Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections were a watershed elections in that Zanu PF’s power to rig elections was exposed in its ugliest and graphic details.
Ever since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, the country had never held free, fair and credible elections and all along the Commonwealth, AU and SADC had turned a blind eye to Zanu PF’s repeated failure to hold free and fair elections. In 2002 the Commonwealth finally decided to act, it suspended Zimbabwe from the club. SADC pressured the regime switch-off its infamous vote rigging juggernaut for the 2008 elections.
The whole election process was conducted in peace and in a transparent and professional manner, the March 2008 plebiscite would have been the first free, fair and credible election in Zimbabwe’s history if only Zanu PF had not disrupted everything.
When Zanu PF informers imbedded with ZEC advised the party leaders the opposition was going to win the elections, Emmerson Mnangagwa, by his own admission, reactivated the Zanu PF vote rigging machinery. ZEC was instructed not to announce the election results. The Zanu PF juggernaut took over.
The 210 parliamentary results were recounted and announced in dribs and drabs over the next six weeks. Morgan Tsvangirai’s 73% of the votes, by Mugabe’s own Freudian slip, took six to whittled down to 47%, enough to force a runoff.
The Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut came alive during the runoff. The juggernaut, headed by Mnangagwa (normally headed by Mugabe himself) and the top brass in the Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services, otherwise called the Joint Operation Command (JOC) launched Operation Mavhotera papi (Whom did you vote for). This was a rhetorical question to punish the electorate for daring to reject the party and Mugabe in the March vote.
Operation Mavhora papi was a military style operation with Zanu PF youths militia and war veterans assigned the role of the foot soldiers, harassing, beating and raping the electorate. The heavy duty tasks of beating, abducting and killing was carried out the personal supplied and equipped by the Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services.
“What was accomplished by the bullet cannot be undone by the ballot!” thundered Mugabe, stamping his approval and encouragement of Operation Mavhotera papi.
Morgan Tsvangirai was forced to withdraw from the race. He complained of “Zanu PF has declared war on the innocent people!”
Mugabe went on to win the runoff one-horse race with 84% of the votes.
For the first time ever, both AU and SADC refused to endorse the Zanu PF victory and the regional body forced the regime to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA), agreeing to the implementation of a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop a repeat of the blatant cheating and wanton violence of the 2008 election.
The primary task of the 2008 to 2013 GNU, comprising Zanu PF led by Robert Mugabe and the two MDC factions led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara and then latter Professor Welshman Ncube, was to implement the democratic reforms. Sadly, not even one token reform was implemented in five years.
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office and the rest is history.
With not even one reform implemented, SADC leaders, who were the guarantor of the 2008 GPA, wanted the 2013 elections postponed until reforms were implemented. “If you go into the election next month,” they warned the MDC leaders according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza who attended the Maputo summit. “You will lose. The elections are done!”
The warning fell on deaf ears, as we know.
MDC leaders like Tendai Biti have acknowledged the sheer futility of participating in Zimbabwe elections without first implementing the reforms.
“Look, you can't keep on participating in flawed electoral processes that serve to give big benefits to dictators such as Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has perfected the art of winning elections. So it will be very foolish for the opposition to continue legitimizing these sham elections which don't deliver. This country will go through a serious economic crisis in 2020 caused by Zanu PF. And yet, this is the only country where a government doesn't perform, it is encouraged by a super majority in parliament,” said Tendai Biti in a 2015 interview with Isaac Mugabi.
“So you can't continue subjecting Zimbabweans to processes where their hopes just get crushed.”
David Coltart confirmed the futility of participating and shed light on why MDC leaders are defying reason and keep participating in the flawed elections.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” confessed Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”
So, MDC/CCC leaders defied not only SADC leaders’ advice but their own judgement to participate in elections “so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw” in the 2013 and then in 2018 because of greed. They are doing the same again now, they are participating in 2023 elections out of greed.
Indeed it was greed that stopped them implementing the democratic reforms during the GNU, when they had the golden opportunity to do so.
But why are ordinary Zimbabweans participating in these flawed elections, assuming they understand the sheer futility of doing so and they can choose not to, unlike the rural voters who will be frog matched?
Answer; they are simple people who have seen voting in other countries deliver change having and believe the same can happen in Zimbabwe. They do not see CCC’s claim to have “winning in rigged election”, even after 2008 watershed elections, as an oxymoron. These people have yet to appreciate that voting is meaningless unless the process is free, fair and credible! It sounds simple enough but to them it is a quantum leap, one they have clearly failed to make.
34 comments:
@ Nguva yaMwari
“If I may ask @Wilbert Mukori so if Chamisa & his CCC outfit pull out of this election and other parties such as Chapman or Madhuku s participate, and Zanu PF wins what stops them from forming the next government.”
Mnangagwa is stupid but not that stupid not to know that he needs the opposition to participate in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy. He has offered them a bribe of a few gravy train seats. Last year he added the US$40 000 MP housing loan as a sweetener. He is even giving away the POLAD freebies to the losers!
