In the period 2002 to 2008 the Zimbabwe economy shrunk by a shocking 84%, a world record. Millions of Zimbabweans lost their jobs as farms, shops and industries closed. Inflation soared to nauseating heights of 500 million %, another world first, wiping out individual savings and making pensions worthless.
In the same period Mugabe and the few close to him saw their economic worth multiple and grow 100, 1 000 and some even a 1 000 000 fold! Individuals who had not two cents to rub together found themselves the proud owners of assets worth thousands of dollars. People like Philip Chiyangwa and Minister Ignatius Chombo are billionaires in their own right. These people did not stop with the violent seizure of farms; they continued to cream off the public through dodgy schemes of loans, grants and handouts to buy seed, farming equipments, etc. arranged by the Reserve Bank Governor, Gideon Gono.
Mugabe has maintained Zimbabwe’s economic melt down was caused by the West’s imposed sanctions against him and 200 other in his inner circle. Zanu PF is reportly launching 2 million men campaign to press home its claim that it is the ordinary Zimbabweans constituting the 2 million who have suffered because of the sanctions.
Mugabe has never explained how targeted sanctions against him and his cronies had caused the dramatic and total collapse of the agricultural sector, the run away inflation etc. The government organised 2 million men match waving placards denouncing Western sanctions and the West, not even a 20 million men match will not square the circle that the melt down was caused by something else and not the sanctions.
I have a theory of what that “something else” is. Looting! The Zanu PF loyalists whose wealth grew exponential at the very time every economic indicator points to economic collapse must be the most extraordinary entrepreneurs able to defy all the established economic rules. The only people know to achieve this are in fact looters – they repeat where they never sowed. If all you invested is a few dollars to pay the thugs who drove the white farmer off the farm and the all the farm produce is yours; then yes, it is possible to get a 1 000 or even 1 000 000 fold on one’s investment!
What has been happening in Zimbabwe in the last ten years goes beyond the usual mismanagement and corruption. It is wholesale looting. No nation can stand such a wasteful onslaught, no matter how economical strong it happened to be.
Friday, 21 January 2011
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Zimbabwe Police and Army Officers to spearhead Mugabe election campaign - officers must now stop to think!
It is highly irregular for soldiers to peacefully campaign for a particular political party/politician. No nation can tolerate anyone using violence for political gain much less is the individual is a member of the Police, Army or any Security Agency. These are the very people entrusted to keep the peace at all times much more so during important national occasions like elections.
Every member of the Security Forces who indulge in any election violence must know that they will be punished for it! These are the dying days of Mugabe’s reign of terror – he had hang himself out to dry after the sham 2008 presidential run-off, if only Tsvangirai had not taken him off the hook! Mugabe will not get away with terror, rape and murder again; not even the Tsvangirai would be that stupid to make the same foolish mistake twice!
The right to a meaningful say in the governance of Zimbabwe is a right of all Zimbabweans which must be safe guarded by the country’s constitution, law courts, parliament, security services, etc., etc. Those in the security services who do not subscribe to this notion should have never joint the Police, Army, etc.
Every member of the Security Forces who indulge in any election violence must know that they will be punished for it! These are the dying days of Mugabe’s reign of terror – he had hang himself out to dry after the sham 2008 presidential run-off, if only Tsvangirai had not taken him off the hook! Mugabe will not get away with terror, rape and murder again; not even the Tsvangirai would be that stupid to make the same foolish mistake twice!
The right to a meaningful say in the governance of Zimbabwe is a right of all Zimbabweans which must be safe guarded by the country’s constitution, law courts, parliament, security services, etc., etc. Those in the security services who do not subscribe to this notion should have never joint the Police, Army, etc.
Biti accuse International community of failing Africa: he should wash his foul mouth!
It is real rich for Tendai Biti to be preaching to the international community about “failing Africa” and need to be “pro-activeness to prevent quite clearly a foreseeable situation”. He admits that there are all the signs that Zimbabwe’s next elections will once again be marred with violence. They will be a repeat of the 2008 elections. There will be a “blood bath”, he says. No one can deny this was a FORESEEABLE situation; the international community saw this coming and so did Tendai Biti himself, Morgan Tsvangirai and the rest in MDC. The question is what did Biti and MDC do about it?
