ED ally speaks as Chiwenga is blamed for ordering 1 August killings

The High Court ruling on the legality of the Commission of Inquiry set up by President Mnangagwa to investigate the August 1 post-election violence did not implicate Vice President Constantino Chiwenga in the shooting of demonstrators, a Cabinet minister has said.

The violence resulted in the death of six people.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said Justice David Mangota was clear in his judgment that the findings of the Commission of Inquiry would identify who gave the order to the military.

The minister was explaining the judgment handed down last week, which some sections of the media used to suggest that Vice President Chiwenga ordered the killings.

“Justice Mangota was very clear in his ruling that the police invoked the provisions of the Public Order and Security Act to quell the disturbances,” he said.

“The motivation to request for assistance was not to kill. The Minister of Defence, in granting the request, wanted to help police maintain law and order. The judgment is very clear.”

Minister Ziyambi, a close ally of President Mnangagwa, said the private media should not peddle lies that Justice Mangota ruled that the Vice President or the Defence Minister then ordered the killings.

“He merely acceded to the request by the police for assistance to quell the violent demonstrations,” he said.

“It is wrong to say that Vice President Chiwenga ordered the killings when his ministry then simply accepted the request from the police, People should not manipulate to say what they want,” he said.

state media