MP Eddie Cross joins in the fray defending the MDC lies!

MDC MP Eddie Cross joins in the fray in defence of the Copac constitution, no surprise there!

 

“Once again I find myself defending the MDC under conditions where people who criticize us simply fail to take any account of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. That is not good enough,” wrote the right honourable MP to Zimbabwe Vigil.

 

“It's clear to me that no matter what we say you will not accept our explanation or strategies. Be that as it may, I can do nothing about that but to fight on doing what I have been doing since 1999 and that is working for peaceful democratic change.”

 

Working for peaceful democratic change? Well you people never seize to amaze me!

 

MDC was supposed to get a number of GPA agreed democratic reforms implemented and for four and half years you lot have failed. Without these reforms it is impossible to see how the nation can avoid the repeat of the violence of 2008.

 

Please tell me, if there is violence again how can that be “peaceful democratic change”?

 

The circumstance MDC finds itself in defending a weak and feeble Copac constitution and now having to lie through your teeth about there being no violence to get the people to vote yes in the referendum; these are all circumstances of your own making; you failed to get the necessary reforms implemented. What some of us find totally intolerable is all this lying to cover for your incompetency and dragging the whole nation into another futile bloody election process!

 

MDC leaders will be held accountable for every broken limb and body bag as if you broke the limb and took the live with your own hands because you are lying about the violence!  

Matinenga in best syllogistic nonsense in defence of Copac constitution!

Well throughout this debate on this Copac constitution I have heard some nonsensical arguments put forward in support of what everyone knows deep inside is a rubbish constitution but this contribution from Deputy Minister Eric Matinenga is in a class all by its self. This is an example of syllogism at its nonsensical best!

Syllogism is a form of reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn from two given or assumed proposition.

 “A new constitution will not guarantee us a free and fair election. What is going to guarantee us a free and fair election is a culture of constitutionalism,” said Matinenga who will retire from government service when the terms of office of the current government expires later this year.

“We don’t have a culture of constitutionalism in Zimbabwe and that culture of constitutionalism must always cascade from the top to the bottom. This is the culture that must be understood and pervades to the generality of the population,” said Matinenga.

If Mugabe had bothered to amend the Lancaster House Constitution each time he acted unconstitutionally then we would not be talking of 19 amendments but 100 000 amendments.  Add another 100 000 amendments again in April to June 2008 when the whole country was turned into some hell-on-earth during the presidential run-off elections.

God knows we already know Mugabe and Zanu PF’s disregard of the rules, laws and constitution or you so called “constitutionalism”.  What is at issue here is what are we going to do about it?

What you are proposing in that we should we accept a weak and feeble constitution, which Mugabe himself “dictated” and therefore was clearly to his liking, and hope he will honor this.

Whereas everyone agrees that ZRP’s partisan policing practices, for example, have placed Zanu PF thugs above the law and thus contributed to the country’s culture of political violence. The answer here is clearly to carry out the institutional reforms in the country’s security sectors; reforms, I must add, that were agreed in the GPA.

MDC asked Mugabe to have these reforms implemented and he said no. MDC dropped that!

MDC asked if a new Police Commissioner can be appointed given Chikuri’s pro-Zanu PF stance. Mugabe said no and, again, MDC dropped the matter.

MDC has given in on all the key issues to appease Mugabe. So now we have this Copac constitution so weak and feeble it will never deliver and safe guard any democratic rights. Mugabe has all his dictatorial powers and we, the people have to be totally dependent on his whim.  

We must rely on mercy, justice, rule of law, our share of the nation’s wealth, free and fair elections, everything, absolutely everything, “cascade from the top to the bottom”!  What a truck load of mumbo-jumbo.

We have a tyrannical dictator here who has nothing but contempt for the rule of law. The answer is not to make the laws even weaker with even bigger loophole for him to escape. You do the exact opposite you make the laws stronger and close all the loopholes!

If MDC had had all the agreed reforms implemented and made sure the new constitution was a strong and democratic one Zimbabwe will be looking forward to its first ever free and fair democratic elections. MDC failed in having the reforms implemented and now is covering up for its failures and dragging the nation into yet another bloody election process.

 Constitutionalism, my foot!

Magaisa, PM Tsvangirai Adviser, defending Copac: waste of space!

This opinion piece like the Copac constitution it is meant to support is not worth the space it occupies!

 

“Clearly disappointed by the “No” vote in the 2000 referendum, Zanu PF had thrown a tantrum and abandoned constitutional reform as a non-issue. The MDC consistently fought for a new constitution and the fact that the process has taken place and that the draft constitution has been achieved is down to MDC’s patience, persistence and resilience of the people.” Alex Magaisa wrote.

