A year or so ago, Team Pachedu warned that the voters’ roll was in shambles. ZEC denied the accusation by denying ownership of the voters’ roll Team Pachedu have used for their analysis. Team Pachedu requested an official copy of the voters’ roll from ZEC and the Commission refused to issue one.
Team Pachedu has called for the voters’ roll to be properly audited to iron out some of the glaring errors they had uncovered. The law and common sense demands a verified voters’ roll. ZEC has never ever produced a verified voters’ roll. Never ever!
Last week ZEC announced that individuals who expect their names to be on the 2023 voters’ roll must visit the 11 000 or so centres to check that they are indeed on the voters’ roll. They must check their names and ID details are correct and take note of find the name of the designated Polling Station where they will vote.
It should be noted that the centres above will be open for a week. There are about 5 million registered voters and it is unrealistic to expect everyone of the 5 million to inspect the voters’ roll in a week particularly since the voters’ roll is Polling Station specific. But most important of all, this inspection is no substitute for a proper voters’ roll audit. ZEC has not given away any copies of the voters’ roll for the purpose of a voters’ roll audit.
After the three days of inspecting the voters’ roll many have found their names missing from the voters’ roll or the designated Polling Station was some other than the one they expected, a challenge for the IT savvy.
“The ZEC inspection process is ludicrously chaotic. Having finally thought I had located where I was registered – at Hillside Bowling Club – I took the precaution of going there to check – and I am not on the roll there,” complained David Coltart, CCC Treasurer General.
“After a day of perseverance I have finally now found that I am registered to vote after all but at a polling stations which is about 8 kms from my house – Bulawayo Bowling Club, not at Burnside Garage which I have always been registered at and which is only 2 kilometres from my house.
“This has been done without my knowledge and makes no sense whatsoever because I am still registered in Ward 4 and both polling stations are in Ward 4. ZEC is required by law to notify me of changes in terms of section 35(2) of the Electoral Act which it has never done.”
He was lucky to be IT literate, many of the voters are not, and to be moving to a Polling Station 8 kms from his home, some have been moved 60 kms!
“Why does ZEC take the voters’ roll to the people? It is because we want the voters themselves who are the owners of the voters’ roll to audit the roll by checking their names and their details,” ZEC Chief Elections Officer Utloile Silaigwana told State media.
“In the event there are anomalies detected by the voters, ZEC will ensure they are corrected.”
How exactly would these anomalies be put right, ZEC did not explain.
It is common knowledge that Zanu PF has carried out a mass voter registration exercise in the last few months and the names of the new registrants would not appear on the voters’ roll - supposedly because it was too late to include their names. There are video of people being bused from Domboshava and Goromonzi, rural areas, to register in Harare urban areas. On voting day the individuals will vote in their rural area and then busing into the urban area to vote again even though they are not on the voters’ roll. They will use their voter registration slip as proof of their right to vote.
So, in the pretext of correcting anomalies in the voters’ roll even new complexities in the electoral system are being introduced, the more chaotic the system become the greater the opportunities rig the process. It is condescending, to say the least, for ZEC to even suggest this one week-long inspection is an “audit”! An individual will not know a Zanu PF supporter who casted multiple votes, for example.
“Many of my followers are saying that their names are simultaneously appearing at different polling stations,” commented Hopewell Chin’ono.
“Why is this dangerous?
“The person who is doing this knows exactly the number of people this has been done to.
“If their candidate loses the election, they will then take those duplicates and put them under their candidate as his votes.
“The numbers will tally and that is it, another rigged election.
“The Voters Roll MUST be released and audited ASAP.
“The opposition will be lying if it says it has a plan for this, it DOESN’T!”
Hopewell Chin’ono is spot on all the above points except for that last bit. Yes Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends are lying that they have a plan to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. They do not have a plan. They not only know that Zanu PF is rigging the election but, most significantly, they KNOW that by participating in these flawed elections they are giving Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and the suffering of the masses. And yet they still participate regardless because they also know that Zanu PF is offering a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate. They have found this bribe irresistible.
“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.”
Many people have found it very hard swallow the political reality that MDC/CCC leaders would participate in a flawed elections process to give Zanu PF legitimacy and forfeit the nation’s chance to implement the reforms and hold free elections for the sake of 30 pieces of silver. When after hearing it from the horse’s mouth, Coltart’s confession in black and white!
Coltart’s confession makes sense when read in the context of what happened the 2008 to 2013 GNU. The primary purpose of the GNU was to implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging future elections. The task of implementing the reforms was entrusted to Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends. They failed to implement even one token reform for the same reasons they have participated in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy - greed and breathtakingly incompetent.
The ongoing voters’ roll inspection has uncovered so many anomalies in the voters’ roll it is clear Zanu PF is rigging these elections. The “voters roll MUST be released and audited before the election. The process is “so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step is to withdraw”. The opposition will participate regardless but only because they have lost political credibility, they participation must not be given as an excuse for granting Zanu PF political legitimacy.
57 comments:
Turning to the issue of whether or not CCC will boycott the upcoming elections, Chamisa said: "We will not boycott ourselves, we are the elections.”
"Our institutions such as Zec (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) must be able to be accountable to the people of Zimbabwe because all authority is derived from the people. I am happy that people are coming to check their names, but the only concern is that Mr Mnangagwa continues to duck and dive on election date.
"People have to plan, and those in the diaspora have to come back, while international investors have to plan around the election date. We also have to plan. We are not as disorganised as Mr Mnangagwa. We want these dates known ahead of time, and it's an issue that we continue to raise.”
The inspection of the voters’ roll is no substitute for a proper voters’ roll audit, still even the inspection has already uncovered so many errors underlining the need for a full audit. How can we have free, fair and credible elections without something as basic as a verified voters’ roll!
So, instead of piling on the pressure to ensure these elections are free, fair and credible, Chamisa cannot wait to see the elections go ahead regardless of all the evidence the process is flawed and illegal. Even now, after 43 years of rigged elections, he stubbornly remains oblivious to the political reality of Zanu PF rigging the elections and the dire consequences of 5 more years of this corrupt and tyrannical reign of terror.
Of course, Chamisa knows Zanu PF is rigging these elections and that participating will only give SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. All he cares about is the few gravy train seats CCC will win and he assuming the mental of “Leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party”!
The nation’s agenda of ending the curse of rigged elections and good governance is once again being sacrifice on the alter of selfish greed. 49% of our people are now living in abject poverty and the future is grime. We must end this insanity!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and the regime must be denied political legitimacy regardless of the participation of the discredited CCC. Enough is enough!
"The idea that ZEC extended to the 1st of June does not make any sense because at-least two or three days have already been lost totally so ZEC should not pretend that some good things have been happening up to this point but there is need for more time for those good things to continue happening.
"The exercise has had a false start which has compromised it. It does not require in my humble opinion an extension, it requires a redo.
"Now that everyone is alert, understands the importance of this, no one will die if ZEC says we are starting the voter inspection exercise afresh from the 1st of June to the 6th of June, nobody will die, it will be a good public service," Moyo said.
Moyo added: "It's unfair and wrong for ZEC to allocate 5 days for this formal inspection process because ZEC knows that its delimitation exercise changed rapidly and dramatically in some cases the constituency and ward boundaries.
"The delimitation exercise has consequences on the boundaries which affect the polling stations and ZEC should have been alive to those consequences and not only given enough time but also alerted and advised people.”
The voters’ roll inspection has revealed that the roll is in shambles, redoing the inspection will not clean it up. What we need is a fully blooded audit.