After the sham 2008 presidential run-off the international community stood firm and refused to recognise Mugabe as the legitimate president of Zimbabwe! It was Biti, Tsvangirai and company who got Mugabe off the hook by signing the power sharing agreement with the tyrant. The international community was certainly being pro-active; this was the end of Mugabe’s reign. And MDC in their stupidity swept the carpet from under the international community’s feet!
MDC has been in government since February 2009; what has the party done, pro-actively, to ensure there would be no political violence ever again in Zimbabwe? For surely the party must have known all along that bringing some stability to Zimbabwe’s economy was very important but that was nothing compared to the task of restoring the rile of law. This was a nation ruled by fear and now yarning to be ruled by reason. MDC’s most important task was to bring about democratic change in Zimbabwe and in that the party has failed dismally.
It was Tendai Biti’s MDC’s blundering stupidity that not only allowed Mugabe back into power but worse still, with all his dictatorial powers. And for the last two years the dictator has laid his plans for yet another violent election right under MDC’s noses; the latter has said and done nothing about it. And now, with elections round the corner Biti has the audacity of accusing everyone else of doing nothing to stop the blood bath! Minister Biti, you should wash your foul mouth with harpic guard!
@ Judith Taylor and Charlie Mingas
A Tunisia type people revolution in Zimbabwe is not likely for the very reasons Mingas touched on; the lack of a credible political alternative. In 2008 the people of Zimbabwe voted for MDC, out of desperation mind. Mugabe and Zanu PF punished them for that; millions were terrorised, beaten and/or raped. Over five hundred innocent Zimbabweans were murdered in cold blood. It was this sacrifice that gave MDC the political mandate that no other political party other than Zanu PF has ever had. Sadly MDC squandered the political capital in propping up the very dictator the people had risked their very lives to get rid of. Zimbabweans would not want to make the same sacrifices again; not to empower the likes of Biti and Tsvangirai!
After the sham 2008 presidential run-off the international community stood firm and refused to recognise Mugabe as the legitimate president of Zimbabwe! It was Biti, Tsvangirai and company who got Mugabe off the hook by signing the power sharing agreement with the tyrant. The international community was certainly being pro-active; this was the end of Mugabe’s reign. And MDC in their stupidity swept the carpet from under the international community’s feet!
MDC has been in government since February 2009; what has the party done, pro-actively, to ensure there would be no political violence ever again in Zimbabwe? For surely the party must have known all along that bringing some stability to Zimbabwe’s economy was very important but that was nothing compared to the task of restoring the rile of law. This was a nation ruled by fear and now yarning to be ruled by reason. MDC’s most important task was to bring about democratic change in Zimbabwe and in that the party has failed dismally.
It was Tendai Biti’s MDC’s blundering stupidity that not only allowed Mugabe back into power but worse still, with all his dictatorial powers. And for the last two years the dictator has laid his plans for yet another violent election right under MDC’s noses; the latter has said and done nothing about it. And now, with elections round the corner Biti has the audacity of accusing everyone else of doing nothing to stop the blood bath! Minister Biti, you should wash your foul mouth with harpic guard!
@ Judith Taylor and Charlie Mingas
A Tunisia type people revolution in Zimbabwe is not likely for the very reasons Mingas touched on; the lack of a credible political alternative. In 2008 the people of Zimbabwe voted for MDC, out of desperation mind. Mugabe and Zanu PF punished them for that; millions were terrorised, beaten and/or raped. Over five hundred innocent Zimbabweans were murdered in cold blood. It was this sacrifice that gave MDC the political mandate that no other political party other than Zanu PF has ever had. Sadly MDC squandered the political capital in propping up the very dictator the people had risked their very lives to get rid of. Zimbabweans would not want to make the same sacrifices again; not to empower the likes of Biti and Tsvangirai!
