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never employed Mutama.
Mutama allegedly told the US Embassy political officer Audu Besner in March 2003 that MDC security, intelligence and youth branches were planning dynamite and petrol bomb attacks on targets in Zimbabwe’s five cities.
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“Mutama, who has been known to the Political Section for some time, was recruited into the MDC from the student movement in 2000, with (then) MP Job Sikhala,” the cables revealed.
“He said he received training in Uganda around that time, but did not describe the training.”
The MDC member told US Embassy officials that he reported to the party’s deputy intelligence head, who in turn reported to Solomon Chikowero, the boss.
Chikowero, according to the cables, reported to the then deputy secretary-general Mr Gift Chimanikire.
The attacks were planned to coincide with illegal stayaways held in March 2003.
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“Mutama said that the intelligence, security and youth branches are interpreting the call to mass action as a call for confrontational activities such as attacking the types of targets listed above,” US Embassy officials said in the cables.
Mutama’s job, according to the cables, was to identify targets.
“He mentioned that the planning for attacks on most police stations in the Harare area were in good shape, except for several police stations in the low-density suburbs, as MDC youths were not well-represented in those areas,” the cables revealed.
Mutama specifically mentioned the fuel station owned by the former Harare executive mayor the late Cde Solomon Tawengwa and fuel stations owned by Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere.
The attacks were scaled up in March 2007.
Among the targets that were petrol bombed were police stations in Unit N, Chitungwiza, Nehanda in Gweru, Marimba in Harare and Sakubva in Mutare.
The attacks also targeted a house in Seke, a supermarket and night club in Warren Park D, the Zanu-PF Mbare district office and a Bulawayo-bound passenger train carrying 750 people.
Mr Mwonzora dismissed the link between the attacks and the discussion held by Mutama and the US embassy officials.
“Firstly, we do not have that department in the MDC, therefore, we did not have that official employed by the party,” he said.
“The MDC’s position is that it wants to takeover power through democratic, peaceful and constitutional means.”
Mr Mwonzora claimed that MDC-T was a victim of State-sponsored violence.
“At no point did the MDC employ anyone to engage in acts of violence,” he said.
“After all, no one was convicted of the attacks although several of our members were arrested on these allegations.”
But Mutama had told the US Embassy official that they had identified phone circuits associated with police stations and senior Zanu-PF officials at TelOne central telephone switch house along Sam Nujoma Street to disable communications at critical moments.
“He said that most of the more senior people involved in the planning had police or military backgrounds, but that the attacks would be carried out by MDC youths,” the cables revealed.
Online Reporter