Zimbabwe has failed to hold free and fair elections for 43 years and counting. Surely we know what constitutes free and fair elections. Enough of this messing around!
The voters' roll is in shambles and yet Chamisa cannot wait to hold the elections. He knows Zanu PF is rigging these elections and does not care as long as he wins the few gravy train seats and become leader of the main opposition.
People died for free and fair elections and not to have that right traded for 30 pieces of silver!
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-local-byo-231273.html
The voters' roll is in shambles redoing the roll inspection is not enough. We must have full blooded audit!
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-local-byo-231276.html
Speaking in Kuwadzana on Monday, President Chamisa said :
“2023 is a year we will end hunger, anger.Everyone is hungry in Zimbabwe.Everyone is angry in Zimbabwe.
We want a transparent voters roll before polls.We will reject a shoddy and dubious voters roll.All the same we will not boycott polls, how can we abandon our own process ?
We know FAZ is intimidating citizens in rural areas. FAZ sinister operations must stop with immediate effect.”
Everyone knows that CCC will participate in these elections no matter how flawed and illegal the process gets because all Chamisa and company care about is winning the few gravy train seats on offer as bait.
The people of Zimbabwe must wake up to the political reality that CCC will never implement reforms and deliver free elections. If they failed to do so during the 2008 to 2013 GNU it is naive to expect them to do so now!
@ Nigel
“But people should not rush to media and claim their names are not on the voters roll.
Ncube and Coltart later found them after seeking assistance while I was waiting to find out how it was possible from ZEC.
We had a delimitation exercise so some people may be affected. Washaya zita use the main data base.
Grandstanding puts doubts in some of us.”
You really do not get it do you! The voters’ roll should be the basis for free, fair and credible elections and it ridiculous that we have failed to produce a clean voters’ roll giving to allow our people to finally exercise their basic right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country.
It is shocking that 43 years after independence we are still failing to hold free and fair elections! We should be talking about economic policies for Pete’s sake and not rigged elections!
@ Nigel
“Voters roll cannot be clean before the inspection.
Inspection is to rectify mistakes.
Why send when its not ready. Should the process start earlier, maybe.”
People who have been on the voters’ roll for donkey years are finding their name has been moved or worse deleted. Why?
Has it ever occurred to you that ZEC, Police, judiciary, etc. are working in cahoots with Zanu PF to deny ordinary people the vote for the purpose of keeping Zanu PF in power?
Has it ever occurred to you that Zanu PF is rigging elections?
Debates become utterly meaningless unless all involved acknowledge historic facts. Zanu PF has been rigging elections - that is a historic fact!
@ Frank
“Denouncing the flawed process will not help mukoma. Look past election Chamisa said he does not recognise ED as president asi 5 year term yatopera pasina chachinja. We want solution coz our political parties will never boycott the election.”
You do not participate and then we you realise your so-called winning in rigged elections strategies have not worked, you denounce the process. The most opportune moment for MDC to have boycotted the elections was in 2013 when they had SADC's full backing. They participated out of greed, the same greed that stopped them implementing even one reform during the GNU.
The ordinary people have participated in these flawed elections out of fear or sheer stupidity.
How many people have denounce the flawed elections much less the sell-out CCC? As long as the voices denounce the regime and its sell outs acolytes remain muted it will be assumed Zimbabweans are happy with this flawed electoral process.
Participating to give Zanu PF legitimacy does not work and will never work!
@ Muchuwe
“I don’t like this sort of talk. I’m not happy with the way country is running but using these words like murders makes me angry why can’t we just push our nyayas without using colonizers language.”
Zimbabwe is in a serious mess and I am concerned about finding a way out and not waste time on trivial. Are you denying that Zanu PF is a party of thugs who have rigged elections and have murdered many innocent Zimbabweans, notably during the 2008 run off and Gukurahundi massacre?
So, if they have murdered innocent Zimbabweans they are murderers.
Let’s talk about how the country is going to extricate itself out of this mess and not waste time talking about name to call these thugs much less denying they killed innocent people! Some people are obsessed about trivial matters!
@ Mawere
“Be slow to exclude yourself from the mess as if you are prachuted from another planet. Your silence is part of our problem.”
So, you think I have contributed to the country’s mess by my silence. Now I am saying something you don’t like it because I was silent in the past! What a fallacious argument from one obsessed with trivial matters!
I have said something important on a very important subject, the futility of participating in flawed elections. You can say something relevant on the subject or shut up!
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) has expressed concern over the innumerable anomalies unearthed on the voters roll, saying it seems the process is being done in a haphazard manner, which is hardly satisfactory.
"This comes at a time when there has been a chain of events that have dented the credibility of the crucial election. Most worrying is that Zec [Zimbabwe Electoral Commission] has all but refused to make public a copy of the voters roll, further cementing the postulations that it is bent on skewing the electoral playing field in favour of the ruling party — this runs contrary to its constitutional mandate," the CiZC statement read.
43 years after our independence and we, in Zimbabwe, have yet to hold free, fair and credible elections - that is a damning testimonial in our failure to govern ourselves! I will be damned to let this madness continue!
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections and CCC are participating out of greed. The days of condemning Zanu PF and treating MDC/CCC with kid gloves are over, the two parties are partners in this disastrous political paralysis that has befallen our country. If MDC/CCC leaders had implemented the democratic reforms as promised Zimbabwe would not still be stuck in this political mess.
Zanu PF must be held to account for failing to hold free and fair elections. MDC/CCC must be held to account for selling out on implementing reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and for participating in flawed elections since the GNU debacle to give Zanu PF legitimacy for a share of the spoils of power!
Zanu PF must be denied political legitimacy!
The voices calling for verified voters' roll and free and credible elections are growing louder and louder!
The very idea of yet another meaningless elections is simply unthinkable!
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-local-byo-231270.html
@ Nigel
“Verified comes after inspections
Lets preach knowledge mukoma.”
If we are going to have a useful debate, then we must agree on established historic facts and the meaning of simple words like what inspecting the voters’ roll mean as contrast to auditing the voters’ roll.
Are you telling me you believe what can be accomplished by auditing the voters’ roll is being accomplished by the on going inspection?
Addressing journalists on the sidelines of a meeting with party members in Dangamvura, Mutare last Saturday, Chapman said officials from the two parties were close to each other and were not serious about developing the country.
"There was great opportunity and light at the end of the tunnel when we had the GNU (Government of National Unity). We started seeing Zimbabwe becoming more prosperous and things started to change. Unfortunately, those folks that were in the GNU are still part of the system right now. They sit and eat at the same table. They were even given US$40 000 (housing loans) each," Chapman said.
The number one task of the 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms and end the curse of rigged elections. Not even one reform was implemented in 5 years and the golden opportunity was lost.
Chapman is right, MDC and Zanu PF sat and ate together and forgot about the reforms. MDC/CCC have compounded the problem by participating in the flawed elections out of greed and lied to the people that they can win rigged elections to hide their real reason for participating - greed.
It is interesting to note that Chapman and his DUZ friends are participating in these elections knowing fully well that not even a token reform has ever been implemented. They know by participating they are giving SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. And yet they soldier on regardless because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away to entice the opposition to participate regardless how flawed the election process get. There is the POLAD freebies for the losers too!
These elections are a farce. Chapman, how can we have free and fair elections without something as basic as a verified voters’ roll for Pete’s sake!