So, we can be absolutely certain that no matter how flawed, illegal and violent the elections process gets, there will always be a Zimbabwean who will find the bribe too irresistible. Does that mean we are therefore doomed to rigged elections and bad governance?
Of course, not! Zanu PF failed to get legitimacy in 2008 because the election process was so flawed no one accepted the result. Ian Smith had Muzorewa and Sithole participating in the internal settle the people refused to participate and he failed to get legitimacy.
The real reason Chamisa and company will never boycott these elections is the same reason they failed to implement even one reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU - greed. Zanu PF knows that only too well!
So please stop the nonsense of portraying CCC as doing the people a favour by participating! What favour were they doing us by failing to implement even one reform during the GNU?
@ Hungwe
“ATTENTION EVERY BETTER -LIFE SEEKER!!
1. A vote is a kind of prayer about the kind of world you want to live in.
- Rev. Raphael Warnock
2. Not voting is not a protest. It is a surrender.
- Keith Ellison
3. If you don't vote, you lose the right to complain..
- George Carlin
4. Bad governments are elected by good citizens who don't vote.
5. Vote like your rights depend on it.
6. Your vote is your voice.
7. The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.
- John F. Kennedy
8. The ballot is stronger than the bullet.
- Abraham Lincoln
9. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent over the things that matter.
- Martin Luther King@Mike Chinyerere”
All this is true in a country where elections are free, fair and credible and where elections are rigged the ballot counts for nothing.
Zimbabwe’s watershed 2008 elections showed that it was not enough for the opposition to get power even after winning 73% of the votes! SADC leaders forced Zanu PF to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement, agreeing to the need for Zimbabwe to implement a raft of democratic reforms to ensure the blatant cheating and wanton violence of 2008 will never be repeated ever again. MDC sold out and failed to implement even one reform in five years of the GNU.
When SADC leaders realised that not even one meaningful reform had been implemented at the end of the GNU, they wanted the 2013 elections postponed because they realised the sheer futility of hold any election under the same condition as the 2008 elections. But once again MDC sold out and ignored the advice.
It is sad that many Zimbabweans have failed to understand what the democratic reforms are much less that the primary purpose of the GNU was to implement the reforms, even now with the benefit of hindsight they still have no clue. Of course, these people do not blame MDC/CCC leaders for selling out on reforms, how can they when they do not understand what reforms are!
Albert Einstein said insanity is repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. After 43 years of rigged elections Zimbabwe still expect to win rigged elections! And to motivate each other in their madness they have quotation from Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and many, many others, conveniently forgetting they were all talking about free, fair and credible elections!
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections and by burying your head in the sand and pretend the elections are free and fair you are doing the regime a big favour and giving it legitimacy. Sad really that anyone can be so shallow, thick and slow. Worse still, that hundreds of thousands are shallow, thick and slow. Yes, Hungwe, you are not the only one who is insane!
The resolution was crystal clear Russia violated the UN charter by invading other country. How anyone can sit on the fence beggars belief!
Information reaching this reporter indicate that Harare-based Diplomats from Western countries have expressed concern over the Citizens Coalition Change's undemocratic practices.
The reports indicate that Western countries have observed the following as actions that demonstrate the CCC's undemocratic nature: -
• the failure to put in place democratically elected structures; and
• the decision to spurn internal democratic primary elections and handpick candidates for the 2023 elections.
These sentiments have also been expressed by African, Arab and Asian diplomats.
An East African diplomat summed up the mood in the international community by observing that, "ZANU PF, which Chamisa has been portraying as an enemy of democracy, is holding primary elections. ZANU PF also held elections, in which big fish lost, for its key structure, the Central Committee.
On the other hand, the party which has been parading itself as the paragon of democracy is demonstrating its zeal for dictatorship. Chamisa must walk the talk or lose respect". Many local CCC sympathisers and independent observers have also expressed the view that Chamisa should not be displaying dictatorial inclinations on the eve of the historical elections.
Many believe that he is creating perfect conditions for his rivals within the CCC to push him out of power if he loses the 2023 elections.
Well! Well! It is refreshing to see that the international community is, at long last, starting to see MDC/CCC leaders for whom they real are after decades of treating them with kid-gloves.
Chamisa’s undemocratic behaviour is not only in house, in CCC, but out side too. Everyone would agree that there is no way these elections can ever be free, fair and credible without some thing as basic as a verified voters’ roll. ZEC has stubbornly refused to produce a verified voters’ roll confident that Chamisa and company will participate regardless, they have always participated and that was not going to change.
Zanu PF have ignored demands to implement reforms because the party knows that the opposition will participate regardless how flawed and undemocratic the process becomes. Zanu PF is bribing the opposition with a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate.
Indeed, MDC leaders failed to implement even one reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU for the same reason they are participating in these flawed elections - greed.
The world cannot ignore the political reality that ever since the 2008 GNU MDC/CCC have abandoned reforms, free elections and democracy for 30 pieces of silver!
