Zimbabweans love to talk about democracy but most of us have no clue what they are talking about. None!
“Democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people!” said Abraham Lincoln. He was the President of USA during that country’s civil war - the most divisive, traumatic period in that nation’s history.
The right to free, fair and credible elections is the heart and soul of democracy because the holding of free elections not only gives the people a meaningful say in the governance of the country, it is the ultimate expression of people’s power, people governing themselves.
Democracy and free elections are the two sides of the same coin; you cannot have a healthy and functioning democracy if you cannot guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
Ever since Zimbabwe attained her independence in 1980 to date, the country has never ever held free, fair and credible elections. Never! Mugabe and his cronies, made it clear if Zanu PF failed to win the 1980 elections the bush war would continue. The people voted to end the bush war and as soon as he got into power Mugabe moved swiftly to impose the de facto one party dictatorship.
Mugabe reneging on the time honoured “One man, one vote!” rallying call because he did not trust the British and the colonial administration of Ian Smith to hold free, fair and credible elections. He had the chance to redeem himself by restoring the democratic right of every Zimbabwean to free elections, instead he has rigged elections under the pretext his political opponents were puppets of the West.
So for 43 years and counting Zanu PF has denying the people of Zimbabwe a meaningful vote and a democratic government, a people’s government, under the pretext such a vote would result in regime change, replacing Zanu PF regime with a Western puppet regime.
Mugabe kick started the patronage system by buying ministerial limos for his Zanu PF cronies to replace the ordinary cars Ian Smith gave his ministers. Zanu PF leaders have become notorious for the blind loyalty to Mugabe. Even at the height of the Gukurahundi massacre; Zanu PF leaders saw nothing, heard nothing, said nothing and did nothing.
The patronage system has spread to every section of Zimbabwe society, it is central to the Zanu PF dictatorship and hegemony. It has come at a great price to the nation, it is the root cause of the gross mismanagement and rampant corruptions resulting in the criminal waste of the country’s material and human resources.
Imposing a de facto one-party dictatorship was a feeble excuse to hide the Mugabe and his cronies’ insatiable greed for absolute political power and the influence and wealth it brings - the essence of bad governance. By the turn of the century, just two decade since independence, the country was already in serious economic trouble and political paralysis.
The country needed democratic changes to stop the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
In 1999, Morgan Tsvangirai and his friends launched their party MDC, short for Movement for Democratic Change, in answer to the people’s clamour for democratic changes to restore their freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful vote. After 23 years, 5 of which in the 2008 to 2013 Government of National Unity (GNU), MDC has failed to implement even one token democratic reform.
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office and they forgot about the reforms, just as readily as the Zanu PF leaders had done. Indeed, Zanu PF cronies crowed about how MDC leaders had sold out.
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good-life, they will never rock the boat!” boasted the Zanu PF cronies, when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing any democratic reforms during the GNU.
Since the GNU debacle MDC/CCC leaders have insisted on participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship in return for a few gravy train seats. The nation’s hope of ending the Zanu PF autocracy is being sold for 30 pieces of silver and the people, the victims of the blatant betrayal.
The people of Zimbabwe had risked life and limb to elect the MDC leaders on the understanding that once in power they would deliver the democratic changes the nation was denying for. The MDC supporters had repeated change in their slogans to no end. And yet when the golden opportunity to implement reforms are arrived and was callously wasted, the people had failed to even notice it.
Indeed, even today with the benefit of hindsight many Zimbabweans still have no clue the primary purpose of 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms. They still don’t realise that MDC leaders sold out big time by failing to implement even one reform during the GNU when the country had is golden opportunity to do so.
It is ironic that many Zimbabweans are participating in these flawed and illegal Zimbabwean elections, regardless of the mountain of evidence Zanu PF is rigging the process under the delusion these are democratic elections. By participating, these people are giving Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and their own suffering.
It was the Greeks, bless them, who gave mankind democracy as a system of government in place of the failed autocracy, oligarchy, monarch, etc. The Greeks realised back then, 2 500 years ago, that for democracy to work, the people must be educated.