In an interview with The Herald yesterday, ZEC vice chairperson Ambassador Rodney Kiwa said the inspection exercise had been above board and sought to rectify such anomalies.
He said the opposition had been malicious to make such allegations as the electoral body was not affiliated with any political party.
"The rationale for the voters roll inspection is to ensure every registrant is accurately captured on the roll and all corrections made. To suggest that members of a particular political party are targeted for exclusion is not only mischievous and preposterous as we are fully independent of any political party influence and in fact, when registering people, we do not seek their political alignment, it would be illegal and unethical," he said.
ZEC is “fully independent of any political party influence”. Of course, he would say that!
The real tragedy is no meaningful democratic reforms were implemented when the country had its golden opportunity to get this key done during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess precisely because the country has failed to hold free and fair elections. The country is ruled by corrupt and incompetent thugs who have retained their iron grip on power by rigging elections.
@ Mambo
“So what are the growing voices doing about it - just like you -I’m sure it’s all talk all blame no action just shut the f… up Wilbert - excuse my French but sometimes Wilbert your naivety is annoying.”
The growing voices are denouncing the folly of participating in flawed elections to give give Zanu PF legitimacy out of greed.
MDC/CCC failed to implement the reforms during the GNU and now you lot have been participating in flawed elections against advice to have the reforms.
So we are to believe MDC/CCC leaders are all action not wasting time on talk. How many democratic reforms have you lot implemented in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU? Mambo waChange Radio has been promising big win for CCC and we all know it is just hot air.
You hate to hear the truth spoken that MDC/CCC leaders are corrupt, incompetent and sellouts who will never deliver any reforms and free elections.
I am here to make sure that not even the village idiots out know that Zanu PF is rigging these elections and CCC are participating to give the regime legitimacy. The message is getting through, we both know it and hence the reason you are all flustered!
None of the CCC leaders like Biti or Coltart have dare contradict me because they know I am speaking the truth and little minions like you, Mambo Svosve, and Chitando have dared to do so only to fail to name even one reform the party has implemented. I do not need to tell to shut up - I have do so and there is a lot more to come.
@ Wezhira Munya
“Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ) have set up camp at Mucheke Hall in Masvingo's urban Ward 1. They are distributing ZANU-PF party cards and recording voters' information.
CCC member Mr. Struggle Nyahunda requested the removal of FAZ members from the Masvingo ZEC District office. However, Mrs. Murumbu, the ZEC District election officer, was unable to remove them.
After ZEC's unsuccessful attempt to remove FAZ members, Mr. Thomas Mbetu, Mr. Struggle Nyahunda, Mr. Maruta, Mr. Mustafa, Mr. Muzenda, Mr. Itai Banda, Sister Rati, and Ms. Lokha arrived to provide a political solution.”
If these thugs can do this in urban centres what more in the rural areas where they rule the roost!
Zanu PF are rigging these elections. CCC are participating knowing the elections are a fraud and that participating will only give SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF political legitimacy. They are participating regardless because they ate after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait.
CCC are now working for Zanu PF and not povo and the sooner the nation wakes up to this political reality the sooner the nation will get out of this hell-on-earth we have stuck in for 43 years and counting. No thinking Zimbabwean should participate in these flawed elections only to perpetuate the nation’s suffering.
@ Godfrey
“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”
In 2008 people did vote and Tsvangirai garner 73% of the vote but that was not good enough to get him the keys to State House - proof that Zimbabwe elections are not free, fair and credible.
What is infuriating here is that MDC/CCC leaders were given the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU to ensure free elections and they wasted it. And ever since the GNU debacle they have conned the people into participating in flawed elections on two basis:
Zimbabwe elections are free and fair, ignore 2008 elections never even happened, and all CCC must do is mobilise the party’s supporters.
CCC has not only admitted elections are flawed, “so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw,” but have also admitted that participating would only give legitimacy to Zanu PF. And yet they have continued to participate out of greed, as Coltart confessed. To hide their greed, they have claimed to have winning in rigged elections strategies. All hot air of course.
Rattling quotation from such leaders as Lincoln, Obama, etc. will not change the political reality that Zimbabwean elections are rigged and not free and fair as in America. How long are we going to bury our heads in the sand especially after 43 years of rigged elections!
We need to implement the democratic reforms first if we want free and fair elections. We cannot tell people these flawed elections are free and fair when it is clear they are not. How can we have free elections without producing something as basic as a verified voters’ roll!
@ Godfrey
“Refer to 2. 3. 4. 5
Then 7 qualities
If boycotting is the choice - then make it known to the authorities that matter on granting legitimacy prior to the election
State the grounds of boycott - do not just assume they know
Or participate under protest or under duress.”
We have been here before or have you forgotten! I was SADC leaders who literally begged MDC leader not to participate in the 2013 elections without reforms and Tsvangirai and company ignored the plea.
CCC are hell bent on participating in these elections just as they were hell bent on participating in 2013. They should just go ahead and participate and stop blaming SADC!
@ Benjamin
“There is a valid case in boycotting and then challenge citing all the anomalies. That would make sense than participate then cite anomalies. What if CCC is to win (Long shot). What's to stop zanu from doing the same to them?”
When the election process is “so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw,” and you know participating only give the vote rigging party legitimacy, then boycotting the elections is a MUST.
We know why MDC/CCC have never boycotted the elections no matter how flawed the process got - the same reason they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU when they had all the trump cards including SADC leaders’ backing - GREED.
All those supporting participating in these elections have all stubbornly refused to acknowledge MDC/CCC leaders sold out during the GNU and are selling out now! They want to see CCC as the solution going forward and hence the reason why Chamisa and company must be presented as squeaky clean and not sell out. How can sell outs be part of the solution, by selling out they have per se become part of the problem.
CCC will never ever implement the reforms and deliver free elections; they failed to do so during the GNU when they had the golden chance, it is naive to expect them to do so now!
@ Chibvupe
There is a catch in participating in flawed elections, by participating you have accepted the authority of the judiciary and so you must challenge the result using the country's legal system and, per se, must accept its ruling. This is why once you have participated you have given SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy.
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Tendai Biti has warned the unconstitutional recruitment of agents from spooky Zanu-PF aligned group, Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ) to allegedly tamper with the country's election process was fertile ground for a military coup.
The politician, who is also CCC co-vice president, was speaking in parliament Wednesday as he demanded Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to come clean on the situation.
The mysterious group surfaced during Zanu-PF's recent primary elections amid claims by some party loyalists it had seized control and was rigging the internal balloting process in Bindura, Muzarabani, Mt Darwin and Rushinga where some cell registers were reported missing.
Since the opening of the voters' roll inspection by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) late May, CCC has raised alarm over what it claims has been the presence of FAZ agents at inspection centres.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and the tragedy for Zimbabwe is that CCC will participate in the flawed election no matter how flawed the process get.
“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.”
The biggest mistake we can make today is to keep treating CCC leaders as part of the solution when they are now working hard to keep Zanu PF in power and thus are part of the problem!
Outspoken feminist and politician Linda Masarira has declared her intentions to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the 2023 presidential election set for 23 August.
The leader of the opposition Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) is the second female politician in Zimbabwe to express interest to enter a race widely seen as a toss of the coin between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition chief Nelson Chamisa.
The soon to be 41-year-old said she was prepared for the herculean task
The opposition are fighting over the few gravy train seats on offer as bait plus the POLAD freebies, their reward for selling out on reforms and free elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy.