@ Godfrey
While varakashi nje are used to defend looters and they are benefiting nothing out of it
- ED's family now owns Feruka pipeline,Puma,Trek,Flo petroleum,Cargo Liquids Africa,Ernergy Park,Revo,Pure oils,Zuva
- All road contractions are being done by Tagwirei through Bitumen,Fossils,Mashwede,Masimba.
- Tagwirei now owns Cbz,First Bank,Zimbank
- Kuvimba Mining House now own Freda Rebbeca mine.Basically all mines which used to be owned by a parastatal yainzi ZMDC are now owned by Kuvimba Mining House. Which means Tagwirei is now owning those mines.
This is sad ndoyatinoti state capture. Varakashi they are only remembered panoda violence panemukanwa wekuita mari ndepavo nevana vavo
And some of the looted wealth is used to bankroll the Mnangagwa and Zanu PF re-election. If you don’t want the looting to stop you make sure that power remains in the hands of those who have made the looting possible!
For every dollar the opposition are able to raise for their election campaign Zanu PF raises a thousand dollars or more! The only reason why the opposition are insisting on participating in these flawed elections is because Zanu PF is giving away a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate.
Chamisa and company know that Zanu PF is rigging these elections, know that they participation is giving Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and the tragic human suffering that entails. They know all this and still they participate because they also know Zanu PF is giving away the few gravy train seats as a bribe and this they find irresistible.
The people have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC leaders into power for the express purpose of implementing the reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship. Sadly the people are easily tricked, conned and cheated.
Zanu PF has tricked the people into participating in these flawed elections by bribing the opposition to participate. Mnangagwa has even losing opposition leaders through POLAD to make sure the competition in the opposition camp remained fierce at all time. The people’s hatred of the so call pro-Zanu PF opposition is so intense they would rather participate to stop Mwonzora and Madhuku winning the few gravy train seats even at the expense of perpetuating the Zanu PF dictatorship and forfeiting reforms, free elections and good governance.
CCC has conned the people in participating by insisting the party has winning in rigged election strategies. And so the people have given up the fight for free, fair and credible elections in search of an oxymoron! How stupid is that!!!!
Povo are being tricked into believing participating in these flawed elections to stop people like Mwonzora being elected is more important than reforms, free elections and good governance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1otmcSLlvk
Povo participating in flawed election to forfeit free elections to stop election of Mwonzora; they are trading gold for fool's gold! https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-opinion-sc-columnist-byo-227998.html
South Africa, whose President Cyril Ramaphosa has been implicated in money laundering scandal, has been greylisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental body that sets global standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
The move puts South Africa in the company of countries such as Syria, Haiti, Yemen and Mozambique.
The watchdog's decision signals to global banks, financial institutions and investors that the country is not fully compliant with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing standards.
The FAFT took the decision during a meeting this week in Paris. In a statement on Friday afternoon, the group said that Nigeria and South Africa have been added to the grey list.
South Africa is a democratic nation and not some banana republic like Zimbabwe and yet to look at the sorry state the nation is in it might as well be just another banana republic. What has gone wrong? Why has SA’s democracy failed to produce a competent government these last 30 years?
The South Africa electorate has repeatedly elected a mediocre or corrupt ANC government, time and time again for the last 30 years. One possible explanation is that the voters are not yet mature enough to vote on substantive matters so giving them a democratic choice did not help.
South Africans are going to the poll next year and the country will be in serious trouble if the nation fail to produce a competent government.
Information reaching this reporter indicate that Harare-based Diplomats from Western countries have expressed concern over the Citizens Coalition Change’s undemocratic practices.
The reports indicate that Western countries have observed the following as actions that demonstrate the CCC’s undemocratic nature: –
• the failure to put in place democratically elected structures; and
the decision to spurn internal democratic primary elections and handpick candidates for the 2023 elections
Up to now the international community has handled MDC/CCC with kid gloves, turning a blind eye to undemocratic behaviour by the party leaders. This has not saved the people of Zimbabwe well as it has only allowed the opposition to be more and more corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless.
Forget the internal undemocratic practices by Chamisa and company, what about the undemocratic practices at national level. Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because MDC leaders sold out by failing to implement even one democratic reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. To add insult to injury, MDC/CCC have insisted on participating in these flawed elections knowing fully well it was futile out of selfish greed. Why has the international community been as quiet as a grave on these matters?
@ Hungwe
“Izvi zvinoda uchiudza mai vako chimbotisiya tiite zvatinofunga tazama kukuonesa but iwe you think you are clever than God.”
Those who aspire and/or hold public office are democratically accountable to the public, PUBLIC, and not just their party members. I know this is a concept you have fail to understand, given your limited intellectual ability. Still, MDC/CCC leaders will be held to democratic account for all their have done and failed to do; they will not be spared to save your misplaced and idiotic values!
Zanu PF is rigging 2023 elections and CCC are participating knowing fully well they will only give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy train seats being offered as bait. Zimbabwe has been stuck in this mess of rigged elections and bad governance for 43 years and the madness must be stopped. I am stopping it! Watch this space!
