WHO IS DAVID ‘DAN’ STANNARD the ex CIO Director General accused by former president Robert Mugabe of being behind gukurahundi with president Emmerson Mnangagwa

WHO IS DAVID ‘DAN’ STANNARD the ex CIO Director General accused by former president Robert Mugabe of being behind gukurahundi with president Emmerson MnangagwaZanu pf/ Mugabe/ Mnangagwa apologists have always chosen to deny the gukurahundi genocide, unleash abuse at Ndebeles and even laugh about the pain and suffering of the Ndebeles, however the continuous revelations are a real game changer in politics to everyone in Zimbabwe.

Gukurahundi cannot be denied, swept under the carpert or forgotten until acknowledged by the government, compensation has been given to victims, apologies made by government, decent reburial of thousands in mines, wells and mass graves is conducted and there is true peace and healing. It is clear for all to see, that Zanu pf, Mugabe, Mnangagwa and securocrats are all blood thirsty and Ndebeles should now be celebrating that the gukurahundists are revealing the truth. Zimbabweans are now more informed and will go into the 2018 elections with open eyes.

All opposition can now wisely accomodate Ndebele gukurahundi genocide issues, Matebeleland support and co leadership and maybe go back to the drawing board and address the lost Shona /Ndebele leadership issues, unite supporters and forge a powerful voice against Mnangagwa, Zanu pf stalwarts and securocrats.

The developments are now are a real game changer in politics and rude awakening to Zimbabwes opposition especially those who have chosen to sleep with the devil while ignoring the plight of their kith and kin. Unity should be forged on an equal footing, respectful alliances and respect for organisational consttutions because, now that gukurahundi is an open book for all to see, any failure to resolve it means that there is further hatred and division, marginalisation and by MDCT leader Chamisa,..mass Shonalisation of Matebeleland posts such as Teaching, nurses, police, judges and all areas.

Its clear that gukurahundi can no longer be denied and its a real game changer with respect to any potential support or recognition of the Zanu pf Mnangagwa/Chiwenga militarised regime that came from a coup. More people can now start fearing that heads will roll and prosecutions and imprisonment are set to come over the genocide. It is cleatly now impossible for the democratic West to support such an evil regime without tarnishing their own image. People like Perence Shiri, Fifth brigade, Sekeramai and others who are heavily involved can no longer hide from the truth and its fair to say this can lead to civil disobedience and potentially civil war if its not handled properly because the military will now panic while opposition and particularly Ndebeles wull also be clamouring for this to be resolved even though doing so from different platforms.

A peoples party that takes on board Ndebele issues, unites Zimbabweans and seeks to rebuild a peaceful Zimbabwe for every race, tribe and religion, will have the best chances of leading Zimbabwe. The 2018 may simply shake Mnangagwa and the Zanu pf militarised cabinet but by the look of things not unseat them because only fools can imagine that Mnangagwa can reform homself, Zanu pf and the military out of power! Wake up Zimbabwe!

David ‘Dan’ Stannard (born 1937 Peshawar, Pakistan of British parents) was a Zimbabwe policeman who became a Branch Director of the Central Intelligence Organisation, under Ken Flower, thus serving under both the Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe administrations. He subsequently became manager of Zimbabwe’s cricket team in addition to overseeing security for the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

Stannard, joined the British South Africa Police (BSAP) in March 1957, becoming a career policeman, and a detective in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), serving with distinction. During his tenure in the CID, he served in several specialist sections, including the Fraud Squad and later headed the section dealing with serious crimes of violence. Early in his career, he was responsible for investigating the Crocodile Gang (a member of which was eventually to become his political master) for murders and other serious crimes while stationed in the Manicaland Province. At one time he investigated elements of Rhodesia’s most prestigious military unit – the Selous Scouts – concerning allegations of poaching and ivory trafficking.[3] Dan Stannard was seconded to the Rhodesian Special Branch (SB) as Acting Provincial Special Branch Officer, Salisbury and Mashonaland, shortly before Zimbabwean independence.

At the time of Independence in 1980, Stannard was appointed the official Liaison Officer to work with both ZANU and ZAPU guerrillas who were then based at the Audio Visual Centre at the University. After independence he was transferred to Special Branch Headquarters, where he became Deputy Director (Internal) (DDIN) of Branch I, under Mike Reeves.

He later served as the Director Internal (DIN) of CIO, effectively the head of the Rhodesian Special Branch and oversaw internal intelligence-gathering for the CIO. At the time Zimbabwe was celebrating its new found independence, Stannard foiled an assassination attempt on Zimbabwean presidential elect Robert Mugabe by a South African fifth column in 1980,[4] an event for which he was awarded the Gold Cross of Zimbabwe.

As a senior adviser to the post-independence regime, Stannard and many former Rhodesian agents were retained to train their successors. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the first minister of security, transferred all SB members into the CIO to obviate intelligence getting into the possession of Joshua Nkomo, who was then Minister of Home Affairs. The modus operandi of Rhodesia’s campaign to infiltrate political parties, silence public demonstrations, and destabilise action groups during the colonial period were thus passed on to a new generation of partisan intelligence operatives.[6]

After retiring from the CIO in 1992, Stannard became manager of the Zimbabwe cricket team.[7] As many white cricketers, loyally representing their nation, had family affected by the government’s chaotic land redistribution efforts, he found himself involved with their pleas and then lobbying for land redesignation to avoid the Mugabe purge, but not always with success.[6]

Stannard’s brother Richard, a former British military policeman, was a public relations officer for the Rhodesian Security Forces during the long-running bush war. Richard later joined the Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps to serve alongside Danny. Their nephew, also Richard Stannard, was a much-decorated veteran of the Rhodesian SAS and South African Special Forces who later became embroiled with an attempted coup d’etat in the Seychelles. By Sibusiso Ngwenya. source-wikipedia