‘Hit list’ triggers Zimbabwe angst

HARARE, ZIMBABWE —  Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday accused Zimbabwe’s authorities of preparing a “war against the people” to intimidate opposition voters in a presidential runoff.

The accusation came as a document purporting to represent the opposition’s “transition” plans circulated here in the capital. It prominently features a “hit list” of bureaucrats and security officials who would be purged.

A spokesman for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change scoffed, saying the document was another attempt to prevent Tsvangirai from taking power by frightening the bureaucracy and security services.

“Our documents would not be circulating around Harare, unless it’s a CIO means to try to cause panic,” the spokesman, Nelson Chamisa, said, referring to the intelligence agency.

As Tsvangirai attempts to reassure military and intelligence chiefs that they would not be targeted, the document sends the opposite message, undermining his efforts to shake the generals’ longtime support for Mugabe.

The election saw the ruling ZANU-PF party lose its majority in parliament for the first time in its 28 years of power. The opposition has put intense pressure on Mugabe to leave office, but the ruling party decided to hold a presidential runoff if final results gave no candidate an outright majority. It also demanded a recount for 16 parliamentary seats.

Opposition lawyers were blocked Saturday when they tried to go to court for an order compelling the release of election results.

Tsvangirai, who claims to have won the presidential vote outright, said Saturday that the regime was preparing to mobilize armed militias to intimidate voters.

“In the runoff, violence will be the weapon. It is therefore unfair and unreasonable for President Mugabe to call a runoff,” Tsvangirai told reporters. “Mugabe must accept that the country needs to move forward. He cannot hold the country to ransom. He is the problem, not the solution.”

He said the opposition would not attempt to prosecute Mugabe on charges related to his rule and would offer a guarantee of safety.

The purported “transition” document, portrayed as having been written by a senior advisor to Tsvangirai, states that top commanders, the head of the intelligence services, the police commissioner, the chief justice and the Reserve Bank governor would be fired immediately after a Tsvangirai administration took power.

It says the Reserve Bank is being looted by the regime and that two officials from Germany’s Central Bank should be appointed for six months to stabilize the situation.

Jonathan Moyo, an independent lawmaker who cooperated with the MDC in the election, said the document was hugely damaging to the party.

“It has added to a raging fire,” said Moyo. He said the document was being passed around among frightened bureaucrats. “This is not a transition. This is a humiliation.”

Chamisa, the MDC spokesman, said the party had no plans to target individuals, but acknowledged that the document was damaging.

“Of course the strategy [of the regime] is to cause panic and to cause resistance from the establishment,” he said.

Two journalists arrested Thursday were still in custody Saturday and had been charged under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and electoral laws. New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller said in a statement that Times journalist Barry Bearak had been interrogated about his sources and held in a cold cell with no shoes, warm clothes or blankets.

--

robyn.dixon@latimes.com