@ Japa Japa
“His Excellency Inwaiting, already Anointed with the (Davidic Anointing) Zimbabwe,s next President "Professori Wmba dia Wamba" Nikusema Nikutaka!! Advocate Nelson Chamisa.!!! Chakachaya, gore rino hazvikone,To Zanu Pf Regime Our Lord GOD is Saying," Daniel 5 vs 25 Mene Mene Terkel Upharsin- Numbered Numbered Weighed Divided.The End has now Come,Zimbabwe has suffered MP 43 wasted Years of Poor and Corrupt Governance.!!!! Honourable Paddington Japa Japa!!”
It is bad enough calling Chamisa Change Champion in Chief when he has failed to bring about even one change in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU. If is profane, to say the least, to claim such pathetic sell-out and failure has been anointed by God!
We all know that you, like many others have to grovel to Chamisa in the hope he will appoint you as the CCC candidate in one of the urban parliamentary/ senate seats. Do your grovelling but don’t insult God Almighty too!
Mnangagwa has just given VaPostori4ED 26 new vehicles.
This is just one of the many cases where Zanu PF is using public resources to buy vote the glory of Caesar trumping the good of Rome. The double tragedy for Zimbabwe is that Zanu PF dragged the nation into this mess and now the corrupt and incompetent opposition is keeping us there by failing to implement reforms and by participating in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy.
The United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) are determined to spoil the country's elections to isolate Zimbabwe on the international stage and in their subversive plots, they have roped in non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and some media outlets.
Commenting on a story published in The Herald on Thursday detailing how the US was dangling US$37 million to NGOs to stealthily interfere in the forthcoming elections, Presidential spokesperson and Deputy Chief Secretary (Communications) in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr George Charamba, said the Government was on top of the situation and would not hesitate to clampdown on subversive elements, especially now that the Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) Bill was set to become law.
While there was a flurry of activity as the country gravitated towards the 2023 elections, in the past year several attempts by the West, particularly the US, to sneak in so-called monitors, were thwarted by alert authorities.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections, it is insane to have the elections without democratic reform given Zanu PF’s carte blanche powers to rig elections. We not only wasted the golden opportunity to implement reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU, MDC/CCC leaders sold out, and they are the ones keeping Zanu PF in power by insisting on participating in flawed elections.
Zanu PF knows CCC will participate in these elections no matter how flawed the process happened to be. It is CCC selling out that gives Zanu PF’s arrogance!
THE late opposition MDC stalwart Morgan Richard Tsvangirai who died on 14 February, five years ago, is turning in his grave because some of his family members and close associates have joined the Zanu-PF regime which tormented him until death, his former spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka has told The NewsHawks.
Tsvangirai died of colon cancer in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2018.
"I suppose MT (Tsvangirai) is turning in his grave, mostly because of the state of the country. Zimbabwe remains mired in the rot and murk, some five years after his death. Like others, he had given this so-called new dispensation some chance but what it has shown is that we jumped from the frying pan into the fire," Tamborinyoka said.
"He is turning in his grave because Zimbabwe is now far much worse than it was in 2018 when he died. The other reason is that I suppose those who were close to him and some of his family members have joined the regime which some of us are so sure that it had a hand in his death.
Nonsense! The decision to support Mnangagwa after the 2017 military coup was not the only foolish decision Tsvangirai has made in his political career. Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to implement even one reform in 5 years of the GNU because they were corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent hence the reason why the country is still in this mess.
“Morgan Tsvangirai is a flawed figure, not readily open to advice, indecisive and with questionable judgment,” wrote then USA Ambassador to Zimbabwe 2004 to 2007, Chris Dell, in a top-secret cable to his bosses back in Washington, USA. The cable was leaked and published in Wikileaks.
"He is an indispensable element for opposition success … but possibly an albatross around their necks once in power. In short … Zimbabwe needs him, but should not rely on his executive abilities to lead the country's recovery."
The sheer incompetence of the MDC leaders throughout the GNU have proven that ambassador Chris Dell was right. It is a great pity that we still have Zimbabweans like Tamborinyoka who still want to falsify history and portray Tsvangirai as anything other than a corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless leader!
ZIMBABWE is among the 32 countries that abstained from voting in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine on Thursday.
Since the invasion of Russia in Ukraine last year, Zimbabwe has either abstained or voted against several UNGA resolutions on Moscow.
No comment could be obtained from the Foreign Affairs ministry on why the country abstained from the UNGA vote.
Botswana, DRC, Kenya, Malawi and Zambia are some of the African countries among the 141 member states that voted for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine.
It is a shame that some people cannot be counted upon to make a principled decision even when it is a clear cut one. Russia has invaded Ukraine and that must be condemned!
ONE of the biggest churches in the country with the largest following in terms of numbers - Vapositori - has pledged 2,3 million votes for President Mnangagwa as a token of appreciation for his astute leadership that has ushered Zimbabwe into a new era.
Uniting under the banner of Vapositori for ED (VED), the garment-donning church that is home to arguably the majority of Zimbabweans, either discreetly or indiscreetly, was yesterday at State House in Harare and pledged to play its part in defending Zimbabwe's revolution.