Harare, Zimbabwe - In a surprising twist, Saviour Kasukuwere, a former Zimbabwean Minister and influential political figure, is set to announce his candidacy for the upcoming Presidential race scheduled for August 2023. This unexpected move has sent shockwaves through the country's political landscape, intensifying the competition among candidates.
Kasukuwere, who enjoys popularity within the ruling party ZANU-PF, has long been recognized as a significant player in Zimbabwean politics. He garnered substantial support and influence during his tenure as Minister of Local Government, Public Works, and National Housing. However, his political career was temporarily halted when he was expelled from ZANU-PF in 2017.
According to sources within Kasukuwere's camp, an official announcement is forthcoming, wherein he will passionately express his intention to participate in the presidential elections.A circular form sources within his camp emphasizes his commitment to bringing about progress and change in Zimbabwe, aiming to unite the people, revive the economy, and uphold principles of justice and democracy.
One of the prices the nation has paid ever since MDC leaders sold-out and failed to implement even one meaningful democratic reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU is that Zanu PF has retained all its dictatorial powers. The only change in Zimbabwe has been from within Zanu PF itself as we saw in the November 2017 military coup.
As we know the so-called Second Republic has been a total disaster and the powers-that-be in Zanu PF must know the present economic situation is not sustainable because the level of human suffering has made the people restless for change. The Zanu PF power-shakers must be casting around for a way out.
Kasukuwere is a seasoned Zanu PF thug, one of their own, and so the Zanu PF power-shakers will not need to search far for an alternative to ED.
Besides Kasukuwere knows how the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut works, or can plant a mole at the very least. And when it comes to funding he and many of his G40 friends have deep pockets, thanks to the many opportunity to loot during the all 37 years with Mugabe as the top dog!
Mnangagwa will have more to fear from Kasukuwere than from Chamisa. He has the later in his deep pockets but not the former!
@ Mambo
“For your incomprehensible verbiage & verbose you failed again to respond to a simple question- what are you guys doing about it - you can’t just be rouble rousers - at least provide solutions - the fact that you always fail to do that means whatever CCC is doing is the best under the circumstances.”
MDC/CCC, not me, are the ones who have been in public office on the promise to deliver democratic changes for 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU. Name one democratic change you lot have brought in that period. You have not only sold out by failing to implement even one democratic reform but are now selling out by participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy.
I am holding MDC/CCC leaders to account for selling out and by informing the people CCC are now hunting with hounds and running with the hare. You can call that doing nothing, offering no solution, rouble rousing, etc., etc. What I know is many people are opening their eyes and minds and can see the sheer futility of participating in these flawed elections. They can see the hollowness of your Change Radio promises of CCC winning big!
MDC/CCC failed to implement even one reform during the GNU when they had the best opportunity to do so. Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office and the forgot about the reforms. Only a nincompoop would claim they “did the best under the circumstances!” Only a nincompoop would defend the indefensible!
I have offered the solution and will restate it here and now. We cannot stop Zanu PF going ahead with these flawed elections, it is too late to implement the democratic reforms. We cannot stop CCC participating in these flawed elections, they are hell bent on participating out of greed.
What we can and must do is make it clear we are not participating in these meaningless charade. We must denounce these elections because they are flawed and illegal. We must also denounce CCC and the rest in the opposition camp for participating in the flawed elections selling out on the national agenda of reforms and free elections for 30 pieces of silver.
The denunciation must start now and not wait until the day after the rigged elections results are out when it will be too late. Zanu PF must be denied political legitimacy so that the country can have another GNU. This time competent Zimbabweans will be appointed to implement the reforms!
nteresting! He has missed one important bit, in Zimbabwe Zanu PF has been rigging elections for 43 years and to keep blaming the ordinary people for voting for Zanu PF is foolish! What choice does the rural voters have when they are frogmarched to the Polling Stations, for example?
Those participating in these flawed elections expecting regime change after 43 years of rigged elections are the one who are insane. Chamisa and company are participating out of greed and have conned the rest into believing CCC have Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. Only village idiots can be so easily conned!
@ Chirau
“Not participating in e elections is not e solution, if ey don't participate wat will ey do, will that stop e elections, will that stop ZEC from announcing PF as e winner? Participate and occupy every available space. Yes these elections are rigged already and that's a fact. The only option to liberate Zim from PF, zvakutoda mashoko aNehanda.”
“Bvirobviro dzamanza mapfeka!” (To understand some things, one must understand their origin!) so goes the Shona adage.
To understand why MDC/CCC are participating in these flawed elections, so flawed getting 73% of the votes was not good enough for Tsvangirai to get the keys to State House. “So flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account” as David Coltart confessed in his book. One must understand why MDC leaders failed to implement even one token reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they held the trump cards and had the backing of SADC who were the guarantor of the 2008 Global Political Agreement.
It is a historic fact that Mugabe bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends with the trappings of high office, the E-class Mercedes Benz limos, very generous salaries and allowance, a US$ 4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc., etc. In return the MDC leaders kicked the democratic reforms into the prickly pears thicket. Not even the constant nagging by SADC leaders would get MDC leaders to implement even one reform.
MDC/CCC leaders have participated in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the same reasons they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU - greed and breathtakingly incompetent.
“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 David Coltart in his book.
It is shocking that people who have no clue that the primary purpose of GNU was about implementing reforms much less that MDC leaders sold out are now masquerading as the Gurus on reforms and why CCC are participating in flawed elections.
“Participate and occupy every available space,” the pretentious Gurus argue. “Yes these elections are rigged already and that's a fact,” they admit in the very next breath.
Only a nincompoop would not see the sheer folly of that since the very act of participating will give legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF. Indeed, this is the core reason for Mugabe’s bribes during the GNU and the few gravy train seats plus POLAD freebies Zanu PF is giving away in these elections.
@ Charles
“Iwe Mukori ita mushe, stop talking about rural voters and your frogmarching nonsense. I don't remember rural voters appointing you to be their spokesperson. We from the rural as you call us we don't need anyone to tell us who to vote for, each and everyone one will choose for himself or herself. Usati nyaudze pamwe hauvhoti futi. I challenge you to show us proof that you even register at least.”
Are you saying the rural voters are not subjected to constant harassment, intimidation and worse by Zanu PF operatives?
@ Mbofana
“So, the Parliament of Zimbabwe has gone ahead, in spite of all the public outrage, into passing the draconian so-called 'Patriotic Bill'.
I should say that there was nothing particularly surprising over this brazen move by the ZANU PF dominated parliament endorsing such an oppressive piece of legislation.
We have all experienced this regime's diabolical wrath from the day they entered the halls of power in 1980 - with a string of barbaric atrocities against perceived 'enemies' - resulting in the cold-blooded massacres of tens of thousands of innocent unarmed civilians.”
Zanu PF would not still be in power tormenting us if MDC/CCC leaders had implemented the democratic reforms and stopped participating in flawed elections to give the regime legitimacy. We, the people, must wake up to the political reality that CCC are hunting with the hounds and running with hare!
As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt and murderous thugs who rig elections to stay in power, nothing will change. MDC/CCC wasted the opportunity to implement reforms and end the dictatorship and by participating in these flawed elections they are giving Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuating the dictatorship.
“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.”
Three years later 2018, he had changed his mind and participated in the elections “to give big benefits to dictators”. Why? He was after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF was giving away to entice the opposition to participate no matter how flawed the process got.
Nothing is ever going to change as long as the people themselves fail to realise that MDC/CCC leaders have given up on reforms and free election for a share of the spoils of power. CCC are now hunting with the hounds and running with the hare.
