Press Statement by the NCA on the attempted murder of its Chairman

The National Constitutional Assembly is deeply disturbedby, and strongly condemns, the attempted assassination of its National Chairperson, Dr Lovemore Madhuku on the morning of December 31st, 2006 by what we suspect to be members of Zimbabwe’s intelligence.

The attack happened at about 0030hrs whilst Madhuku, his family and visiting relatives were sleeping. The assailants doused Madhuku’s house and his car, which was parked in a garage attached to the house, with petrol (gasoline). A thread dipped in gasoline was then drawn from the house to the gate and used to light the house without causing injury to the assailants. The professionalism with which the act was organized and executed suggests the work of government’s intelligence services. Indications show that the intention was to get the car to explode during the burn and if succeeded the plan could easily have passed for an electric fault.

The family was woken up by the crackling of glass and the smoke, only managing to escape ten minutes later with minimal casualty. Madhuku’s children are receiving treatment for chemical pneumonitis - post smoke inhalation.

This is the third time Madhuku has managed to escape his state sponsored murders. In 2002, he survived an induced accident after his vehicle’s brakes had been tampered with. Again in 2004, he was abducted, tortured and left for dead near the National Sports Stadium in Harare. In 2003 during one of his several arrests was warned by one of his jailers that he ‘would die the same way as Chitepo had died’.

The attack comes at a time when the National Constitutional Assembly is mobilizing its supporters and our compatriots to defend the future of our country from the effects of the Zanu PF regime’s treasonous machinations of extending Robert Mugabe’s term of office by a further two years. This affront to the dignity of our nationhood and people will be resisted.

The attack on Madhuku should be seen as an attempt to break the resilience of Zimbabweans in their struggle to build a democratic, free and just society based on a people driven democratic constitution. Brutal campaigns against leaders of our democracy movements are meant to intimidate and cow the multitudes of our people forcing them into passive supporters of their own repression.

The NCA warns those who are being used to commit these and other attacks on our people that history will not forget or forgive them for standing in the way of the inevitable liberation of Zimbabwe. The future will demand justice for those who have and continue to suffer.

Issued: 01 January, 2007
National Constitutional Assembly
Information Office

Solidarity or support messages can be extended to Dr Madhuku on +263 11 608 692 or email: chairperson@ncazimbabwe.org, info@ncazimbabwe.org