Mnangagwa has reportedly given 26 new cars to Vapositori, a thank you for the votes! If this is not vote buying, I don’t know what is.
Basic services such as roads, education, health care, etc. are in a sorry state after decades of being starved of funds. And yet Zanu PF regime has poured millions of dollars on these vote buying schemes.
Indeed, Zanu PF has become preoccupied with keeping the regime in power and completely forgotten the number one task of the government is to provide public service and save the national interests. In Zimbabwe the glory of Caesar has trumps the good of Rome and, unless we implement reforms designed to restore the people’s democratic power to hold the regime to account there will be no stopping this sorry state of affairs.
Part 1 of 2
@ Chief Svosve
The real tragedy in Zimbabwe is we have individuals like you who think they know when they don’t know. Who refuse to see the facts and truth and so keep pedalling nonsense. What makes this a double tragedy is we have many Zimbabweans out there who for one reason or another are incapable of thinking for themselves and are therefore easily tricked and conned by both Zanu PF and CCC into believing bulls***t.
I will address your bulls**t comments one by one!
“I know Wilbert you are a doctor but for the umpteenth time I want to educate you and hopefully this time it will sink in your thick head that if you would accord to Zanu PF all the criticism, negative attention & effort you put to CCC & President Chamisa you will be doing a better service to your country. You attack CCC more than you do Zanu PF.”
It is nonsense to start talking of criticising CCC more than I criticise Zanu PF, there is no value in this line of thinking. What real matters is whether the said criticism is valid or not.
The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC leaders on the understanding the party would implement the democratic changes to end the Zanu PF dictatorship. MDC/CCC have not only failed to implement even one reform in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, but are the ones keeping Zanu PF in power by insisting in participating in flawed elections out of greed.
These are the historic fact which you will not dare to deny. Do you want me to criticise Zanu PF for failing to implement the reforms when the people risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC to do this because they knew Zanu PF will never reform itself out of office!
Part 2 of 2
“To you CCC is your number one enemy than Zanu PF. The biggest thing any patriotic Zimbabwean should be doing right now is not to ATTACK CCC but to mobilise voters to register and this includes helping our families & friends to register to vote. I will not be surprised that you are not a registered voter yourself and can you also confirm whether you have mobilised your family back home to register to vote. What have you done to your community to help them register to vote?”
Your idiotic mentality is no different from that of Zanu PF; anyone who dare criticise Zanu PF was a racist, if he/she was white, or a puppet if he/she was black. With you anyone who dares to criticise CCC is a CIO. You must be pleased with Zanu PF drive to criminalise the regime critics with the passing of the patriotic bill.
As of 30 May 2022, only 1/4 million new voters had registered to vote according to ZEC. This was 4% of your own target of 6 million. It is rich to be asking me, who has dismissed the whole mass voter registration as a winning strategy from the word go, why this has been a total failure. You are the one who was doing the mobilisation with you Change Radio and still it flopped and now you want a scapegoat! How typical!
“You know one of the easiest ways to stop rigging is having mass turnouts on voting day.”
I know the only sure way to stop rigging is to implement the democratic reforms and it is not only I who say this SADC, EU, Americans and even CCC leaders like Biti and Coltart have said the same thing. Coltart has admitted the reason why CCC is participating in these flawed elections is greed.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed Coltart in his Book.
“I’m not saying do not criticise but do it objectively & constructively don’t criticise to destroy. CCC is the only hope for Zimbabweans as it is and you know that but everyday you are fighting to destroy that ONLY hope Zimbabweans have- how do you sleep at night???”
MDC/CCC not only sold out by failing to implement reforms but are compounding the problem by insisting in participating in flawed elections. Only an idiot like you would still claim CCC are the country’s only hope!
@ Chief Svosve
“At least you do admit you are not a registered voter and neither have you encouraged your family or community to go register to vote . You are also not supporting any initiatives by citizens so what’s your contribution to the struggle? Just criticizing & in the process parading your shallow mindedness. Good luck . The freedom train is moving - we are cruising and come August CCC will form the next government- vavengi muripo.”
As I said, the real tragedy for Zimbabwe is that political power has been in the hands of men and women who have no clue what they are doing and don’t care about the suffering and deaths of ordinary people; all they care about is getting power and looting. You have no clue what the democratic changes required trend the Zanu PF dictatorship are much less how they were to be implemented. Even now with the benefit of hindsight and many detailed explanations, you still have no clue!
In 2008 Zanu PF denied MDC power even after the later had garnered 73% of the vote in the March plebiscite, proof elections in Zimbabwe had become for flawed it was futile participating in the election to give Zanu PF legitimacy. You are ignoring this reality out of greed and don’t care the tragic consequences of another five more years of Zanu PF tyrannical rule!
The nation’s opportunity to end the Zanu PF dictatorship has been sold for 30 pieces of silver. The challenge is to make sure people know the truth about MDC/CCC betrayal and everything is done to stop this madness!
Chinese are extracting 500 tonne/day of lithium ore from Bikita.
