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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000791 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
F/S FOR B. NEULING 
SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COUVILLE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/05/2015 
TAGS: ASECPGOV PHUM PREL ZI
SUBJECT: PRO-SENATE MDC MP LLEGEDLY ATTACKED BY 
ANTI-SENATE FACTION 
 
 
Clasified By: Ambassador Christopher Dell for reasons .5 b/d 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (SBU)MDC pro-Senate faction MP Trudy Stevenson was 
severely assaulted on July 2 along with four other pro-Senate 
faction officials.  Stevenson, who was reportedly attacked 
with a machete and rocks, has alleged that youths aligned to 
the anti-Senate MDC faction of Morgan Tsvangirai carried out 
the assault.  In response, the anti-Senate leadership has 
denied involvement and established a commission of three 
lawyers to investigate Stevenson,s claims.  For its part, 
the state-controlled media has given the incident front-page 
coverage and is exploiting the situation to reinforce its 
portrayal of the opposition as violent.  See action request 
in paragraph 6.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
The Attack 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Upon leaving a meeting in one of Harare's 
historically volatile high-density suburbs on Sunday, 
Stevenson and four provincial faction officials were 
assaulted by about 10 youths.  Recounting the attack to 
reporters and diplomats on July 5, a visibly weakened 
Stevenson said the youths attacked her using large stones and 
a machete.  Stevenson suffered a deep gash on the back of her 
head, a fractured cheekbone, and injuries to her arm.  The 
faction's acting organizing secretary for Harare, Linos 
Mushonga, suffered injuries to his hand and arm, while the 
others sustained only minor injuries.  The attackers also 
stole a number of items from the victims, including cell 
phones and wedding rings.  (N.B. Accompanying Stevenson to 
the briefing was her son, who had met with Tsvangirai on July 
¶3.  The son made no comment regarding the meeting, but we 
will attempt to get a read out of what transpired.) 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Allegations of Anti-Senate Faction Complicity 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Stevenson and pro-Senate spokesman Gabriel Chaibva 
asserted that the attackers were aligned with the anti-Senate 
MDC faction.  Stevenson said that attackers chanted, "Trudy, 
you are rebelling against Tsvangirai."  Before the press 
conference, Chaibva told poloff that Stevenson knew several 
of the attackers and had identified them as loyal to Morgan 
Tsvangirai.  Indeed, he claimed that the attack was 
 
SIPDIS 
controlled and directed from Tsvangirai's headquarters at 
Harvest House.  Supporting this claim, Chaibva noted that 
Nelson Chamisa, the anti-Senate spokesperson, owned one of 
the vehicles used in the attack.  The other vehicle, 
according to Chaibva, had been seized by Tsvangirai's faction 
earlier this year as the two camps fought over party 
resources.  At the press conference, Chaibva criticized both 
civil society and the diplomatic community for not 
immediately condemning the violence. 
 
---------------------------- 
Anti-Senate Faction Response 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The anti-Senate faction of the MDC has publicly 
condemned the attack and denied its leadership was involved. 
Anti-Senate faction Deputy Treasurer Elton Mangoma told 
poloff on July 4 that Secretary General Tendai Biti and 
others earlier that day had attempted to visit Stevenson in 
 
HARARE 00000791  002 OF 002 
 
 
the hospital to express their sympathies, but were turned 
away by hospital staff.  Mangoma conceded that youths 
affiliated with the party could have carried out the 
unsanctioned attacks.  To this end, Biti on July 4 publicly 
announced the formation of an independent group of three 
lawyers to investigate the pro-Senate claims on behalf of the 
anti-Senate faction.  One of the lawyers, Irene Petras of 
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, told poloff that the 
commission had been established but had yet to set a time for 
its first meeting. 
 
---------------- 
State Media Spin 
---------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The state-controlled daily media has seized on the 
attack, granting it front-page coverage in the Herald, which 
on July 4 also carried a large picture of a visibly battered 
Stevenson.  The government press has highlighted the 
allegations that Tsvangirai's camp orchestrated the assault. 
ZANU-PF secretary for information Nathan Shamuyarira has also 
used the attack to deflect criticism of the ruling party's 
track record of violence, noting that "the incident confirms 
the violent nature" of the MDC.  The Herald also reported 
that the assault contradicted the State Department's Human 
Rights Report, which noted that the GOZ was perpetrating 
violence but purportedly absolved the opposition.  (N.B. the 
Human Rights Report in fact notes the reported implication of 
MDC elements in political violence.) 
 
--------------------------------- 
Comment and Action Recommendation 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) It is too soon to tell who ultimately bears 
responsibility for the attack on Stevenson and the other 
pro-Senate officials.  Although it seems unlikely that the 
anti-Senate leadership would have ordered the attack, we 
cannot rule out the possibility that youths associated with 
the faction carried out the attack on one of the pro-Senate's 
highest profile officials in Harare.  That said, the 
anti-Senate's quick response and formation of an independent 
inquiry are encouraging signs that the party is determined to 
tackle potential violent elements within its ranks. 
Chaibva's criticism of the lack of condemnation of the attack 
is not without merit, and Washington may wish to consider 
issuing a statement condemning political violence from all 
parties in Zimbabwe. 
DELL