by Grace Chekai
In a shocking development, a declassified letter by the British government has been leaked implicating senior MDC leaders in the crafting of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the Western countries.
The letter which was dated 12 November 2001 and was written to Scott from 10 Downing Street said that a letter was received from the late MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai recommending the Western countries to impose sanctions to Zimbabwe so as to end the rule of the late former President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe.
“I have received the communication from Mr Morgan Tsvangirai`s party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and these are my recommendations:
“1) that we mobilise more funds to get the party more liquid than it is at the moment
“2) That we immediately disengage with Mr Mugabe`s Government and lobby the EU to take a common position on sanctions. High Commissioner Brian Donnelly has met with Messrs Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Laxton Biti and David Coltart. The latter two are lawyers who are assisting in the drafting of the sanctions document and are giving great insights on what our role should be in the upcoming 2002 Presidential Elections,” he wrote.
The letter emphasised that the opposition MDC party will ensure that it maintains momentum and pressure on the former President Mugabe.
In the letter, the MDC is said to have advised the UK Government to mobilise the civic movement in the country for civil disobedience.
“We should mobilise the civic movement in the country for civil disobedience if Mr Mugabe wins in 2002 Presidential elections.
“If the MDC does not win the next Presidential election or the 2005 parliamentary elections, there will be no prospect of getting into power at any other time as Zanu PF will get even tougher with the opposition,” states the letter.
The revelation affirms MDC hand in the crating of the sanctions as, in a post-election in interview with the Daily Maverick on August 1 2019, Biti declared that “the international community is not going to be fooled by this madness. We will make sure they do not get a cent”. Asked how he would do this, he added: “I cannot tell you how but I can tell you we have done it before.”
The British embassy in Zimbabwe has since dismissed the document as fake but many Zimbabweans are not buying it. Denial even if the evidence is overwhelming in one of the salient tenets of espionage.
“Of course they won’t acknowledge the letter, as this is clear interference by a foreign nation in the affairs of Zimbabwe,” said netizen Batsirai Sando.
“This revelation is very embarrassing to the British, hence their dismissal of the letter,” said another netizen, Tafadzwa Mambo.
Sanctions have caused untold suffering on the people of Zimbabwe and the MDC has been using them as leverage to remove a duly elected government by way of protests.
