The Movement for Democratic Change said it was not involved in the assassination attempt of Air Force chief Perrence Shiri adding that as a party it condemned the use of violence in any form.
Shiri was reportedly ambushed while driving to his farm on 13 September.
Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi said the attack appeared to be part of targeted terrorist attacks to destabilise the country.
MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said that the party leadership was divided on whether the attack was a ploy or an actual attack resulting from ZANU factionalism related to succession.
In either case, the MDC was concerned that the attack could be used as part of the justification for a declaration of a state of emergency and a crackdown on the party.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 08HARARE1128, ALLEGED SHIRI ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
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|
Reference ID |
Created |
Released |
Classification |
Origin |
VZCZCXRO8365
OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #1128 3521149
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 171149Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3833
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2502
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2625
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1118
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1894
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2249
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2674
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5102
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1769
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 001128
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B.WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR E. LOKEN AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/28/2018
SUBJECT: ALLEGED SHIRI ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
REF: A. A) TD 314/090816-08
¶B. B) IIR 6 926 0054 09
Classified By: CDA Katherine Dhanani for reason 1.4 (d)
¶1. (U) The GOZ newspaper The Herald reported on December 16
that Air Force Marshal Perrance Shiri survived an
assassination attempt on September 13. According to The
Herald, Shiri was ambushed while driving to his farm at 8:30
pm and suffered a gunshot wound to his right hand. The paper
quoted Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Hohadi who, referring
to bombings of a police station and railroad bridge in August
and of a police station in November, said that the attack on
Shiri appeared to be part of targeted terrorist attacks to
destabilize the country.
¶2. (U) The Shiri shooting comes after allegations from
ZANU-PF that the MDC is operating paramilitary training camps
in Botswana. Reacting to this, MDC secretary-general Tendai
Biti has claimed that MDC officials abducted in Banket on
October 30 have been tortured into confessing involvement in
such camps.
¶3. (SBU) With regard to the Shiri shooting, the MDC issued a
press statement that reads in part: “The MDC notes with
disbelief the assassination attempt of Air Marshall Perence
(sic) Shiri as reported in The Herald…As a party, we
condemn the use of violence in any form whatsoever as an
instrument of navigating any political crisis…We therefore
wish Perence (sic) Shiri a quick recovery wherever he is.”
During a diplomatic briefing on December 17, Biti said that
the MDC leadership was divided on whether the attack was a
ploy or an actual attack resulting from ZANU factionalism
related to succession. In either case, however, the MDC was
concerned it could be used as part of the justification for a
declaration of a state of emergncy and a crackdown on the
MDC.
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶4. (C) There is considerable doubt that the shooting of
Shiri was an assassination attempt. Two close Embassy
contacts with ties to ZANU-PF told us after talking with
individuals close to Shiri that it was not. Additionally,
reports indicate that Shiri was drving alone and was accosted
near his farm at a choke point. It should have been
relatively easy to kill him if that was the intent (Refs).
¶5. (C) Assuming this was not an assassination attempt, the
motive remains unclear. Along with allegations of MDC
training camps in Botswana, this could have been a ZANU-PF
orchestrated attempt to blame the MDC for destabilization
efforts. and possibly set the stage for a declaration of a
state of emergency. Mohadi’s statement in The Herald
suggests as much. It is also possible this was a personal
matter, divorced from politics.
¶6. (C) Although there have been some unusual incidents
recently, particularly the Shiri shooting and soldiers’
recent attacks on banks and moneychangers, the GOZ still
appears confident it has firm control of overall security.
There is no noticeable increase in police presence in Harare
since the alleged attack on Shiri.
DHANANI
(76 VIEWS)