Given that both Zanu PF and most of the country’s opposition are only interested in securing political power for themselves; the need to educate the Zimbabwe populous is now a matter of national survival if the country is end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
The first lesson for Zimbabweans is that Zimbabwe is NOT a democracy, Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and CCC are participating to give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a share of the spoils of power. The rational response is to refuse to participate in the flawed elections, pointing out evidence of rigging and violence, denounce CCC for selling out by failing to implement reforms and participating in the elections out of greed and, last but most important of all, make sure Zanu PF does not get political legitimacy!
19 comments:
@ Chris
“People like Wilbert are just making unnecessary chants . They should be getting their own following who they can tell what to do. Leave Zanu with its supporters and MDC or CCC with its huge following and at least do what Chapman is doing. He has a blueprint and I will not be surprised if he takes some supporters from both parties. This is going to be interesting.”
What democratic changes has MDC/CCC accomplished in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU? Zero! All they are doing in participating in these flawed and illegal elections is give Zanu PF legitimacy for a share of the gravy train seats.
Chapman has not produced any strategies to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections and so all he is doing is joining in the scrimmage for the bait seats on offer. Even if he loses, he probably has his eyes on the POLAD freebies Mnangagwa has lined up for the losers!
This is the insanity that must be challenged. Zimbabwe cannot afford another 5 more years of Zanu PF corrupt and tyrannical rule just to gratify the insatiable greed of a few CCC leaders. And all those who participate out of greed or stupidity will be held to account; forget your foolish nonsense that politicians are only accountable to their supporters!
BOYCOTTING ZIMBABWE 2023 ELECTION IS THE ONLY RATIONAL OPTION, ZANU PF IS RIGGING 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAkXiktIXEg
Wilbert,
Whilst I understand your reasoning about the opposition participating to legitimise the zanupf stay in power, what viable alternative is there?
Do you think that SADC and the west will take any serious steps to ensure things are righted because the opposition boycotted elections?
Are we not better off with the few gravy seats (just like during UDI) to effectively use them to create a viable voice in parliament? Unfortunately the opposition hasn't been effective enough and I think it's because we had zanupf operatives who've now slowly been identified and sifted out.
The only alternative left to removing the ruling is to do so violently. I honestly believe no dane zimbo will support that route.
So, what is your suggested and viable game plan? Your vitriol is not offering any alternative. Be the old Wilbert that we admired and offer a viable well thought out plan and not -"boycott the election, then what?
Regards
Sam
@ Chris
“When your message is staying with u alone. You need to change strategy. Your chants are not getting any attention. All the people u try to discredit have followings. I still believe u need to look at yourself first before even talking about what others are doing or need to do. Save yourself from further embarrassment and accept that u failed. Join us as we watch those who are active and giving their supporters hope.”
I never said that Chamisa does not have followers and I am not here to compete with him on that score! What I am doing is holding him and his fellow MDC/CCC leaders to account for failing to implement even one democratic change in 23 years and for participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for a share of the spoils of power.
I reject your foolish notion that because Chamisa has 100s of 1000s followers on Twitter I, Wilbert Mukori, with 3 followers - me, myself and I - must not hold Chamisa to account. Even if he has 100s of 1 000 000s of followers he is democratically accountable to the people and I am one of those people!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and it is insane to participate to perpetuate the dictatorship, that is the truth. Whether the CCC wildebeest mob endorse it or not, the truth is the truth!
@ Hungwe
“Wilbert you expect Zimbabweans to listen what you say yet your own family cannot listen to you remember you are not a good leader you have very narrow mind, at times kuenda kuchikoro hakubatsire coz kubva pawakatanga kutaura there is any hardly constructive idea from you except a reputation of one stupid idea then you expect AmaZimbambe to hold to your thoughts uchiona vanhu vanhu vachimbozo ku ignore its because you have narrow mind.”
The one act of repetition anyone with half a brain should be concerned about is the participation in flawed elections, so flawed that getting 73% of the votes was not good enough to get Tsvangirai into State House, time and time again expecting a different result. After 43 years of rigged elections, it real is insane to keep participating.
You and many others clearly see nothing wrong with participating in the elections even with a mountain of evidence Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections. You even have the audacity to call me “narrow minded” for daring to demand reforms and free elections and an end to the insanity of rigged elections!
