TEKERE THREATENS TO SUE THE STATE MEDIA!

Tekere remains unfazed, threatens to sue state media http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=1636&cat=4

By Ian Nhuka MUTARE - Maverick war veteran, Edgar Tekere, embroiled in a storm over his book that fires broadsides at President Robert Mugabe's leadership style, does not care about the criticism he is receiving from Zanu PF or threats to expel him from the party he helped found in the 1960s. Tekere, a nationalist and respected Mutare-based war veteran, told zimbabwejournalists.com in an interview here Tuesday that while he accepted reasonable criticism, he did not like "malicious statements" carried by sections of the State-controlled media since he triggered the on-going national debate when he launched his book some two weeks ago. He threatened to sue some government-controlled media outlets for defamation over some stories they have carried since he unveiled his controversial book. He did not specify the offending statements or the media outlets that he thinks defamed him. Tekere charged at his critics saying they were rushing to criticise him, but some of them have not read his autobiography, "A Lifetime of Struggle," which was edited by Dr Ibbo Mandaza, an academic of note. He said: "They are falling over each other to please Mugabe by attacking me.  Some of them have not even read the book.  You can see that from their arguments, which I think are not informed at all." In the book, Tekere says President Mugabe is a weak person, adding he is responsible for the economic crisis gripping the country.  He regrets playing an leading role in elevating President Mugabe to head Zanu during the liberation war. Over the weekend, the Zanu –PF Youth League, asked the ruling party leadership to expel Tekere from the party, a little over a year after he was re-admitted into the fold. His readmission came after many years spent in the political wilderness following his decision to wind up the Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM), a party he founded to challenge Mugabe in the 1990. The youth league also proposed punishment to be meted on some leading party officials who attended the launch of Tekere's book, among them Mashonaland Central governor and Zanu – PF deputy politburo secretary for information and publicity, Ephriam Masawi. The party leadership is now considering the request for Tekere's expulsion, according to reports in the public media yesterday, which quoted senior officials. "I do not care if they expel me," said Tekere. "If they do, that will further show that there is no democracy and freedom of speech in Zanu PF.  The book contains my personal opinions about the war.  So why will I be punished for my opinions?" Last week, a State-controlled weekend newspaper said in its lead story Tekere was not a serious person since "he suffered bouts of mental instability in the past." The newspaper quoted George Rutanhire, a war veteran and former deputy minister who said: "Tekere munhu akamborwara (Tekere once suffered mental instability)." Another publicly-owned newspaper followed up the story, scorching Tekere's claims that he was personally instrumental in the rise of President Mugabe during the liberation war. It said freedom fighters, through the Mgagao Declaration of 1976, collectively made the decision to elevate President Mugabe to the post of interim Zanu leader, replacing the late party president, Ndabaningi Sithole who had been sacked for alleged prevarication. Tekere has often ruffled the feather of senior party members.  At some stage in the late 1980s, he clashed with President Mugabe over his dictatorial leadership style and his failure to curb corruption. That precipitated his expulsion in 1988, after which he formed ZUM.  His party contested in the 1990 elections and won a number of parliamentary seats and did well in the presidential race. However, the party soon fizzled out after the violence-ridden poll but the veteran politician still commands respect from the Zanu – PF ranks. Now, he spends most of his time in Mutare or at his horticulture farm, near Old Mutare. In the interview with Zimbabwejournalists.com, Tekere also lashed out at police commissioner, Augustine Chihuri and presidential spokesman, George Charamba, for attacking him in the media. Charamba, is widely believed to be the writer of a weekly column, The Other Side, published on Saturdays in The Herald under a pseudonym. The column recently savaged Tekere soon after he launched his book, claiming that he did not have the moral ground to criticise Mugabe who, according to Charamba, salvaged him (Tekere) from financial ruin a few years ago. In his newspaper interview with The Herald, Chihuri said Tekere has a history of violence, mental instability and is an alcoholic. But Tekere remains unfazed. "These people are attacking me but they do not know that they are committing a serious offence of defamation.  I am considering suing them for defamation and the publishers involved.  Some of their criticism is malicious," he blasted. Tekere was readmitted into Zanu PF late 2005 but was barred from seeking election to any post in the party for five years. It is because of that condition that he was barred from contesting in the senate polls that were held in November 2005. "I am not bitter about the party's decision to bar me from holding any post although I think it doesn not make sense.  However, I will remain a card-carrying party member. --- I have heard some people saying that I am criticising Mugabe in my book and at other forums because of that decision.  That is not true.  --- I started writing this book seven years ago, so it is false that the criticism of Mugabe is an attempt to get revenge on my part," he said.

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