 

The need for implementing democratic reforms and write a DEMOCRATIC constitution was agreed by all parties in the GPA. SADC played a key role in the set tasked agreed and yet we are being told something else here!

 

Implementing the democratic reforms has been a key task and having the Copac constitution with the reforms has been like buying a new car but without the engine. Copac on its own without the reforms will never deliver free and fair elections. Who are you fooling here but yourself!

 

“The Copac draft does a far better job than the current constitution in both respects.” We are told.

You were tasked to produce a DEMOCRATIC constitution and not “something better than the current constitution” There are no democratic credentials in Copac to talk about are there?

 

“The principle of checks and balances, under which the powers of one arm of the state are checked and balanced by one or more of the other arms, is a critical part of the draft constitution.” You say. So where are the checks and balance between the ZRP, Judiciary, etc and Mugabe in the Copac rubbish? Indeed the reforms if you lot had implemented them would have ensured the independence of this institution and a change of guard in many cases.

 

MDC has tried to get Chihuri, Tomana and a few others replaced but having clearly failed the party now pretend we can still have a none partisan Police, etc. with these individuals still running the show. Get real!

 

“The Copac draft makes it very clear that the defence, police, intelligence, correctional services and the civil service must be politically non-partisan and must serve the national interest without the constraints of politics.” You say.

 

This simply will not happen without implementing the reforms.

 

If this is what you have been advising PM Tsvangirai then he should get a more competent adviser, you are a waste of time!

The referendum is a test on Copac but ultimately a test on Tsvangirai and on the nation!

The EU under pressure from Belgium will lift restriction in the trade of Marange diamonds by end of February. Belgium has a diamond industry worth US$45 billion a year and it has been losing ground to countries like India and in the United Arab Emirates, which do not have to comply with EU sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe for it bad human rights record.

The rest of the world, not wanting to be left out, will follow the EU’s decision and so all pressure on Mugabe to reform will go and it will be business as usual.

Well the restrictions are being lifted at the most opportune moment for Mugabe; he will be able to sell all the stockpile diamonds he has and the money used in the party’s campaign.

Well we have had these last ten years to change Zimbabwe’s system of government and have very little to show for it. Strike the metal whilst it is still hot and no messing about! “Simbi inorobwa ichapisa!”

If Tsvangirai had implemented the GPA reforms, God knows he has all the opportunity to do so these last five years. But true to his reputation of blundering and shooting from the hip; he has been campaigning for the sanctions to be lifted! The Belgians had Tsvangirai and MDC on their side!  

USA Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Chris Dell wrote to his Boss back in Washington in a private cable – private cables WikiLeaks managed to get and has been making public – that Tsvangirai was “a flawed and indecisive character.” That was back in 2002, and the Ambassador had probably met Tsvangirai on no more than a handful of occasions.  Well this March 16 referendum is turning out to be much more that a vote on the Copac constitutions; it will be Zimbabweans’ verdict on Tsvangirai and from it the world will judge the people themselves.

Well Zimbabweans have certainly known Tsvangirai a lot longer that Ambassador Dell; they have seen him make one big blunder after another. In 2008 he signed this GPA in which he and his MDC friends were no more than the School Captain and Prefects whilst Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies were the Headmaster and Teachers. MDC has completely failed to get even one reform implemented in five years. This year he rubber stamped this Copac rubbish “dictated” by Mugabe. He is now lying insisting there will be no violence in the elections when everyone can see that is not true.

It took 15 years for many Zimbabweans to finally see Mugabe for what he is - a ruthless dictator and murderer. Will Zimbabweans finally see Tsvangirai for he is – a flawed and indecisive character with a great propensity to blunder and lie! If so, then they will see the sheer folly of going through another meaningless election process marred by wanton violence and vote no in the referendum.  If, on the other hand, they still see Tsvangirai as Save the great leader, and thus believe these lies, vote yes.   

A no vote will show the world that the country’s leaders may have proved ruthless tyrant and/or blunderingly incompetent at least the people have the common sense to see which side of the bread is buttered. A yes vote will tell the whole world Zimbabwe is not ready for good and wholesome government; both the leaders and the people are quite happy with the dictatorship or the dysfunction and chaotic systems of governments they have. The world is going to accept whatever we decide and will not waste another day messing with sanctions or helping Zimbabwe’s economic and/or political refugees!   

Tsvangirai calls for SADC summit hoping they will give him the excuse to hold the bloody elections!

Tsvangirai is off to SADC hoping they can give him the excuse he desperately needs to go ahead with elections he knows will be bloody.

“We will have a special summit on Zimbabwe on conditions for free and fair elections with SADC. We will not allow a repeat of the culture of violence and abuse like what happened in 2008. I do not want to be part of a war against the people.” This sums Tsvangirai beautifully, in his effort to be as decisive and in control he shows the exact opposite, the real Tsvangirai indecisive and completely confused.