Well one of us is certainly insane and time will settle that, if it has not done so already!
Cry, the beloved country! Zimbabwe has certainly more than her fair share of village idiots and no wonder the country is sinking deeper and deeper into the cesspit of our own making. And whilst the buffoons and sell outs, with the full backing of village idiots, continue to rule the roost; the country will only continue to sink even deeper into the abyss.
@ Chris
“You cannot hold a leader to account when u do not have the alternative. U should be encouraging a platform where leaders debate on policies and what should be done to get our economy kicking again. From those platforms, people can now have a clear understanding of what they want for tomorrow.
Your strategy is no different from a dictatorship although yours is a powerless and non effective one. If we were discussing your choice of action as opposed to your integrity as a leader, it would be a different story. Right now we have to assassinate your character as that is all u give as an alternative.”
“You cannot hold a leader to account when u do not have the alternative!” That is just rubbish!
The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect Chamisa and company into power on the understanding they will deliver democratic changes. After 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, they have failed to deliver even one democratic reform.
Worse still, they are participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship for the sake of winning a few gravy train seats being offered as bait. They are lying that CCC will win big because they have winning in rigged elections strategies to hide the true reason they keep insisting in participating - greed.
Chamisa and company must account for the blatant betrayal of the people. The people must see these CCC leaders for whom they really are - corrupt, incompetent and sell-outs.
SADC leaders must see Chamisa and company have no political credibility and thus cannot give credibility to the elections by their participation. SADC leaders must stop using CCC’s participation as an excuse for granting Zanu PF legitimacy!
@ Chris
“Look at Chapman, he goes straight to the bull's eye and does not want to discuss characters or what people should do. You are literally shovelling your failed thoughts into any possible conversation making it repetitive and annoying. Correct that part and u might be heard.”
Anyone who participate in an election process so flawed getting 73% of the vote was not good enough to to win, is either stupid and/or greed.
I am not surprised you are impressed with Chapman, you are easily impressed. Indeed, Chapman is clearly no different from Chamisa in that they are both s***t and you are a green bomber!
@ Kutio
“Exactly what our honourable Mukori wants in disguise!”
Elections must be free, fair and credible for the process to have meaning and the result to be a true expression of the democratic will of the people.
To say you will participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process gets only shows you lack of imagination; you cannot imagine circumstances in which the rigging is such the result cannot be a true expression of the democratic will of the people. Because is you could imagine such circumstances then one would see immediately that boycotting such an election process is an option!
After 43 years of rigged elections how anyone can fail to imagined Zanu PF rigging these elections too beggars belief! Of course, it is insane to participate in these flawed elections expecting CCC to win big; especially when the party’s so called winning in rigged elections strategies are all hot air.
CCC’s participation will not stop Zanu PF rigging and claim another landslide victory, the participation will give the process credibility and thus give Zanu PF’s victory legitimacy. Zanu PF wants the opposition to participate in numbers and hence the reason why Mnangagwa will give away a few gravy train seats as bait and even reward the losers with the POLAD freebies!
Of course, village idiots will think that by participating they will change something, that CCC will win big, even after 43 years of rigged elections. If that is not proof of collective insanity, I don’t know what is!
@ Chris
“Are u trying to stop Chamisa or the voters? Can u be clear there?”
The only person who can stop Chamisa and company participating in these elections is Mnangagwa by making sure CCC does not win a single gravy train seat and by threatening CCC leaders' lives. Mnangagwa is stupid but not that stupid; he knows that he needs CCC and the rest opposition camp participating in these elections to get political legitimacy.
Mnangagwa has just increased the gravy train benefits with a US$40 000 housing loan that even Chamisa admitted is a bribe. He is even paying the losers of the elections POLAD freebies! And as long as the bribes are there CCC will participate in these elections no matter how flawed the process get!
As for the ordinary Zimbabweans they are participating in these elections out of stupidity and/or desperation. Anyone participating in an elections process so flawed getting 73% of the vote is not good enough to win is clearly insane especially after 43 years of rigged elections. One can only hope that by forcing these people to confront this reality on can force the penny to finally drop!
