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‘Plot to arrest Tsvangirai unearthed’

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Prime Minister and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has reportedly tightened his security following claims his party had unearthed a plot by State security agents to set him up and arrest him. The development comes as the Premier is still smarting from a bruising exposé on his controversial relationship with a Harare businesswoman, Lorcadia Karimatsenga Tembo. […]

Prime Minister and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has reportedly tightened his security following claims his party had unearthed a plot by State security agents to set him up and arrest him.

The development comes as the Premier is still smarting from a bruising exposé on his controversial relationship with a Harare businesswoman, Lorcadia Karimatsenga Tembo.

The plot, according to Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka, involves two Zanu PF ministers (names provided) who are allegedly working with members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) attached to his office.

Also in the alleged plot were other members of the secret service believed to have infiltrated the MDC-T.

The scheme was to plant incriminating documents in Tsvangirai’s party and government offices at Harvest House and Charter House.

Some of the incriminating material would also be planted at the offices of senior MDC-T officials, Tamborinyoka said.

“The plot involves members of the CIO and two named Cabinet ministers who want to plant documents and then raid the Prime Minister’s Charter House and Harvest House offices where they will ‘discover’ their own documents incriminating the Prime Minister and some members of the party’s top hierarchy.

The raid, which is scheduled to take place in the next two weeks, will result in the ‘discovered’ documents being used not only to prosecute the Prime Minister and some members of his leadership, but also as an excuse to pull out of the inclusive government without implementing the necessary reforms needed for a free and fair election,” Tamborinyoka said.

He said the PM would be instituting the necessary security measures to thwart the plot.

“The plot is not only targeted at arresting the PM, but they want to create grounds on which to collapse the inclusive government. You know that if one party pulls out there is no agreement to talk about and then we will be forced to go to elections without the necessary reforms. They (Zanu PF) have always insisted that we should go for elections without the necessary amendments,” he said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, however, dismissed the allegations as baseless. He said: “I really don’t respond to such claims. How can we do that?” he retorted.

Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena professed ignorance over the claims.

“I don’t respond to speculation,” he said. Tamborinyoka said the party had not reported the matter to the police because there hadn’t been any official threat as yet.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora corroborated Tamborinyoka’s claims, saying there were “rogue elements” in Zanu PF who were out to destroy the inclusive government in order to push for elections without the requisite conducive environment.

“Fortunately, we are aware of that plan and we have been warned about that. It’s the work of a faction in Zanu PF working with the junta. Initially, they thought they would destroy him (Tsvangirai) by publishing falsehoods regarding his alleged marriage, but it failed,” said Mwonzora.

This is not the first time the MDC-T has alleged Zanu PF plots against its leader. There have also been real attempts by Zanu PF officials and sympathisers to get Tsvangirai arrested and even hanged for treason.

Attorney-General Johannes Tomana, Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo and other party officials recently pushed for Tsvangirai’s arrest for allegedly “making treasonous disclosures” in leaked United States embassy cables claiming the Premier had breached the country’s Constitution.

Prior to the 2002 elections, Tsvangirai was arrested and charged with treason in a move observers said was meant to derail his strengthening presidential bid.