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Blame Africa's me-here-and-now-damn-the-rest mentality for the continent's problems and not colonialism!
It is not only the leaders who have this me-here-and-now-damn-the-rest mentality. It is a mental aptitude very common in Africa. That is the reason why there so many tyrants in Africa, why each tyrant has millions of supporters and why it has been near impossible for democracy to take root in many African countries even after the last tyrant is killed – five or more always emerge from the woodwork! It was this same mentality that made it ease for a Blackman to sell his own neighbour as a slave for a piece of calico and a handful of beads!
As the slave trade started to boom many blacks should have realised the hell-on-earth situation they had created – those selling neighbours as slaves today would just as easily find themselves being sold into slavery tomorrow and, no doubt, that is exactly what happened. Of course, many African scholar have heaped all the blame of slavery on the door of the white men; as for the blacks they are clean, they were the helpless victims. According to Professor Mazrui and many other apologists, the Africans were the helpless victims of not just colonial rule but post colonial rule! Well some things never change.
Still, if we are serious about climbing out of the bottomless pit of poverty and despair we in Africa find ourselves today; then we must stop wallowing in self pity and, worse still, blame colonialism for our own failures. We must accept the universal truth that no good can ever come out of our present me-here-and-now-damn-the-rest mentality. Yes the looting in Zimbabwe, for example, has created a few millionaires but at the expense of destroying the country’s national economy throwing millions into a life of abject poverty. The sum total of Mugabe’s black empowerment is untold suffering and death. We must also accept the empirical truth that the common good is best served when all have a meaningful say in public affairs.
As the slave trade started to boom many blacks should have realised the hell-on-earth situation they had created – those selling neighbours as slaves today would just as easily find themselves being sold into slavery tomorrow and, no doubt, that is exactly what happened. Of course, many African scholar have heaped all the blame of slavery on the door of the white men; as for the blacks they are clean, they were the helpless victims. According to Professor Mazrui and many other apologists, the Africans were the helpless victims of not just colonial rule but post colonial rule! Well some things never change.
Still, if we are serious about climbing out of the bottomless pit of poverty and despair we in Africa find ourselves today; then we must stop wallowing in self pity and, worse still, blame colonialism for our own failures. We must accept the universal truth that no good can ever come out of our present me-here-and-now-damn-the-rest mentality. Yes the looting in Zimbabwe, for example, has created a few millionaires but at the expense of destroying the country’s national economy throwing millions into a life of abject poverty. The sum total of Mugabe’s black empowerment is untold suffering and death. We must also accept the empirical truth that the common good is best served when all have a meaningful say in public affairs.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
Zimbabwe does not Divine intervention to end Mugabe's rule!
Tanonoka Joseph Whande prays on S W Radio Africa for Divine intervention to end Mugabe’s reign of terror!
I have always agreed with most of your Heart Of The Matter comments but not so today. The Lord has given Zimbabweans everything; a land rich flora, fauna, mineral wealth and above all good health and intellect. The good Lord has set before us and the rest of mankind the straight and narrow path which, followed, will lead to a life of peace, justice and prosperity for all. Mugabe like many others throughout human history has chosen his own way.
Each time evil has threatened or gained the upper hand over the good; the people, ordinary people have used their God given intellect to challenge the evil doers.
Tanonoka, you will have to agree with me that the good Lord did give Zimbabweans the intellect. We have some of the best minds you will see anywhere else in this world. But when it comes to challenging Mugabe and his cronies; sadly many Zimbabweans have chosen to hide their talents.
You are a seasoned journalist and have given the situation in Zimbabwe a great deal of thought and have poured your heart out week after week of the tragic, tragic going-on in Zimbabwe. How many Zimbabweans share the same passion? Only a handful, at most, have shown a passing interest!
Of course the Lord is not pleased to see millions suffer and die unnecessarily but there is nothing else He can do for us. He gave us all we need – a discerning mind - to end Mugabe’s rule of terror, restore the rule of law and reason and to end the tragic suffering of our people. The Lord must be disappointed that we have, as a nation, collectively decided to seat on our brains.