There are those, like you Chris, whose brain as ossified into fat; reason and logic has no effect on you, you are beyond the pale!
@ Manjoni
So you are tired of being warned Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections but are not tired if Zanu PF does indeed rig the elections, even after 43 years of rigged elections? You are a village idiot.
The consequences of Zanu PF rigging the 2023 elections and getting away with it are simply too ghastly to let this happen unchecked. I will certainly be a village idiot, just like you, if I to listen to you and stopped sounding the alarm.
“Tired of this narration!” I am sick and tired of listening to village idiot like you whining over trivia. Zimbabwe is sinking into the abyss and if you have nothing constructive to say then, shut up!
@ Munyaradzi
“Boycotting elections is a big plus to Zanu. Rigging or otherwise one should stand up and be counted.”
Can you imagine any situation where boycott is an option? For you to say “Rigging or otherwise one should stand up and be counted!” is typical of one incapable thinking outside the box.
Zanu PF has denied 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora the vote or 37% of the potential 8 million voters. The regime has failed to implement even one reform out of the 23 in the 2018 Election EU observer mission report. The regime is busing in rural voters to register to vote in urban areas and it is once again using violence to silence the opposition. ZEC has stubbornly refused to produce a verified voters’ roll, etc., etc.
What else does Zanu PF have to finally convince you that these elections are a farce? What will it take to open your eyes and mind that Zimbabwe is not a democratic nation holding free and fair elections?
Fcuk me! No wonder the country is in a mess, we just have too many individuals who are brain dead!
@ Godfrey
“Although Boycott makes perfect sense - it lacks a plausible and convincing action plan after.
The ordinary voter will not buy into a simple claim that of delegitimisation of a declared winner. The circumstances leading to previous GNUs seem different - one of which is that there is no proven ready and waiting sympathisers as was in previous ones.
It’s a hard sell to the ordinary voter.”
This is just a feeble excuse for the insanity of participating in flawed elections to give Zanu Pf legitimacy.
SADC leaders are on record saying do not participate without reforms. The EU, Commonwealth, Americans, etc. all condemned the 2018 elections and have recommended reforms before elections. Why would they now flip flop and grant legitimacy to yet another rigged elections?
CCC cannot boycott these elections for two reasons: one, greed - they are after the US$ 40 000 housing loan, which even Chamisa could not deny is a bribe, plus all the other MP freebies and salary. Two, they have lost political credibility to boycott - they are the ones who sold out by failing to implement even one reform in the GNU and compounded this by participated in flawed elections in 2013 and 2018.
The ordinary Zimbabweans are participating in these flawed elections out of stupidity and/or desperation; they should know that giving Zanu PF legitimacy will change anything except making it worse by extending the life of the dictatorship by another five more years.
After 43 years of rigged elections one had hoped a few people will finally open their eyes and see the sheer futility of participating in these elections. If they refuse to see reason then they will suffer until they do or die!
@ Munyaradzi
CCC die hard supporters in the urban centres who have their heads up Chamisa's backside and are as keen as mustard to participate in these flawed elections will not want to hear about boycotting because Chamisa has not said so. You cannot expect this lot to listen to reason, their brains has been starved of oxygen and it has ossified.
Many other Zimbabweans have given up on CCC ending the dictatorship and will be frog matched to vote for Zanu PF without much ado. They would boycott the elections if they did not fear Zanu PF retribution.
Indeed, many are joining Zanu PF out of despair! The nation had risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC to end the dictatorship only for them to sell out and now be the ones keeping Zanu PF in power!
THE light plane owned by mining giant, Murowa (Private) Limited, which force-landed near Beatrice on Monday afternoon, had a parcel of diamonds which were being transported under armed guard by police and private security officials, it has emerged.
The Piper 31 Navajo aircraft landed on a field about 16km from Beatrice at around 2.30pm and had five people on board.
Police yesterday said no one was killed in the crash, but five people on-board were injured and taken to hospital for treatment.
In 2015 Mugabe revealed that the Zimbabwe was “swindled of US$15 billion worth of diamonds”. The following year his then Minister of Finance, Patrick Chinamasa, told parliament government was receiving 1/6 of the expected diamond revenue, thus confirming the swindling was still taking place.
