Motlanthe Commission sidesteps quizzing ED, Chiwenga over their role in the 1 August killings

ZwNews Chief Correspondent

The Kgalema Motlanthe Commission, which was tasked to inquire into the 1 August killings of civilians by the national army, has concluded its interviews with various people and organisations giving evidence, including the Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance (MDC-Alliance) president Nelson Chamisa and his party deputy chair Tendai Biti.

However, the commission dodged quizzing the key witnesses, who matter most, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

The duo are believed to have been the ones who deployed the army onto the streets, with orders of shooting to kill.

Chamisa, who had previously expressed his intention not to give evidence unless Mnangagwa and Chiwenga are invited too, later opted to attend the inquiry and took the opportunity to plead his innocence.

During the hearing, Chamisa maintained that it was in the best interest of the commission to also invite the Zimbabwean President and his deputy, as their names were also dragged into the mud.

Meanwhile, the commission spokesperson John Masuku says the commission has concluded the collection of oral evidences, through public hearings, written, and video submissions, and is now working on putting the details together for a final report to be presented to Mnangagwa.

“The commission is now collating and analysing all the information and has already started compiling its final report…

“The commission is working day and night to present its report way ahead the 90 day period which started on 19 September 2018, when the seven member commission was sworn in,” he said.

What this means is that both ED and his deputy’s sides of the story have not been interrogated, Judging from the evidence presented, there was deep polarisation between the accusers and the accused.

For many the Zimbabwean President is guilty as charged, in that constitutionally, he is the only person who can deploy the army.

Be that as it may, when Chamisa and Biti gave their evidence, the two stole the show, with great zeal in their presentations. They took the opportunity to expose ZANU PF’s thuggish style of politics.

Biti centred on the history of Zimbabwe’s state sponsored violence that spanned for years, while his president tackled the legal narrative.