Of course everyone in his or her right mind would want to have a truly democratic constitution, a free media, the threat of all the political violence and murder removed, etc before the next election. But let face it, this is a wish list; the reality on the ground is something else. Mugabe wants the next elections held next year and none of these things are in place. It is the reality and not the wish list we must deal with.
It was always Mugabe and Zanu PF’s wish long before independence in 1980 to turn Zimbabwe into a one-party-one-man state. His wish has largely become true; Zimbabwe is a de facto one-man dictatorship. It is real naïve, to say the very least, of Tsvangirai and his MDC party to think that Mugabe would just roll over; give up his dictatorial powers in favour of a democratic constitution, end his Zanu PF monopoly of the media. And for what? So that after a free and fair election he can be kicked out of State House, have all he and his cronies have looted over the years taken away from them and, worse still, face the hangman’s noose for the serious human violations? What makes this wishful think particularly nonsensical is that it was Tsvangirai and MDC who granted Mugabe all his dictatorial powers to dictate what he wants in the GPA.
As long as Mugabe retains all the political power; a new democratic constitution, free media, etc. will all remain a pipe dream.
Mugabe considered the formation of the GNU a low point in his political career and the “stupidity” of the other two principles in the marriage has become intolerable, as far as he is concerned. So he has decreed, in his autocratic I-do-not-care-what-one-else’s-thinks way, the GNU must now be killed off. He wants elections by mid next year, period!
We can all debate all we like on whether the nation would prefer to have the elections now or delay them until we have a new democratic constitution, free media, etc. That is not going to change anything; the elections will be held next year because that is what Mugabe wants.
Tsvangirai should have never agreed to a GNU and let Mugabe off the hook following the sham run-off of June 2008. Mugabe has used the post June 2008 to reorganise his party, discredit MDC and the windfall from the Marange diamonds will enable him to bankroll the party thugs. This is the best time for Mugabe to hold fresh elections.
MDC has done absolutely nothing to ensure the political violence that marred the 2008 elections is not repeated ever again. So, yes of course, violence is on the cards. Minister Makoni, MDC’s co-minister of Home Affairs, says there could be “a blood bath” next year. She admitted MDC has done nothing to stop this.
Given MDC’s pathetic past performance, the people of Zimbabwe should now make it clear that they will NOT be voting for MDC next year. They voted for Tsvangirai and MDC in droves in 2008 risking the murderous wrath of Mugabe and Zanu PF only for Tsvangirai to squander that mandate. Millions of our people were punished and over five hundred were murdered for defying the dictator and voting freely.
The 2008 election was a historic moment in Zimbabwe’s history one seized upon would have ended Mugabe’s rule, restored the rule of law and reason in the land. Tsvangirai failed to raise to the occasion, his incompetence in the whole matter has been breath taking. This nation must not risk one more Zimbabwean life voting for Tsvangirai.
Mugabe’s second wish to bring “mass prosperity” – “gutsa ruzhinji” – has been a total failure. Three decades of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and looting have resulted in the total collapse of the national economy throwing millions of our people into abject poverty and despair. The whole nation dreads the very prospect of yet another five years of Mugabe and Zanu PF’s criminal waste of human and material resources; the nation’s sense of desperation for change is understandable. Still the nation would be ill advised risking one more Zimbabwean life by voting MDC, such is Tsvangirai’s incompetence!
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