.
Cranswick was not immediately available for comment but when the cables were released the ACR boss claimed he had not given any of the names published by WikiLeaks adding that he had “never met any US officials”.
Labels: ANDREW CRANSWICK, CIO, GIDEON GONO, HAPPYTON BONYONGWA, WIKILEAKS
Read more...
COMMENT - Fantastic. The US is paying a heavy price for basing it's foreign policy information on a crook like Andrew Cranswick. He could be Zimbabwe's Curveball.
CIO boss, Gono demand millions over WikiLeaks
by Staff Reporter
17/12/2010 00:00:00
CENTRAL Intelligence Organisation boss, Happyton Bonyongwa and the central bank governor, Gideon Gono, have
filed multi-million dollar suits for damages following claims they were at the centre of diamond smuggling at the country.Bonyonga is demanding US$10 million from Africa Consolidated Resources (ACR) chief executive, Andrew Cranswick while Gono has slapped The Standard newspaper with a US$12.5 million dollar damages claim.
The claims come in the wake of another US$15 million damages suit filed against The Standard by President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace.
The three were fingered in classified communications from the US embassy in Harare which have been made public by the whistle-blowing website, WikiLeaks.
In one of the cables the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe wrote: “RBZ Governor Gideon Gono, Grace Mugabe, wife of President Robert Mugabe, Vice President Joice Mujuru, (the then) Mines and Mining Development Minister Amos Midzi, General Constantine Chiwenga and wife Jocelyn, CIO director Happyton Bonyongwe, Manicaland Governor Chris Mushohwe and several white Zimbabweans including Ken Sharpe, Greg Scott and Hendrick O’Neill, are involved in the Marange diamond trade".
The envoy said he had been informed of the officials' involvement in illicit diamond deals by Cranswick.
Gono and Grace Mugabe are suing The Standard for stories published in the newspaper which were based on the leaks.
Gono’s lawyer, George Chikumbirike, who is also representing Grace Mugabe, said The Standard’s reports were “false and highly defamatory of the Governor”.
However, Bonyongwa is demanding restitution directly from Cranswick, who was said to be the source of the allegations.
Joseph Mafusire of Harare law firm Scanlen and Holderness said claims his client was onvolved in diamond smuggling were false adding the reports had damaged Bonyongwa’s fame and reputation.
"Our client was never involved in any trade in diamonds from Chiadzwa or anywhere else. He has not been involved in any mineral of whatever kind in Zimbabwe or elsewhere," Mafusire said in his letter of demand.
Mafusire demanded that Cranswick pay his client US$10 million in damages within five days failing which summons would be issued out at the High Court.
Cranswick was not immediately available for comment but when the cables were released the ACR boss claimed he had not given any of the names published by WikiLeaks adding that he had “never met any US officials”.
Labels: ANDREW CRANSWICK, CIO, GIDEON GONO, HAPPYTON BONYONGWA, WIKILEAKS
Read more...
CIO boss barred from UN summit
by Staff Reporter
18/09/2010 00:00:00
ZIMBABWE has filed a complaint with the United Nations Secretary General after the US Government barred CIO boss Happyton Bonyongwa from attending the UN General Assembly in New York.
Bonyongwa was supposed to be part of President Robert Mugabe’s delegation to the UN’s 65th Ordinary Session but was refused a visa by the US embassy in Harare along with ZBC Chief Correspondent, Reuben Barwe. Both are on the list of individuals barred from travelling to the US under sanctions imposed by President George Bush in 2002.
However the Zimbabwe government argued that the UN Headquarters was international territory to which no country or individual should barred unless they were under UN sanctions.
“The Zimbabwe Government has reached the UN Secretary-General’s Office for a formal complaint in what amounts to a breach by the United States government of its status, conditions and commitment for hosting the United Nations,” a senior Government was told state media on Friday.
Bonyongwa was also barred from travelling to the US for UN meetings last year. Meanwhile the US has invited the Zimbabwe government for talks on the sanctions.
Energy and power development Minister, Elton Mangoma will lead the Zimbabwe delegation while the US will be represented by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnny Carson.
The talks are expected to begin next Wednesday.
The Zimbabwe government is pushing for the removal of the sanctions which it blames for the country’s economic problems.
However the US and the European Union are demanding more reforms and full implementation of the Global Political Agreement before they can lift the sanction.
Labels: CIO, ELTON MANGOMA, HAPPYTON BONYONGWA, JOHNNIE CARSON, UN
Read more...