Tendai Biti knows his speeches in parliament are just grandstanding, they will not change anything. He knows the country will need ti implement the reforms if there is ever going to be any change. He and his CCC friends will never implement the reforms, if they failed to do so during the GNU what hope is there of them doing it now!
@ Munya
“Dude u write the same thing over and over again.”
Zimbabwe is a failed state and the root cause of that is the failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. We have repeated the same mistakes over and over again for the last 43 years. The challenge here is to extricate ourselves from this mess.
Since the problem has not change the solution to has not change so it is to be expected that the problem and solutions will be restated over and over again. And since people are repeating the same mistakes one has no choice but to restate the solutions over and over again.
It is interesting to note you are not concerned that Zimbabwe is heading for yet another rigged elections, for example. And yet are obsessed to the point of being paranoid that anyone should repeat the warning that Zanu PF is rigging the election and CCC are participating out of greed. Strange that you do care about the tragic consequence of another five more years of Zanu PF dictatorship.
Well I am concerned that Zimbabwe should be dragging into yet another pointless election and if repeating the warning that participating in these flawed elections is insane 1 000 times a day will stop it then I will repeat the warning 100 000 times a day!
@ Charles Muwandagara
“Mukori, don't put your words in my mouth. It looks like your sense of understand is contagious, just having access to internet doesn't make you better or an expert in all this nonsense you are talking about.
We can read between the lines, what gave you the right to masquerade as rural community spokesperson, you think you are more educated or smarter than us? Your contagious understanding is paired with stupidity and ignorance.
You express strong beliefs on rural community like you understand but your sense of understand is actually false. You are too stupid to see the truth, next time do enough verification and analysis before pass all these false narratives.
It looks like you don't understand democracy /politics, it is too complex for you to understand, hence lecturing us. You are not an expert in these issues you are try to lecture us. We need good sources of expertise in our social communities that values truth and we will get things right.
We have a tremendous opportunity to improve the quality of our politics and democracy, by recognising the limit of our understanding. If we can all thrive to share correct knowledge. From our individual ignorance can arise collective genius.
Last but not least Mukori please don't destroy our democracy, usatiudzira wekuvhotera. We don't vote blindly, on the 23rd of August we will use our own intelligence to make our choices that is why it is called a secret ballot.”
All I asked you was to confirm or deny that rural voters are not subjected to constant harassment, intimidation and worse by Zanu PF operatives.
I never said that I am the spokesperson of the rural voters nor that I am an expect on rural matters. However I do know that the rural voters are indeed subjected to harassment, intimidation and worse at the hands of Zanu PF operatives. To therefore deny that rural voters are frogmarched to vote for Zanu PF is nonsense. Those rural voters who have been reduced to nothing more than medieval serfs will not be casting a free vote, that is a fact!
@ Muwandagara
“Munya I leave in diaspora, but I go and vote every election. My polling station is in the deep deep village kunonzi kumachonyonyo chaiko. I was never frogmarched or see anyone being frogmarched to go and vote, moreover it is a secret ballot. I challenge Mukori to show us which village he was personally frogmarched. He doesn't know which political parties we belong to and he is trying to force his opinion on us. Anoreva kuti isu tinovhotera kumusha takapusaka, kana iye asina kumusha it's his problem ngaasati nyaudza ngaaende anovhotera waanoda.”
Zanu PF has increased the number of Polling Stations (PS) from 2 000 or so in 2008 to 9 000 and 11 000 in 2013 and 2018 respectively. The voters’ roll was changed from a constituency to a PS voters’ roll. In 2008 one could vote in any of the 10 or so PS in the constituency and after 2013 it was only one PS. Zanu PF officials will have a list of who voted in any PS will know most of the voters by sight and name and given the result they will guess who voted for the opposition. Your vote is no longer your secret!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and it is shocking that anyone would deny this. But then we have some exceptional dull people in Zimbabwe which is why the country is in such a mess!
SOUTH Africa opposition leader Mmusi Maimane has urged the neighbouring country to closely observe Zimbabwe’s upcoming general elections and ensure they are credible.
Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA) said for long South Africa has paid the price for ignoring election rigging and supporting dictatorship in Zimbabwe.
Millions of Zimbabweans have in the past years flocked into South Africa in search of better living conditions. The majority who are illegal immigrants, have been accused of burdening the country’s public services.
“The Election Day is 23 August 2023. Our role as South Africa is making sure that the election is free and the days before the election are fair.
“We have paid a very high price as South Africa because of ignoring rigging and supporting dictatorship in Zimbabwe.
“What is a free and fair election? – Release of all political prisoners, free and equal access by opposition parties to all state owned media, no intimidation and use of violence in the townships and rural areas by party youth,” wrote Maimane on his official Twitter account.
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections. CCC know the elections are being rigged and that participating will give SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. They are participating regardless out of greed. It is disappointing that the MDC/CCC have continued to prop Zanu PF and give SADC the excuse to do the same. The comments from Mmusi Maimane are therefore most welcome.
What we would like Mr Maimane and others in SADC to know is that there are many Zimbabweans who do accept that MDC/CCC leaders sold out by failing to implement reforms during the GNU and are selling out by insisting on participating in these flawed elections! There are Zimbabweans who know the country needs to implement the democratic reforms to turn over the page.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and even with the guaranteed CCC participation, the party must know that getting political legitimacy is not a certainty. Not this time!
“People are being tormented, persecuted by Zanu PF structures by a shadowy spooky organisation called FAZ. That is worrisome. We want government to come out in the open to say what this organisation is called FAZ. What is its role, what is the legal and Constitutional right this organisation has.
“We have the CIO, the army, we know the police and they have Constitutional roles to make sure that there is law and order in this country but this FAZ is an animal that is a big problem,” said Chamisa.
Chamisa is the latest opposition politician to castigate the shadowy group after Harare East Tendai Biti recently demanded an explanation from Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri on FAZ’s role in Zimbabwe’s electoral processes.
In the aftermath of Zanu PF primary elections, independent Norton legislator Temba Mliswa raised concerns over FAZ operations.
Zimbabwe is set to hold general elections on August 23.
“I will be writing a letter to the international community outlining how FAZ is a CIO organisation playing as an NGO. That’s why they have been against the real NGOs, because they have their own outfits created to subvert perceived enemies.
“It’s an outfit being engineered for 2023. I have been quiet about this but it’s time to put it all out. Taxpayers’ money is being abused funding a shady CIO outfit. I will keep saying this and don’t care. It’s about time we die for this country if things are to be proper again,” said Mliswa then.
Chamisa may just as well stop shedding all these buckets of crocodile tears, no one believes him. Everyone knows that no matter how flawed the election process gets CCC is hell bent on participating NO MATTER WHAT. Zanu PF knows that and hence the reason why the party has been doing whatever it felt necessary to win these elections.
Chamisa and company will participate in the elections as long as they are assured of winning some gravy train seats. There are no guarantees, of course, although Zanu PF knows the party’s legitimacy depends on Zimbabwe maintain the multi-party facade!
@ Chris
This is typical, CCC is as keen as mustard for voting day 23 August and ignores all the evidence the elections are being rigged. This is a repeat of the 2013 referendum on the new constitution, they ignore the glaring weakness, they even called it an "MDC child", and campaigned for a yes vote. It failed to deliver free and fair elections and we have been stuck with it ever since!
Universal suffrage was supposed to be a blessing but in a country like Zimbabwe where many people are brainwashed, it is a curse.