China and Russia have lithium and platinum reserves in their own countries and yet they are as keen as mustard to mine the same minerals in Zimbabwe. Zanu PF does not care about the looting as long as those looting are helping the regime to remain in power. Our mineral wealth has now become a curse and not a blessing!
@ Chickenbreast
“What you wrote is rotten ,full of Rubbish,Why are you not ashamed?Look at yourself, where are you right now? You are hiding kune vanhu vanovhotera nyika, but you keep criticising people who are endeavoring for a Change. Chief Svosve outlined the reality which you are now taking as If you are the only educated person unlike All of us. Tibvire kumhepo Iwe ita zvataurwa nachief Svosve uone kuti hadzibvi here mbavha dzako.”
Chief Svosve did not dare to contradict David Coltart’s confession.
“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed Coltart in his Book.
I dare you to deny this election process is NOT “so flawed, so illegal the only logical step is to withdraw”! And I dare you to deny that the only reason CCC leaders will not withdraw in greed. Mnangagwa’s US$40 000 housing loan bonus for MPs over and above the US$60 000 car loan, generous salary and allowances, etc. is a honey pot trap Chamisa and company cannot resist.
CCC are participating in these elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the sake of a few gravy train seats. They know it and it is obvious but not to a fool like you who has his head buried in Chamisa’s backside!
Chamisa et al are “endeavouring for change!” Yeah right! By failing to implement even one reform when they had the chance and participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate the dictatorship!! Your sheer stupidity never seize to amaze me!
@ Mungo
Holding those in power on both sides of the political divide to democratic account and standing up to the truth in the face of the barrage of howling from their myopic VI supporters is an act of courage. You have your head stuck in Chamisa's backside, you are incapable of thinking for yourself, having starved your brain of oxygen it have ossified into fat. You are not a coward but a VI.
The number of Zimbabweans granted working visas in UK has gone up from 499 in 2019 to 8 363 in 2022. Many skilled Zimbabweans have been leaving the country to other countries like SA, Botswana, USA, Canada, etc.
The Zimbabwe government admitted two years ago that the country had as much as 80% skilled manpower shortage in key areas such as engineering, education and health.
This puts to sword the lie “Nyika inovakwa nevenevayo!” (The country is built by its own people!) So who are building Zimbabwe if the skilled people are leaving the country in droves!!!!!
@ Mhinga
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and those participating only to give Zanu PF legitimacy and to perpetuate the dictatorship are only doing so out of greed - they are after the bribes offered by Zanu PF as bait.
The truth is MDC/CCC has abandoned their set task of implementing the democratic reforms and are now cooperating fully with Zanu PF to deny the people free, fair and credible elections for a share of the spoils of absolute power. It is for the people to demand reforms before elections, the very thing one would expect CCC to do but are not doing it because they are corrupt and incompetent!
Authorities must implement African Development Bank's Advice on free and fair election - Electoral reforms must include Diaspora Vote.
Zimbabwe Diaspora Vote Initiative applauds the President of the Africa Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina, for encouraging authorities in Zimbabwe to make tangible progress on, among other things, "human rights protection, and implementation of the laws in line with the constitution". Dr. Adesina went further to call for "peaceful, free and fair elections". These measures will clear the path to arrears clearance and debt reduction.
Free and fair elections are those in which every citizen who is eighteen years and above is given the opportunity to vote. The right for Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote was acknowledged by His Excellence, President Emmerson Mnangagwa who in 2018 announced that efforts would be made to ensure the citizens living abroad should vote by 2023.
AfDB has paid lip service to demands for free and fair elections, one is therefore tempted to dismiss this as just another chihuahua dog barking at the elephant!
In 2018 Mnangagwa promised to end corruption and to ensure diaspora vote in 2023. He has failed to deliver on the two promises!
ZEC is not independent and therefore will never deliver free and fair elections s Professor Moyo explained. CCC are hell bent on participating in these elections out of greed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIOPM8JwpGI
@ Chris
“It angers one to read such stupid responses. The man clearly has no motive but to disrupt progressive talks. In the process, he, Wilbert, is clearly going against the constitution of our land. Every citizen has a right to their choices, even if it is seen as stupid by another. Wilbert needs to be held account for such reckless utterances.”
What are you wittering about, you nincompoop? The whole concept of democracy as a government of the people is that those holding public office are accountable to the people. You have never accepted that and have come up with all manner of feeble excuses and now you are claiming the constitution forbids the people exercising the right to hold those in power and their idiotic supporters to account. Where in the constitution does it say that?
After 43 years of rigged elections, the insanity of participating in rigged elections under the idiotic pretext CCC has winning in rigged election strategies will be exposed for what it is - idiotic nonsense! No one, absolutely no one, has the right to sell the nation for 30 pieces of silver!
@ Godfrey
WE KNOW NIGERIA HAS BEEN TO THE POLLS
I PROPHESY THE FOLLOWING AS ZIMBABWE’S LAMENTATION IN A FEW MONTH’S TIME - and I’m plagiarising and offering the script to one of our own writer here to file and reproduce at the appropriate time
The article was written by one of Nigerias own WMk
Substitute Nigeria for Zimbabwe and INEC for ZEC in the following
********
Be of good cheer, Africa's morning will still come - Chima Christian
Seeing the amount of energy Nigerians invested in this process, it is with a heavy heart that I say, I WARNED YOU.
