MDC-T secretary-general and chief negotiator to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) Tendai Biti last week said the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)’s infamous reputation of terrorising Zanu PF opponents with impunity should be stopped to ensure the agents are subjected to the rule of law like any other citizen.
Addressing delegates at the party’s Women Assembly congress at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo, Biti said revelations have emerged that CIO agents could not be prosecuted even if there was glaring evidence they would have committed heinous crimes against Zanu PF opponents.
Biti’s calls came amid revelations one of the outstanding GPA issues has to do with the CIOs’ impunity.
“The CIOs must be regulated by an Act of Parliament which will ensure that they do not act unlawfully and remain scot-free. We want the victims of the CIOs’ brutal acts to be able to take them to court to answer for their heinous acts. It is sad that Zanu PF is refusing to implement the issue,” said Biti.
He also said the State spy agents were clandestinely appointed to key commissions which were formed after the GPA creating an unsafe working environment for some members of the commissions seconded by other parties.
Biti said the MDC-T is demanding recruitment of staff in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to be done afresh to ensure transparency in its operations.
“Revelations from the members of the public are that the CIOs are the most feared security sector because their operations are clandestine and they are believed to have secretly unleashed terror campaigns on numerous political opponents of Zanu PF during election periods,” said Biti.
The MDC-T firebrand politician expressed his party’s discomfort over the security sector, police, army and CIO saying there was need for reform of the sector if elections were to be declared free and fair.