How are we going to break this vicious cycle of brainwashed electorate giving the corrupt and tyrannical regime legitimacy? Is the challenge of our generation.
@ VUMS
If you participate in the election process, when you know the process is flawed and that by participating you are giving the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy YOU CANNOT COMPLAIN AFTER WARDS THAT THE ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED. After 43 years of rigged elections one had hoped that the penny had finally dropped!
“Let’s vote in number and see what happens!” In March 2008 people did vote in numbers and Tsvangirai got 73% but that was not good enough to get him to State House - proof the vote rigging in unbeatable. How many more years of this insanity will it take before you finally realise we need reforms BEFORE elections!
@ VUMS
“Every faithful CCC member should go and vote 23 we will take it from there if we face any problems.”
MDC/CCC had the opportunity to implement the democratic reforms and end the curse of rigged elections. They failed to implement even one token reforms in 23 years, including 5 in the GNU because they believed they would win regardless.
Of course, leaders like David Coltart and Tendai Biti with some grey stuff between their ears have admitted the sheer futility of participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy. Coltart admitted they are doing it out of greed.
“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.”
“We will take it from there if we face any problems!” You have always complained of Zanu PF stealing the elections but no one listened because you were warned this would happen.
Forget the nonsense of street protest! By participating you are giving Zanu PF legitimacy and that includes giving the regime the authority to use force to maintain law and order! Go on the streets and riot and the soldiers will be waiting for you!
The penny has dropped in many of the CCC supporters, after 43 years of rigged elections they now admit Zanu PF is rigging 2023 elections and Chamisa’s so-called Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies is just hot air. Admitted there are some supporters whose intellect is beyond the pale, their brain has ossified into fat and is now impermeable to reason!
@ Chris
“My feeling is CCC will boycott these elections, just saying. This time around they won't participate mark my Words!”
Boycotting the elections would be the most rational decision CCC will have ever made and carried out!
At its 2014 MDC-T party congress the party resolved not to participate in future elections without first implementing the democratic reforms. “No reform! No elections!” it proclaimed.
Greed got the better of the members because by the end of 2015 Douglas Mwonzora, who was Secretary General then, announce the party would participate in future elections with no reforms.
As long as Zanu PF is offering some gravy train seats as bait, the opposition will participate guaranteed!
If there was ever a time when Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends should have stood up and be counted it was during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They did not proving beyond all reasonable that they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. They are beyond the pale!
If any one of the CCC leaders boycotted these elections it would be because he/she failed to raise the nomination fees and/or failed to secure an urban seat. Mwonzora would want to boycott if he was not after the POLAD freebies!
@ S
“Rumour is saying, Kasukuwere is coming to contest presidential election under the banner National People’s Candidate (NPC). He is targeting the whole nation but mainly in rural areas. He wil field both council and parliament. His budget is said to be worth over a Billion US$.”
There is one thing to be said about Kasukuwere and his G40 friends - they are loaded. And they can buy their way back into power.
@ Washvvone
“..Military Intelligence (MI) had Advised FAZ to 'rope in' "maSabhuku" & "Chiefs"...As The Presence Of The FAZ Members At Polling Stations Is Likely To Raise "Disputed Elections"
...All "MaSabhuku" Have Been Ordered To Surrender Their Village Registry To FAZ..
...More To Follow.”
The 2008 elections were a watershed in that the world had a peek at Zanu PF would do to retain power, it was ugly! For the first time ever, SADC and AU refused to endorse Zanu PF’s victory after 2008 and refused to grant the regime political legitimacy. SADC went one step further and force Zanu PF to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement, agreeing to the need to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship and restore the people’s basic freedoms and rights including the right to free elections.
The task of implementing the reforms was entrusted to MDC leaders. They not only failed to implement even one token reform in the five years of the 2008 to 2013 GNU but worst still they have insisted in participating in the flawed elections with no reforms. They have claimed to have Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies; all hot air, of course; to hide the real reasons of greed and breath-taking incompetence.
As long as Zanu PF retains its carte blanche powers to rig elections there will be no meaningful political change in the country. We need to implement the reforms BEFORE elections!
Team Pachedu
Zanu PF is rigging these elections, the trouble here is that CCC leaders know that and are participating regardless because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait. And to hide their greed, Chamisa and company tell their naive and gullible followers the party has Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE)strategies. All hot air!
Many people have lost their lives fighting for free and fair elections. They will be turning in their graves to see how this fundamental right has been traded in for WIRE, this is trading gold for fool’s gold.
This idea that people should participate and then challenge the result is a foolish one. By participating you give the process credibility and the result legitimacy. You participate because you believe in WIRE strategies if they once again turn out to be hot air, you have only yourself to blame for it and must accept the consequences of your enduring stupidity!
After 43 years of rigged elections, there are still many out there who believe in WIRE! Fcuk me! No wonder the country is a failed state and at this rate the prospect of ever getting out of this mess are zero!
Ask any one of these people what they learned other than the slogans and singing? Zanu PF is rigging these elections and these people have no clue what is going on. They are all desperate for change but have clue how that change is going to happen.
To be fair to the mob, CCC leaders themselves have no clue what they are doing. How many videos have we seen of Chamisa receiving the adulation of the mob? How many times has he ever said anything substantive other than the usual grandstanding and posturing.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and by participating CCC and the mob are giving the process credibility and giving SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF political legitimacy!
@ VUMS
You participate and you give the process credibility and give Zanu PF legitimacy! Even after 43 years of rigged elections and giving Zanu PF legitimacy that reality has not dawned on you and never will. It is great to be a simpleton, you will repeat the same idiotic mistake, blissfully unaware of your sheer stupidity!
Even after 43 years of rigged elections, it has not occurred to some people that they should be fighting for reforms and free elections and not this idiotic Winning In Rigged Elections oxymoronic nonsense. Zanu PF is using reverse psychology and when the target have the IQ of village idiots, it works and never fail no matter how many times it is repeated. The idiots cannot count and their hermetically sealed cup-cake in impervious to reason!
Reverse psychology is a technique involving the assertion of a belief or behaviour that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what is actually desired.
“@ least play your part by voting and encourage others to vote. The rest we will see after the 23.”
How sad that you should be playing your part in keeping Zanu PF in power and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and your own suffering and you should even boast of your stupidity.
“See after the 23!” You cry foul all you want and no one will listen because you were warned the elections are being rigged and would not listen. You can stage your street protests and will be shot!
This technique relies on the psychological phenomenon of reactance, in which a person has a negative emotional reaction to being persuaded, and thus chooses the option which is being advocated against.[1] This may work especially well on a person who is resistant by nature, while direct requests work best for people who are compliant.[2] The one being manipulated is usually unaware of what is really going on.
@ Bachipeneti
Zimbabwe has held elections for the last 43 years and the country has drifted deeper and deeper into this economic and political mess because the country was stuck with a corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship precisely because the party rigged elections to stay in power.
The 2008 elections were a watershed in that the whole world saw the full extend of Zanu PF’s carte blanche powers to rig elections. Tsvangirai got 73% of the votes in the March 2008 plebiscite and yet that was not good enough to get him into State House. In the runoff Zanu PF used the Army, Police, CIO, war veterans and its own militia to commit wanton violence. Over 500 innocent people were murdered in cold blood! For the first time ever, both SADC and AU refused to endorse the vote rigging Zanu PF victory and grant the regime political legitimacy.