I warned you about the BVAS.
I warned you about the CVR Data.
I warned you about the IReV.
I warned you about the Voter Register.
I warned you about synchronisation of BVAS data.
I warned you about selective application of violence.
I warned you about weak institutions.
At a great personal sacrifice, and with the support of some spirited individuals, I toured many TV stations, radio stations, social media platforms, newspapers and online platforms.
I had only one message; DON'T GO INTO THIS ELECTION WITHOUT SUBJECTING ALL THE SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES INEC WILL RELY ON TO PROCESS THE VOTING DECISIONS OF NIGERIANS TO MULTI-STAKEHOLDER AUDIT AND INTEGRITY TEST.
You won't listen. You said I was spreading fear. So you decided to silence my voice.
I asked you; “what have you anchored your faith on?” You said INEC told you that BVAS is a game changer and that results will be transmitted straight to the server. I asked you, “which INEC?”
You said Buhari told you he wants to leave a legacy of free and fair elections. I asked you, “which Buhari?”
Well, although it's already too late to cry now that the head has been cut off. Yet the situation can be remedied in time.
It will be a long walk to freedom.
I will advise, yet again, that you pay the full price. Shortcuts and emotional reactions will land us in more trouble.
That is why the next steps must be measured and carefully considered.
By the mercies of God, I will yet again proffer solutions.
Will you listen? Or will you be overtaken by your emotions.
To those who are hurting, please be of good cheer.
Africa's morning will come.
Chima Christian.
I have not been following what has been happening in Nigeria but would venture to say they have never made the stupid mistakes as going into elections without something as basic as a verified voters' roll! Chamisa will claim victory of 2023 elections and expect the world to endorse his victory with no verified voters’ roll, V11 forms, etc.
Zimbabweans are so naive and gullible they accept the elections are being rigged but insist in participating because they believe in Chamisa's oxymoronic "winning in rigged elections (WIRE) strategies!" Even after the flagship WIRE strategy of mass voter registration is already dead in the water! As of 30 May 2022 ZEC confirmed that only 1/4 million had registered to vote or 4% of CCC’s own 6 million target.
When it comes to shooting ourselves in the foot on elections, Zimbabweans we are in a class of our own. I would venture to say Zimbabwe has more VIs per capita than any other nation on earth!
@ Munyadzi
“Zimbabwean povo are not as stupid as you claim.They are survivors. Vana UK took decades to get to where she is democratically. This is a process!”
No one is asking us to reinvent democracy, dimwit! Many of us have no clue what constitute free and fair elections hence the reason why they are hell bent on participating in elections without even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll and conned by an upstart that he has winning in rigged elections strategies!
After 43 years of rigged elections and we are heading for yet another rigged election, of course it is insane. So, “process” is the new feeble excuse for the insanity! Fcuk me!
@ Chibvupe
ZESA Nat Grid: 27.02.23.
1. General Supply Summary
1.1 Local Generation
Hwange: 77MW with 1 unit (G2 ).
Coal stock 237.620 days on 1-unit.
G5 manually tripped on 26 October 2021 due to excessive turbine vibrations. RTS to be advised.
G4 taken off @11h13 on 15 February 2023 after developing a Boiler tube leak. Works in progress. RTS to be advised.
G1 taken off at 11h23 on 24.02.23 after D mill PA fan got damaged. RTS to be advised.
G3 tripped at 20h55 on 24.02.23 after developing a tube leak.Works completed, firing in progress.
G6 taken off at 01h46 on 23.02.23 after developing a tube leak. RTS 28.02.23
Kariba: 193–475MW on 4 units. (350MW average).
G4 Unit taken out on 20 July 2022 due to a damaged Turbine runner. RTS to be advised.
G1 taken out on 02 February 2023 for turbine runner inspection, inspections completed unit placed on annual maintenance. RTS to be advised. G8 tripped on 20 December 2022 due to GTx 8 fault. GTx is being replaced. RTS to be advised.
G6 taken out on 16 December 2022 for Annual overhaul and machine cooling water pipework replacement . RTS to be advised.
Dam level 477.43(13.39%Full).
Harare: 0MW.
Munyati: 0MW, Tripped@ 19h24 on 12 February 2023 on under frequency, now on boiler maint. RTS to be advised.
Bulawayo: 0MW Shutdown for boiler maintenance @ 22h38 on 03 January 2023. RTS to be advised ZXIN: 39MW
Green fuel: 0MW.
Hippo valley: 0MW
Tsanga Stns: 7MW.
Pungwe Stns: 21MW
PV Gen: 0-22MW
1.2 Imports and exports
HCB Import: 50 MW
Eskom Import: 180MW.
EDM Import: 135-200MW
Zesco Import: 100MW
ZPC-Nam Power Export: 0-80MW
DAM – Imports (HCB): 0MW:
DAM – Imports (ESKOM): 0MW;
DAM – Imports (KarN): 0MW;
ZESA DAM General Imports: 0MW.
