Friday 2 March 2012

Tsvangirai got US$ 1.5 million for house loan, etc. - welcome to Ease Street

In 2009 Mugabe granted Tsvangirai a $1.5 million loan to build his “official residence”. Mugabe himself moved out of State House into his US$ 6 million mansion, the latter was no longer good enough for him. Still he wanted to keep it for himself and Zimbabwe House too. None of the other government houses left were clearly not good enough for Prime Minister Tsvangirai hence the loan. Mugabe’s two Vice Presidents and the two Deputy Prime Ministers - amongst many other political leaders and civil servants, no doubt - all reportedly got similar houses loans. This is over and above all the other privilege of new Mercedes Benz, innumerable overseas trips, etc., etc.

Zimbabwe has a staggering 80% plus unemployment rate, the majority of civil servants are paid a misery US$ 300 a month, health and education are barely functioning for lack of funds, etc. and yet Mugabe and the ruling elite are enjoying celebrate life-styles!

Mugabe has always demands blind loyalty from those below him and, to be fair to him, has paid the lackeys handsomely even when it means driving millions into abject poverty and despair. Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have been totally ineffective in keeping their promise to the nation to end Mugabe’s dictatorial rule and democratic change. Well Tsvangirai and his MDC friends are certainly living in Ease Street!

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Mugabe’s man says parliamentary body tasked to write the new constitution has two weeks to submit the draft. Zanu PF is finally turning on the pressure to have this matter settled, one way or the other.

Mugabe and Zanu PF know Zimbabweans would want nothing short of a new constitution to eliminate the dictatorial powers now wielded by Mugabe. Without these dictatorial powers the party can not use political violence and all the other dirty tricks to “win” elections. Mugabe’s position has been simple; either the new constitution return the dictatorial powers or there will be no new constitution.

Tsvangirai and his MDC friends want a democratic new constitution but are too weak and feeble to force this through.

The new constitution was to be adopted within eighteen months. It is now three years and the draft document is yet to be produced. The stalemate situation suits both parties. MDC are better off staying in the GNU with all the frustrations of the arrangement than lose a violent election. Mugabe is scared of being declared illegitimate again by the international community after another violent election. This time, not even Tsvangirai would be that stupid to let him off the hook again.

Zimbabweans lives have been in limbo these last three years; this GNU has not delivered economic recovery and the political repression has continued. They have put up with it than face another violent election.
In 2008 Zimbabweans voted for Tsvangirai out of desperation - it was a matter of anyone else would be better than the tyrant Mugabe - and the nation has paid dearly for it ever since. Yes it pays in the end to get the best in the beginning!

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