SADC proposed the 2008 Global Political Agreement and forced Zanu PF to agree to the need for the country to implement democratic reforms to end the blatant cheating and wanton violence. The primary task of the 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms. Sadly not even one token reform was implemented during the GNU.
SADC leaders begged Tsvangirai and his MDC friends not to participating in the 2013 elections without first implementing the reforms. Their advice was ignored.
MDC/CCC have participated in the elections since 2013 knowing the elections were flawed and doing so would give Zanu PF legitimacy. They have participated regardless for the same reasons they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU - greed and breath-taking incompetence.
So, stop wittering about there being 25 other political parties in these elections as the excuse why CCC must participate. There were no other opposition parties in the GNU and MDC had the backing of SADC, why did they fail to implement even one reform?
You clearly do not know, even now with the benefit of hindsight, that the primary purpose of the GNU was to implement reforms much less that MDC leaders sold out. You would not be supporting CCC leaders so blindly if you knew!
Ignorance is one of the greatest fault lines in Zimbabwe society and there is nothing more dangerous to a nation than an idiot who thinks he knows when, in fact, he knows nothing!
What good has come out of MDC participating in these flawed and illegal elections other than giving Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuating the nation’s suffering and allowing a few opposition leaders take their seats on the gravy train. CCC will do no better by participating in these elections.
Zanu PF has successful brainwashed the naive and gullible mob into believing they can win rigged elections and so the mob have given up the fight for reforms and free elections. Even after 43 years of rigged elections, they still believe the opposition can win rigged elections, so flawed 73% is not good enough to win. Only first class village idiots would trade in gold for fool’s gold and 43 years still believe they have the bargain!
@ Tasimba
“@Wilbert Mukori how do reform when you don't have ⅔ majority....... isn't this the process, of having such reforms you always cry about...but you argue about boycotting then please share how will reforms be achieved?”
MDC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Why did they failed to implement even one reform then?
MDC/CCC have given up on implementing reforms and delivering free elections. They are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and in retain get the few gravy train seats on offer as bait. And to hide the greed, they are telling the naive and gullible followers CCC will win big because the party has devised Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. Even after 43 years of rigged elections there are still many who believe in this WIRE nonsense!
@Munya
“You still don’t present a viable alternative my guy. If CCC pulls out the election will go ahead against the other smaller parties and Zanu will win. Mugabe once ran against himself and celebrated victory. These magandanga people are a different breed. I congratulate MDC/ CCC to garner the numbers to evidence their support. As things stand what CCC is doing is the best option and a constitutional one. Military dictatorships like this new dispensation are a huge challenge not just for the opposition but every democracy loving citizen.”
It is you who see but fail to perceive, who hear but don’t understand!
CCC are participating in these flawed elections for the same reasons they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU - greed and breath-taking incompetence. So the argument they are doing so to stop the other opposition parties getting in on the act is just nonsense.
But even if one assumed participating to stop other opposition parties winning the few gravy train seats made sense. The follow up question is what has MDC accomplished by winning those few gravy train seats. Is getting Biti and a few others into parliament the price worth paying for perpetuating the dictatorship and the tragic human suffering?
Zanu PF does not care which opposition leaders win the few gravy train seats on offer as bait. What the party needs is to see the opposition participate to maintain the facade Zimbabwe is a multi-party democracy. Indeed, Mnangagwa has even created POLAD to reward those who fail to win the bait seats!
You are clearly failing to appreciate that the price for participating in these flawed elections is giving SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy.
@ Washvvone
“We are tired of this narrative. Hamuna zvimwe zvekutaura here? Boycotting is not an option. Zvozodii after boycotting? Give Zanu pf 100% electoral victory?”
Zanu PF has been winning 2/3 majority plus the presidency and if you are over the moon you stopped them 100% then that is fine.
Don’t worry, I did not expect you to see the sheer futility of participating in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy even after 43 years of rigged elections! If you did, you would not be asking “Boycott, then what?”
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess for many reasons and one of which is we have some of the most idiotic voters in the world. SADC leaders did offer us the way out of this mess during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and we, out of our own stupidity wasted that opportunity. Even now with the benefit of hindsight, many Zimbabweans have no clue what happened - that is the stuff idiotic voters are made of!
Of course, you are tired of being told the futility of participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the dictatorship but you are NOT tired of act of perpetuating the dictatorship itself even after 43 years of rigged elections - that too is the stuff idiotic voters are made off!
You must be very pleased to note there are many others on this group and out there who are just as shallow, thick and slow as yourself. You are in very big company - I know big means more to you than intelligent!
How pathetic! Chamisa and his MDC friends sold out during the GNU by failing to implement even one reform. Was God in that too? Chamisa is participating in these elections without even something as basic as a verified voters' roll. Are we to assume that too is the will of GOD?
@ Godfrey
“Let’s stand for the ordinary citizens who we feel are being shortchanged by SADC ZANU and or Opposition (if). Why the focus on weakest link.”
The focus is and has always been on facts, truth and the reality; on how landed us in this economic and political mess and how we can free ourselves and get out of this hell-hole.
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections and our best solution now is to make sure the regime does not get political legitimacy. We can achieve this by:
making sure everyone knows these elections are flawed and illegal and denounce them accordingly.
the election process is so flawed and illegal participating will not change the outcome but only serve to give in the process credibility and the outcome legitimacy. It is futile to participate.
MDC/CCC leaders have participated in flawed elections for the same reasons they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU - greed and breath-taking incompetence.
SADC leaders have turned a blind eye to Zanu PF rigging elections and granting the regime legitimacy in the past the opposition and we, ordinary Zimbabweans, have participated in these flawed elections. Combine the three reasons above to pressure SADC to deny legitimacy this time!
MDC/CCC leaders sold out of reforms and are selling out on participating in flawed elections. Leaders like Biti and Coltart have admitted this. Why some people have continued to agonise over these historic facts beggars belief.
Worse still, many people are participating in these flawed elections and have clearly failed to grasp the reality that by participating they have given SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. They think they can cry foul, complain the elections were rigged afterward. No one will listen or care because the nation was not only given the option not to participate but better still to implement reforms and we did not take them!
@ Benjamin
“The opposition participating in an election creates an illusion of democracy. Zanu gets legitimacy and sadc has no choice but to award the winner. So either way the weak link is exploited.”
The real victims in this political mess are the ordinary people. Both Zanu PF and CCC win seats out of this flawed electoral process. Povo win nothing other than the consequence of perpetuating the dictatorship. To keep defending participating in these flawed elections so that CCC have a few gravy train seats and thus perpetuating the dictatorship is betraying povo.
We are being asked to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship without saying CCC leaders are selling out in participating in these flawed elections out of greed - even when this is a historic fact. And even if doing so meanings perpetuating the dictatorship. CCC are the “weakest link” in that they are not getting the same lion’s share of looting the nation blind Zanu PF is getting.
We really have fragility for putting our leaders on pedestals making them demigods who selfish interests, participating in flawed elections for selfish gain, is now more important the common agenda of reform, free elections and putting an end to the nightmare of rigged elections and bad governance.
The people have risked life and limb to elect MDC to implement reforms but it does not matter that they sold out and we continue to suffer. Biti and company’s insatiable greed for US$60 000 for a new car, US$40 000 house loan every five years is more important than the masses’ need to end the dictatorship!
@ Tawanda Manjoni
“The truth, though, is that it's not Faz, but the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) that's running this campaign.
Faz is just coming in as some sort of a special purpose vehicle to boost Zanu-PF's and President Emmerson Mnangagwa's electoral chances.