SADC have given you the tasks of implementing the democratic reforms and writing a democratic constitution. Not even one reform has seen the light of day and you are taking to the nation a constitution so weak and feeble even you know it will never stop the violence. SADC gave you the condition for free and fair elections already and you failed to implement them what else do you WANT from SADC?

You are asking for this SADC summit because you know they will be violence and you are hoping they will come up with something to help. And yet you are already out telling the people they will be no violence just to get them to vote yes! How confused is that?

"We will not allow..." Please, since when have you been in a position to allow or not allow anything of substance? You are just a puppet and Mugabe has been pulling the strings! As Mugabe's puppet you are now "part of a war against the people.”

You want SADC to say something that you can then twist as assurance from SADC that the elections will be free of violence. So if the violence, we all know is coming, sweeps the nation you can then blame SADC. Well President Khama’s comment is as clear as a whistle; in the present set up, there is no way the violence of 2008 can be avoided and anyone saying otherwise is lying!

The very least you can do for the people of Zimbabwe, especially the millions who risked their lives and limbs voting for you and your MDC friends is tell them the truth: you failed to get the reforms implemented, there will be violence if the elections go ahead and therefore they must vote no in the referendum!

What a complex web we weave once we start lying; Mr Tsvangirai you are caught in your own web of lies, even with the best will not even SADC can get you off!

Botswana President Khama warns Zimbabweans of repeat of 2008 over Mugabe and Tsvangirai's heads!

Botswana President, Ian Khama spoke to the Zimbabwean people over their leaders’ head to warn them about the real danger of the wanton violence of 2008 being repeated again this year; contrary to Zimbabwe’s political leaders’ lies and empty assurance that there will be no violence.

"I think that they (Mugabe supporters) are still capable of trying to engage in intimidation, deploying the security services to bring that about … telling the people in the security services how they should vote. The potential for that is still there," President Khama told the Botswana Business Day.

No one in SADC and the international community at large wants to see another bloody elections process in Zimbabwe. If any of them had a vote in the upcoming referendum in Zimbabwe would they vote yes? Of course they would vote NO because by so doing they know they will force the implementation of the reforms BEFORE elections are held.

We can all criticize President Jacob Zuma of SA for not being more forceful with Mugabe but the one thing he has been consistent throughout is the need for the parties in Zimbabwe's dysfunctional GNU to follow the GPA roadmap.

"Follow the yellow brick road!" Follow the GPA road map!

The GPA roadmap is clearly sign posted; implement the democratic reforms and write a new DEMOCRATIC constitution. All SADC have heard from Harare is bickering from the politicians and their wild spending sprees. Meanwhile more and more ordinary Zimbabweans have continued to pour into their countries as economic and/or political refugees.

President Khama is clearly frustrated by this carryon and instead of speaking to Zimbabwe’s errant politicians he is now speaking over their heads directly to the Zimbabwean people themselves. And his message to the people is very simple: contrary to what your leaders are saying to you, nothing has been done to stop the wanton violence of 2008 being repeated. Whilst he cannot tell Zimbabweans how they should vote in the referendum the message is clear enough; you should vote to force the implementation of the reforms, i.e. vote no!

FOLLOW THE GPA ROADMAP! "FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD."

If the Zimbabwean people continue down this disastrous path and disregard the sound advice from SADC and the international community then they must know there will be a price to be paid. SADC and the international community will wash their hands of Zimbabwe. SADC and the world at large will not allow Zimbabwean refugees of whatever color destabilize their own country and they will trade openly with whatever regime is in Harare. Zimbabweans, we will be on our own! And Mugabe is not finished, that man is not going to rest until he has completely destroyed that country and murdered a few more tens of thousands!

The reforms will not be implemented as Tsvangirai had promised; now Copac to end violence

Realizing that MDC will never get the reforms implemented BEFORE the referendum as PM Tsvangirai had promised the party now says the new constitution will end the violence as soon as it is signed into law.

‘Members of the armed forces will, from the day the President signs the constitution into law, be prohibited from acting in a partisan manner or further the interests of any political party or violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of any person,’ Mwonzora said.

When the principals announced they had agreed on the Copac constitution on 17 January 2013, MDC agreed the new constitution on its own was too weak and feeble to deliver free and fair elections and so the party was going to push for the agreed reforms to be implemented. They promised the reforms would be implemented before the referendum. Zanu PF said NO.

Now MDC has changed, it has ditched the idea of get the reforms implemented and has gone back to the feeble and weak constitution forcing members of the security services to STOP acting in a "partisan manner". This is supposed to happen by 30 March 2013, two week after the referendum.

Everything MDC says is like a mirage, the pool of water keeps move into the distance; the date the violence will stop keeps moving further back.