It is not for the good Lord to do for us what He has given us all we need to do for ourselves. Your prayer for the Lord to intervene and remove Mugabe is therefore misplaced.
Mugabe is human, a corrupt and mentally retarded one at that; surely anyone of even average intellect can outwit him. Mugabe is just a village bully, a demagogue; he does not require Divine intervention to kick him out of office.
I have always agreed with most of your Heart Of The Matter comments but not so today. The Lord has given Zimbabweans everything; a land rich flora, fauna, mineral wealth and above all good health and intellect. The good Lord has set before us and the rest of mankind the straight and narrow path which, followed, will lead to a life of peace, justice and prosperity for all. Mugabe like many others throughout human history has chosen his own way.
Each time evil has threatened or gained the upper hand over the good; the people, ordinary people have used their God given intellect to challenge the evil doers.
Tanonoka, you will have to agree with me that the good Lord did give Zimbabweans the intellect. We have some of the best minds you will see anywhere else in this world. But when it comes to challenging Mugabe and his cronies; sadly many Zimbabweans have chosen to hide their talents.
You are a seasoned journalist and have given the situation in Zimbabwe a great deal of thought and have poured your heart out week after week of the tragic, tragic going-on in Zimbabwe. How many Zimbabweans share the same passion? Only a handful, at most, have shown a passing interest!
Of course the Lord is not pleased to see millions suffer and die unnecessarily but there is nothing else He can do for us. He gave us all we need – a discerning mind - to end Mugabe’s rule of terror, restore the rule of law and reason and to end the tragic suffering of our people. The Lord must be disappointed that we have, as a nation, collectively decided to seat on our brains.
It is not for the good Lord to do for us what He has given us all we need to do for ourselves. Your prayer for the Lord to intervene and remove Mugabe is therefore misplaced.
Mugabe is human, a corrupt and mentally retarded one at that; surely anyone of even average intellect can outwit him. Mugabe is just a village bully, a demagogue; he does not require Divine intervention to kick him out of office.
Dabengwa is leader of revived Zapu: here are some questions for him to answer before he can have my vote!
Some questions for Dr Dumiso Dabengwe, President of revived Zapu, to answer before he can win back the Zimbabwe people's confidence and vote.
The people of Zimbabwe would want to know whether Zapu is a new democratic party and not the same old socialist party deeply entrenched in its one-party dictatorship mentality. And whether the good doctor himself has changed, enough to acknowledge his past mistakes and accept that he is democratically accountable.
Question 1:
The old Zapu was guided by Communism/ Socialism ideology and believed in a one-party state (one-party dictatorship). Is it the same ideology that guides the revived Zapu?
Question 2:
The Gukurahundi years are without doubt the darkest period in post independent Zimbabwe's history. How many will people do you believe lost their lives? How many Zimbabweans, Ndebeles, Shonas, soldiers, civilians, dissidents, etc.?
Follow up 1:
It is widely believed that the so called dissidents were in fact former Zipra fighters. Is this true? What role did the Zapu leadership play in encouraging these fighters to take up arms? What role did you yourself play?
Follow up 2:
In 1989 Zanu PF and PF Zapu signed the Unity Accord that signalled the unification of the two parties to form Zanu PF. For years former PF Zapu members never raised the issue of the serious human rights violations of these years; not until recently, after the individuals fell out favour with Mugabe. Is this not the crass political opportunism which is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s moral decay?
Question 3:
After the 1989 Zanu-Zapu Unity Accord former PF Zapu members had more political muscle that MDC the 2009 GNU can only dream about. PF Zapu leaders had one of VP and Minister of Home Affairs positions set aside for them. You, yourself, Dr were Minister of Home Affairs for donkey-years. One of the root causes of Zimbabwe becoming a lawless country is politicisation of Zimbabwe's Police force. What did you do as Minister of Home Affairs to end this madness?
Question 4:
Zanu PF is a party of incompetent and corrupt thugs led by a ruthless dictator, Mugabe. Do you believe the West was right in imposing targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies for failing to hold democratic and credible elections and for repeated serious human rights violations?