ZESA Dam Sales – Exports: 0MW.
Total supply 944-1069MW.
Forecast Demand: 1590MW.
Forecasted Shortfall/excess: (-521MW: Evening peak) and
(-383MW: Morning peak).
Gross energy shortfall -5455MWh.
2. Today's Peak Hour Summary.
Total supply: 1069MW.
Forecast Demand: 1590MW.
Shortfall/excess: -521MW.
3. Previous Day Performance
Max Demand: 1160MW@ 20h00 with 340MW shed
Load shedding
Morning: 450MW.
Noon: 450MW.
Evening: 450MW.
We have now reached the point where ZESA is so undependable one has to look at generating all the electric power requirement. It is the most chaotic and inefficient way to supply electricity for a nation!
Two years ago Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe would be generating enough to meet the country’s energy demands and have excess for export. This is just one of the many empty promises made by the buffoon who has no clue what he is talking about.
The tragedy is as long as the country continue to hold these flawed elections and the opposition participating to give the regime legitimacy Zimbabwe will continue to sink deeper and deeper into the abyss! We are our own worst enemies!
@ Munyaradzi
“Problem with armchair politicians is that they theorise and hallucinate a lot.”
So you are praising the politician like Mnangagwa and Chamisa, there in the field and doing things! And yet after 43 years the country is sinking deeper and deeper into this man-made hell under Zanu PF.
The people have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC to implement reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship. Not even one reform implemented in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU.
And you, you call yourself active supporters on the ground, you have not only failed to see the wrongs by which ever leader you support but start foaming and frothing is anyone dare criticise your leader. You are just a VI with his head stuck in the leader’s back side and incapable of thinking for himself. It is you who is hallucinating.
You are trying to stifle debate because you think Chamisa is a god who cannot be held to account by mere mortal like me. I will be damned if I will let a VI like you silence me!
It is for the people of Zimbabwe alone in a free, fair and credible elections to decide who rules Zimbabwe including having regime change. ANC must keep its big nose out of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhEhVeXZJHU
We can do it if we Register as voters!
Fellow Citizens- your vote is your voice and with your voice you have your power- With your power we can Change the world.
This is the only opportunity we have to change our circumstances.
To win big, We must register big!
Where ever you are- tell a friend, a neighbour, workmate, wife, husband, your children , schoolmates, boyfriend or girlfriend and all your loved ones to register as voters.
This is the Call the Act.
This is message explains exactly why Zimbabwe is stuck: we have leaders who do not even have the common sense to admit something is not working even when they have the evidence.
MDC/CCC has always admitted that Zanu PF was rigging the elections but insisted in participating regardless because the party has “winning in rigged elections (wire) strategies.” None of these strategies have worked in the past hence the reason why the party has never had the keys to State House.
For the 2023 elections, the MDC/CCC flagship wire strategy was mass voter registration, followed by mass voting and then guard the vote. Well the first phase was a clear failure as the party only registered ¼ million voters, 4% of its own set target of 6 million, in the four years to 30 May 2022.
There has been a hive of voter registration activity since May 2022 but these are bused Zanu PF supporters registering in late at night. Two weeks ago, there videos of Zanu PF bused from Domboshava and Goromonzo, to register in Harare! This is a very common practice by Zanu PF, these late registrants will not appear on the voters’ roll and allowed to vote on production of the voter registration slip. They will vote in the rural constituency and vote again in the urban area.
How anyone can bury their heads in the sand and pretend CCC’s mass voter registration is still working beggars belief.
Of course, CCC leaders know Zanu PF is blatantly rigging these 2023 elections but they soldier on because they also know that Zanu PF will give away a few gravy train seats to the opposition to entice them to participate no matter how flawed and illegal the process gets. Zanu PF needs the opposition’s participation to maintain the façade Zimbabwe is a healthy multiparty democracy.
Chamisa and company have to keep up the appearance CCC will win big to hide the real reason they are participating is greed. It is a tragedy there are many Zimbabweans out there who are so naïve and gullible they believe the oxymoronic nonsense of winning in Zanu PF Mafiosi rigged elections even after 43 years of rigged elections.
TEMPERS are flaring after the High Court Tuesday blocked the release of electronic voters roll with critics claiming the ruling reflects lack of democracy in Zimbabwe ahead of 2023 elections.
Harare High Court judge, Never Katiyo ruled that the voters roll was a sensitive document which should not be dished out carelessly.
Zanu PF will never release a verified voters' roll because it is indeed a key party of the regime's voter rigging. The party knows that it will get away with it because it also knows that the opposition will participate in the elections no matter how flawed and illegal the process gets as long as they are assured of winning a few gravy train seats.
Nelson Chamisa and his MDC/CCC friends had their golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They sold out then, not even SADC leaders' constant nagging would get the MDC leaders to implement even one token reform; it is naive to expect MDC leaders to do anything now when Zanu PF has all the trump cards!
CCC will participate in 2023 elections with no verified voters roll, Zanu PF knows that.
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