MEDIA REPORT: BUSINESSMAN STRIVE MASIYIWA RECOUNTS

UNCLAS HARARE 004446 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/S, AF/PD, INR/R/MR YAOUNDE FOR LARRY RICHTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT: BUSINESSMAN STRIVE MASIYIWA RECOUNTS 1990 DETENTION BY ZIMBABWEAN CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION ¶1. THE AUGUST 9 EDITION OF THE INDEPENDENT "DAILY NEWS" CARRIES A PAGE-ONE STORY ABOUT BUSINESSMAN STRIVE MASIYIWA'S 1990 DETENTION BY MEMBERS OF ZIMBABWE'S CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATION (CIO). THE STORY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 04446 091253Z LINKS MASIYIWA'S DETENTION TO A RECENT ALLEGED ASSASSINATION THREAT TO "DAILY NEWS" EDITOR GEOFF NYAROTA. ACCORDING TO THE NEWS STORY, THE LINK IS THAT MASIYIWA'S ABDUCTOR IN 1990, ROBERT MANUNGO, IS THE PERSON NYAROTA'S WOULD-BE KILLER ALLEGED GAVE HIM THE ASSASSINATION ASSIGNMENT. ¶2. STRIVE MASIYIWA IS THE CEO OF ECONET WIRELESS HOLDINGS, AND ONE OF ZIMBABWE'S MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMEN. HE HAS A LONG HISTORY OF STRUGGLING AGAINST GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY AND CORRUPTION, AND HAS BEEN IN SOUTH AFRICA FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BECAUSE OF HIS FEAR THAT HE WOULD BE ARRESTED FOR POLITICAL REASONS IF HE RETURNS TO ZIMBABWE. HE IS PERCEIVED TO SUPPORT ZIMBABWE'S OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) AND IS SAID TO BE WORRIED THAT THIS PERCEPTION MAKES HIM VULNERABLE TO TRUMPED-UP CHARGES AND LEGAL CHALLENGES. ¶3. THE ARTICLE QUOTES MASIYIWA EXTENSIVELY, AND RECOUNTS HIS 1990 ABDUCTION AND DETENTION BY CIO AGENTS. MASIYIWA SAYS HE WAS TAKEN AT GUNPOINT FROM HIS OFFICE BY TWO CIO AGENTS, ONE OF WHOM, ROBERT MANUNGO, IS ALLEGED TO HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ARRANGE THE ASSASSINATION OF "DAILY NEWS" EDITOR GEOFF NYAROTA. THIS ALLEGATION COMES FROM THE SELF-CONFESSED, WOULD-BE ASSASSIN WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE GOTTEN COLD FEET ABOUT THE KILLING AT THE LAST MOMENT. ¶4. THE ARTICLE RELATES MASIYIWA'S ACCOUNT OF THE ABDUCTION AND DETENTION FOR ONE DAY AT A POLICE STATION IN GOROMONZI, A SMALL TOWN ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HARARE. MASIYIWA IS QUOTED IN THE STORY AS SAYING THAT HIS STRONG RELIGIOUS FAITH BEGAN THE DAY OF HIS ABDUCTION. HE ALSO SAYS THAT A SENIOR ZIMBABWEAN POLICE OFFICIAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 04446 091253Z TOLD HIM SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THAT HE WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN RELEASED ALIVE. ¶5. MASIYIWA HAS A STRONG REPUTATION FOR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. HIS ACCOUNT OF THE ABDUCTION AND DETENTION IS CREDIBLE. THE APPARENT PURPOSE OF THE STORY IN THE "DAILY NEWS" IS TO LEND CREDENCE TO REPORTS THE NEWSPAPER HAS PUBLISHED IN THE PAST WEEK ABOUT THE PLOT TO ASSASSINATE ITS EDITOR AND THE ALLEGED CIO CONNECTION TO THAT PLOT. IRVING UNCLASSIFIED >