Question 5:
What is your view on Mugabe's law redistribution policy?
Follow up 1:
Did you approve of the violent white farm invasions whilst you part of the Mugabe government? Do you still approve now?
Follow up 2:
Is it true that some Zanu PF leaders own more than one farm? Do you think they should be allowed to keep their loot?
Follow up 3:
Do you, your wife or any member of your family own any farm(s)? How did you come to own them?
Question 5:
You and many like you joined the fight for independence not because you loved freedom, liberty and the dignity of all. You did not care about any of these things; you wanted to be the new masters and lords in Zimbabwe. Once in power you approved the taking up of arms by dissidents when your position was threatened. For decades, you have willingly worked with Mugabe to establish a de facto one-man dictatorship in Zimbabwe and you accepted a share of the loot. At the first sign that Mugabe will not give you a share of the loot, you disregarded the Unity Accord and revived the old PF Zapu party. You are just as culpable of Zimbabwe’s political and economic mess and the gross human rights violations of the last thirty years as Mugabe and everyone else in Zanu PF. Do you really believe many Zimbabweans will be foolish to once again believe you care about them, freedom and justice and freely vote you into a position of power and trust?
If Dr Dabengwa is serious about being elected back into office, then he should know he has to answer some tough questions about his past first!
The people of Zimbabwe would want to know whether Zapu is a new democratic party and not the same old socialist party deeply entrenched in its one-party dictatorship mentality. And whether the good doctor himself has changed, enough to acknowledge his past mistakes and accept that he is democratically accountable.
Question 1:
The old Zapu was guided by Communism/ Socialism ideology and believed in a one-party state (one-party dictatorship). Is it the same ideology that guides the revived Zapu?
Question 2:
The Gukurahundi years are without doubt the darkest period in post independent Zimbabwe's history. How many will people do you believe lost their lives? How many Zimbabweans, Ndebeles, Shonas, soldiers, civilians, dissidents, etc.?
Follow up 1:
It is widely believed that the so called dissidents were in fact former Zipra fighters. Is this true? What role did the Zapu leadership play in encouraging these fighters to take up arms? What role did you yourself play?
Follow up 2:
In 1989 Zanu PF and PF Zapu signed the Unity Accord that signalled the unification of the two parties to form Zanu PF. For years former PF Zapu members never raised the issue of the serious human rights violations of these years; not until recently, after the individuals fell out favour with Mugabe. Is this not the crass political opportunism which is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s moral decay?
Question 3:
After the 1989 Zanu-Zapu Unity Accord former PF Zapu members had more political muscle that MDC the 2009 GNU can only dream about. PF Zapu leaders had one of VP and Minister of Home Affairs positions set aside for them. You, yourself, Dr were Minister of Home Affairs for donkey-years. One of the root causes of Zimbabwe becoming a lawless country is politicisation of Zimbabwe's Police force. What did you do as Minister of Home Affairs to end this madness?
Question 4:
Zanu PF is a party of incompetent and corrupt thugs led by a ruthless dictator, Mugabe. Do you believe the West was right in imposing targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his cronies for failing to hold democratic and credible elections and for repeated serious human rights violations?
Question 5:
What is your view on Mugabe's law redistribution policy?
Follow up 1:
Did you approve of the violent white farm invasions whilst you part of the Mugabe government? Do you still approve now?
Follow up 2:
Is it true that some Zanu PF leaders own more than one farm? Do you think they should be allowed to keep their loot?
Follow up 3:
Do you, your wife or any member of your family own any farm(s)? How did you come to own them?
Question 5:
You and many like you joined the fight for independence not because you loved freedom, liberty and the dignity of all. You did not care about any of these things; you wanted to be the new masters and lords in Zimbabwe. Once in power you approved the taking up of arms by dissidents when your position was threatened. For decades, you have willingly worked with Mugabe to establish a de facto one-man dictatorship in Zimbabwe and you accepted a share of the loot. At the first sign that Mugabe will not give you a share of the loot, you disregarded the Unity Accord and revived the old PF Zapu party. You are just as culpable of Zimbabwe’s political and economic mess and the gross human rights violations of the last thirty years as Mugabe and everyone else in Zanu PF. Do you really believe many Zimbabweans will be foolish to once again believe you care about them, freedom and justice and freely vote you into a position of power and trust?
