Mugabe eyes state of emergency as air force chief claims he was shot

A day after ZANU PF repeated it's allegation that Botswana was training MDC
bandits, the state media came up with another dramatic story. This time a
failed 'assassination' attempt on Air Force Commander Air Marshal Perence
Shiri. According to reports Shiri, who was traveling alone to his farm in
Mashonaland West, was shot in the hand after 'he stopped his vehicle at the
sound of gunfire and got out, thinking he had a puncture.' The incident
allegedly happened on Saturday evening but after much hesitation was only
published Tuesday by the state media. Website New Zimbabwe.com who covered
the story on Monday report that state television was told to hold back on
covering the incident for as yet unexplained reasons.

The immediate reaction of most Zimbabweans was to dismiss the story as
another excuse to justify a state of emergency. This would allow Mugabe to
suspend the constitution and rule by decree. Analysts say given that the MDC
controls parliament, Mugabe's authority outside a power sharing deal is
likely to be compromised. Something he would find completely unacceptable.
On Tuesday Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi predictably latched onto the
reports claiming there appeared to be 'a build-up of terror attacks
targeting high-profile persons, government officials, government
establishments and public transport systems.'

Mohadi said Shiri's attack 'showed the assailants were well trained and
there was a clear attempt to destabilise the country through acts of
terrorism.' The claim of well trained assailants seems a little unlikely, as
Shiri was alone and defenceless on an empty road, and was only injured in
the hand. A well trained assailant would surely have finished the job.

This week MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti told Newsreel they had reports
that several of their abducted activists have been tortured into making
confessions about alleged 'military training' in Botswana. He said Mugabe's
regime is forcibly extracting false and incriminating information in order
to justify declaring a state of emergency. He said they were told the
'confessions' were also filmed.

Using the state owned Herald newspaper Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa
has claimed that ZANU PF has evidence the MDC was training bandits in
Botswana. A charge that has been repeated constantly in the past few months,
despite Botswana challenging Mugabe to produce the evidence.

A spate of suspicious bombings at various police stations this year has also
added to growing evidence that ZANU PF is plotting something. No one has
been killed or injured in any of the bomb blasts, which have always targeted
empty office blocks.

Similar tactics have been used by Mugabe's government against past political
opponents like the late Dr Joshua Nkomo and Ndabaningi Sithole. And recently
the state attempted to bring treason charges against Morgan Tsvangirai and
Tendai Biti.

Biti told journalists: 'This is a natural ZANU PF DNA. In 1982, ZANU PF
planted arms at the homes and farms of ZAPU members and they were arrested
on trumped up charges, including it's leader Joshua Nkomo, who had to skip
the country to Botswana dressed as a woman in order to avoid arrest. Again
in 1995, Zanu Ndonga leader Ndabaningi Sithole, was arrested on false
treason charges of trying to assassinate Robert Mugabe.'