This hazy but very spooky outfit is led by a senior CIO serviceman, Walter Tapfumaneyi who is a deputy director general and retired brigadier general.
Once you get a DGG to lead an outfit, you are making a civil servant lead that outfit, because a DGG, just like any other serviceperson, is a civil servant.
So, if you still had doubts on whether or not Faz is being run on government resources, there you have it.
We know that the law doesn't like civil servants who dabble in politics, so his role in the Faz campaign becomes a criminal one.
Nobody is surprised, though. This has been the case since Jesus Christ flew back to heaven, but it doesn't make it right.
Since Faz is being used by CIO, we once again slip back into the old mess whereby party is conflated with government.
CIO is - or is supposed to be - a state agency.
A state agency is part of the government, naturally.
That, therefore, means Faz is doing government work, just that the work is skewed to favour the ruling party. But it's supposed to be private enterprise.
Faz is unconstitutional - and therefore illegal - at two different levels. One, it is operating against the Zanu-PF constitution because it has effectively supplanted a constitutional arm of the party, the commissariat.
Two, it is performing the functions of a state institution even though it's clearly not one and is not recognised as one under all the constitution's 18 chapters and 345 sections, complete with the schedules and what not.”
It does not matter how flawed the elections process gets, CCC is hell bent on participating because the party does not care that Zanu PF is rigging these elections and thus denying the people of the country a fundamental right but, most important of all, all hope to ending their suffering by having a competent and accountable government. All Chamisa et al care about is a share of the spoils of power, their reward for helping Zanu PF stay in power.
After 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, MDC/CCC have not only failed to deliver even one token reform but, worst of all, they have given up on reforms. Chamisa is telling his naive and gullible followers the nation does not need reforms because CCC has devised Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. All hot air, of course.
We need our people to wake up from their foolish slumber or the nation’s slid into this hell-on-earth we are in will continue. No nation can afford the sheer insanity of trading reforms and free elections for these idiotic WIRSE strategies!
@ Mahupete
Let me say this again, anyone who aspire or hold public office is accountable to the public and not just those who voted for him or her!
After 43 years of rigged elections it is insane to be dragged into yet another flawed and meaningless elections by individuals who know the elections are being rigged and that by participating they will give SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. Chamisa et al are participating out of greed and taking advantage of their naive and gullible followers stupid enough to believe the nonsense Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE).
You do not want the truth about CCC selling out told. I am here to shout it out from the roof top so that even the village idiots out there will not say they did not know WIRE was just hot air to hide CCC’s real reasons for participating in these elections were greed and breath-taking incompetence.
@ Mambo
This foolishness of believing we can have meaning political change without reforms, that CCC will win big because the party has Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies in playing into Zanu PF's hands. Zanu PF is rigging these elections and by participating CCC is giving SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. How long are we going to allow this foolishness to continue.
The same Change Radio that is stubbornly preaching the nonsense of WIRE today will be the one complain Zanu PF rigged the 2023 election on 24 August 2023.
Chamisa and company are participating in these flawed elections for the same reasons they failed to implement even one reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU - greed and breath-taking incompetence. They claim to have these WIRE strategies just to hide the real reasons they are hell bent in participating in these flawed elections.
After 43 years of rigged elections and with the country is a serious economic and political mess Zimbabwe cannot afford yet another rigged elections and 5 more years of this Zanu PF tyrannical rule. The fight for reforms and free elections has been hijacked by MDC/CCC who are now working in cahoots with Zanu PF. CCC are hunting with the hounds and running with the hare. We cannot afford to ignore this political reality and must deal with it here and now!
@ Felex
“We will never allow a sham election where Mnangagwa goes to bed with ZEC and be declared a winner.
It can’t! It’s unacceptable! We will take him head on! Protection of the vote starts now!”
This is just hot air! Mnangagwa rigged the 2018 elections and ZEC declared him the winner. Why did MDC A youth fail to take him head on then?
We need to implement the reforms to guarantee free, fair and credible elections and this idea that CCC has Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies is idiotic. How anyone can be conned to believe such s***t, especially after 43 tears of Zanu PF rigging elections, beggars belief!
No wonder the country is in a real mess, we have more than our fair share of idiots who are being conned by even an up start like Chamisa or a buffoon like Mnangagwa!
@ Charles
“Democracy cannot be a spectator’s sport, it is a participatory process in one way or another everyone needs to participate. Kudos to you Mambokadzi for standing up and do something, thanks for upholding democracy. Democracy has various instruments through which you can participate on daily basis in the governance of our country, your province, your town, your street, or your village. Even if don’t get to state house Linda your ideas will and you have paved the way, all the best on 23 August.”
The spiriting is will but the intellect is feeble!
The most distinguishing feature of democracy as contrast to autocracy, fascism, etc. is that there is rule of law. Democratic elections must be free, fair and credible or they are not democratic elections.
One of the basic requirement for free and fair elections is that you must have a verified voters’ roll. Zimbabwe has never ever produced a verified voters’ roll. The few days ZEC allowed people to check for their own details on the voters’ roll have uncovered so many errors, underlining the reason why we need a proper audit.
The opposition are participating in these elections out of greed, period. They know these elections are being rigged but they also know that Zanu PF is giving away a few gravy train seats plus the POLAD freebies as bait.
These elections are a farce but to a feeble minded person the blatant flaws and illegalities are irrelevant as long as one participate. The idiot will complain the elections were rigged the morning after voting day but, of course, no one will listen.
To expect CCC to win big because the party has Winning In Rigged Election (WIRE) strategies, especially after 43 years of Zanu PF Mafiosi rigging elections is insane. It is high time someone called an end to this insanity and put the feeble minded idiots in their right place.
“Nothing must be spared to ensure the environment is right and conducive for free, fair and peaceful elections in which the right to vote is available to all those eligible, in terms of our laws and laid-down procedures.
Secondly, we must ensure that the ballot is secure; that every vote is counted and respected; and that the overall outcome expresses the will and choice of the sovereign people of Zimbabwe. This requires that the whole plebiscite attains levels of integrity which the people of Zimbabwe can vouch and attest to.
Above all, this requires that our whole electoral process is fool-proof and insulated against undue influence and manipulation by outsiders and foreigners. No foreign power is a stakeholder in Zimbabwe’s electoral processes; this is why foreigners come in by invitation, and participate as observers, and not as monitors,” President Mnangagwa said.
Zimbabwe is going into these 2023 elections without even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll. The people were given the opportunity to check their own individual details are correct in the voters’ roll for just a few days. Even in those few days, the voters’ roll was found to have many errors thus underlining the need for a full blooded audit.
How anyone can expect to hold free and fair elections without a verified voters’ roll beggars belief!
The MDC/CCC had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms and end the country’s curse of rigged elections during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Alas! Tsvangirai and company sold out big time and failed to implement even one token reform.
Ever since the GNU debacle MDC/CCC have been participating in these flawed elections to give SADC the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy for the same reasons they failed to implement reforms during the GNU - greed and breathtakingly incompetent. CCC have claimed to have Winning In Rigged Election strategies to justify their insisting on participating no matter how flawed the election process got and to hide the real reasons.
Zimbabwe is a failed state, a pariah state, ruled by corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF thugs who rig elections to stay in power. The people have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC leaders to end the dictatorship only to be betrayed. CCC are now the ones helping Zanu PF get away with rigged elections and thus perpetuating the dictatorship. This must be stopped!
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