If Dr Dabengwa is serious about being elected back into office, then he should know he has to answer some tough questions about his past first!
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Zimbabweans would face all Mugabe violence - if there was real change at the end of the day!
Zanu PF is prepared to postpone the parliamentary elections to late 2011 according to the Sunday Mail, a pro-Zanu PF government controlled paper. It appears the party is bending to SADC and MDC wishes to delay the elections. MDC is hoping that delaying elections will somehow ensure elections are free of violence. MDC has done nothing to stop Zanu PF using violence in the past, present or future. Absolutely nothing!
Zimbabweans have seen their lives turned up side down and get progressively worse year on year. The last election produced the GNU and that did not change much, now did it?
Yes Zimbabweans would want the proposed elections postponed not just to late 2011 but to a long distant future. Elections for ordinary Zimbabweans has meant one thing and one thing only – political violence in which they are systematically brutalised to force them to vote one way.
It is not that Zimbabweans do NOT want elections; that they do. They know elections can change things and do change things. They know elections in Zimbabwe have changed nothing and they are just tied of all the countless elections violence that at the end of the day do not deliver the political change. These people can endure all the violence and meaningless murder Mugabe and his thugs can throw at them; they endured a lot worse during the civil war.
What makes the post independence violence hard to accept is that the violence has again and again produced no meaningful political change. It has all been senseless violence; totally meaningless. If MDC or anyone else can show the Zimbabwean people that the next elections will produce real political change, then they will want the elections held tomorrow – violence or no violence!
Zimbabweans have seen their lives turned up side down and get progressively worse year on year. The last election produced the GNU and that did not change much, now did it?
Yes Zimbabweans would want the proposed elections postponed not just to late 2011 but to a long distant future. Elections for ordinary Zimbabweans has meant one thing and one thing only – political violence in which they are systematically brutalised to force them to vote one way.
It is not that Zimbabweans do NOT want elections; that they do. They know elections can change things and do change things. They know elections in Zimbabwe have changed nothing and they are just tied of all the countless elections violence that at the end of the day do not deliver the political change. These people can endure all the violence and meaningless murder Mugabe and his thugs can throw at them; they endured a lot worse during the civil war.
What makes the post independence violence hard to accept is that the violence has again and again produced no meaningful political change. It has all been senseless violence; totally meaningless. If MDC or anyone else can show the Zimbabwean people that the next elections will produce real political change, then they will want the elections held tomorrow – violence or no violence!
Is the International Community supporting just another tyrant in Ouattara?
Côte d'Ivoire's political crisis continues with Gbagbo insisting he will not leave and Ouattara egging the regional group ECOWAS to use force to drive Gbagbo out.
I am disappointed with Ouattara, he has aid nothing about what he really stands for. All he seems to care for is that ECOWAS should use force to get Gbagbo out of office. I had expected him to be passionate about the need for Gbagbo and the military to respect the democratic will of the people and the rule of law.
Are the international community backing Ouattara today for him to turn coat and just become just another tyrant as soon as he is in power? Africa is full of tyrants who got into power on a wave of popular support and the pretext that they cared about the democratic rights of their people and the rule of law only to betray all these things they minute their were in power!
I am disappointed with Ouattara, he has aid nothing about what he really stands for. All he seems to care for is that ECOWAS should use force to get Gbagbo out of office. I had expected him to be passionate about the need for Gbagbo and the military to respect the democratic will of the people and the rule of law.
Are the international community backing Ouattara today for him to turn coat and just become just another tyrant as soon as he is in power? Africa is full of tyrants who got into power on a wave of popular support and the pretext that they cared about the democratic rights of their people and the rule of law only to betray all these things they minute their were in power!
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