When Mnangagwa took over from Mugabe following the November 2017 military coup, he promised “zero tolerance on corruption”! Five years he has not arrested even one diamond swindler none recovered one swindled dollar. The looting has spread to other areas including gold, lithium, etc.
In 2019 The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Dr John Mangudya, said Zimbabwe was losing US$1.2 billion to gold smugglers every fear. Zimbabwe would not need to borrow money from anyone to finance its development if this criminal waste was stopped!
Some one was caught with 6 kg of gold at the airport and her case has since been dropped “for lack of evidence!” “Catch and release!” is the new buzz phrase in Zimbabwe’s pariah state!
@ Munyaradzi
“It's good to critise CCC members and it's leadership for lacking vision...but we (you and me)were given the opportunity to change things in Nov 2017.We partipated in the march as well.Vanhu vakamwa doro including veku UK celebrating the removal of RGM.Lets stop this blame game...coz we are all part of this mess.You can't talking about cyclone Idai everyday.Get prepared another deadly cyclone is coming.I suggest we go back to our archives and start revising African History books.”
Celebrating the 2017 military coup was a mistake (don't have to remind you that MDC leaders were leading from the front for a change) so was MDC leaders' failure to implement the reforms and the on going participating in flawed elections.
Your argument is that we trade off the support of the coup with the failure to implement reform and then pretend there is nothing wrong with participating in the flawed election. Or, at the very least, we not only forgive MDC/CCC for participating but participate ourselves because we all make mistakes!
You made up your mind to participate a long time ago and ever since have been coming up with one foolish argument after another to justify why you must participate. You want to participate in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy, even after 43 years of rigged elections, an act of insanity, just because we all make mistakes.
The blind cannot see and know they are blind, the deaf cannot hear and know they are deaf; not so with insanity, it is the one ailment the patient cannot self diagnose. Indeed, it is common to see village idiots masquerading as fountain of wisdom, wiser than King Solomon himself!
For the umpteenth time Munyaradzi, participating in this flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy is insane, especially after 43 years of rigged elections.
@ Chibvupe
“But did check it out with ZRA.... video might be wrong but inflow was more than double same time last year.... good for Kariba power generation hopefully…”
The most important thing here is that Zimbabwe has failed to invest in its power generation capacity and has a mountain to climb to catch up. And as long as the country remains a failed state, failure to hold free and fair elections is one of the give-away hallmarks of failed state, the important task of climbing up the mountain will remain on hold!
@ Munyaradzi
“Do you have Plan B or second Option in case Boycotting campaign fails?”
What an idiotic question! So you are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuate the dictatorship because there is no plan B?
Surely, if participating is plan A then NOT participating is plan B and of the two the latter makes sense especially after 43 years of participating and sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss!
The tragedy about Zimbabwe is that we have more than our fair share of men and women who “think” like you Munyaradzi, whose brain has ossified into fatty tissue hence the reason why the country is in a mess. You are not alone; that is what frighten me!
@ Balakazi
If Zimbabwe is not a democracy, on what basis does CCC have Mayors, MPs and councilors?
Ian Smith’s 1978 Internal Settlement had black councillors, mayors, MP and even had Muzorewa as the Prime Minister! Was Zimbabwe-Rhodesia a democracy then?
@ Benjamin
“It's sad to hear some of us asking for a plan B yet most don't have a plan A.
We all know participating in these flawed elections has got us nowhere. Yet we continue. Regardless to the fact that a piece was written by one of the CCC members claiming it was greed that couldn't stop both mdc factions from participating. I believe we choose to be ignorant to those facts because we view CCC as the only salvation.
2030 they will have more nonsensical strategies. It's all hot air.”
It should be remembered here that CCC leaders are getting a share of the spoils of power. MDC/CCC leaders have done exceptional well materially, especially those who were ministers in the GNU. Even the POLAD guys are doing well, look at Madhuku!
The common mistake some people are making is to think MDC/CCC are doing povo a great favour participating in these flawed elections. Judas Iscariot’s hanged himself a few days after betraying Jesus but his mentality has lived on and Chamisa and company making a good living out of selling out the nation and they totally unrepentant and as hanging themselves that they will never do!
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