“ZAPU President Dumiso Dabengwa says they pulled out of the Unity Accord with Zanu PF because the former ruling party was brutal and could do anything including killing to remain in power.” Reported the Daily News 19 December 2011.
Is Mr Dabengwa suggesting that Zanu PF did not harass or kill anyone since the signing of the unity accords in 1987 until 2008 when he walked out? He is lying because we all know Zanu PF has always used political violence to retain power.
Dabengwa, Simba Makoni and many others supported Mugabe as long as they stood to benefit. They only stopped when they lost their seat at the tyrant's high table. These are not men of principles and the nation must reject them as part and parcel of Zanu PF because they are.
Dabengwa is no more principled than Mugabe and the rest of the Zanu PF dictatorship! Dabengwa is being hypocritical!
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Sunday, 18 December 2011
"Abandon your critical faculties ... a world of idiotic bliss is yours" C Hitchens
" . . . we have the same job we always had, to say, as thinking people and as humans, that there are no final solutions, there is no absolute truth, there is no supreme leader, there is no totalitarian solution that says that if you will just give up your freedom of inquiry, if you would just give up, if you will simply abandon your critical faculties, a world of idiotic bliss can be yours. We have to begin by repudiating all such claims – grand rabbis, chief ayatollahs, infallible popes, the peddlers of mutant quasi-political worship, the dear leader, great leader, we have no need of any of this." Christopher Hitchens
We in Africa have indeed "abandoned our critical faculties" and got our due reward a thousand fold; we inherited that "world of idiotic bliss!"
Christopher Hitchens died last week. He was a writer of renoun. Nick Cohen in the Observer (UK) 18 December 2011 describe Hitchens as the most 'intellectually generous' man he has met. Christopher had "a laconic voice from the English upper middle class, putting our arguments better than we could, and urging us to square our shoulders and speak our minds."
Rest in peace, brother Christopher.
We in Africa have indeed "abandoned our critical faculties" and got our due reward a thousand fold; we inherited that "world of idiotic bliss!"
Christopher Hitchens died last week. He was a writer of renoun. Nick Cohen in the Observer (UK) 18 December 2011 describe Hitchens as the most 'intellectually generous' man he has met. Christopher had "a laconic voice from the English upper middle class, putting our arguments better than we could, and urging us to square our shoulders and speak our minds."
Rest in peace, brother Christopher.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Mugabe is Zanu PF presidential candidate for next elections: only one heartless for violent campaign!
The just ended 2011 Zanu PF Conference has confirmed Mugabe as the party’s presidential candidate for the next elections!
Yes on the face of it, it seems picking Mugabe as the party’s candidate for the coming elections was a “huge gamble” given his poor health condition and advanced age. Election campaigns are physically demanding particular for a presidential candidate who would be expected to travel all over Zimbabwe particularly given just how unpopular Zanu PF is with the electorate. But there lies the really reason why Mugabe is the ONLY candidate Zanu PF could have if they are to “win” the election.
The only way Zanu PF can “win” is if the party used violence just as it has done in the past. The level of violence in the June 2008 run-off election was shocking by any standard. To win the coming elections the party will have to resort to the same brutal violent tactics including cold blooded murder.
Most people would cringe at the thought of hitting someone particularly some one who is innocent, helpless and totally defenceless. Only the heartless thugs often high on drugs can rape and kill. But when it comes to masterminding the rape and murder of tens of thousands only someone with “degrees in violence” can do it. Only Mugabe has degrees in violence as he has said repeatedly and proved beyond doubt in practice!
The last three years have shown beyond doubt that Tsvangirai and MDC are completely useless. And yet if there were free and fair elections in Zimbabwe MDC would win the election hands down; a show of how much the electorate detest Zanu PF. The level of violence Zanu PF has to use to reverse this grim reality is indeed a mountain Everest to climb. Only a proven psychopath, Mugabe, can pull this off; if anyone can!
9999999
Mugabe asks donors to help feed prisoners.
I have an alternative suggestion Mr Mugabe; why don't you use some of the vast fortune you looted to support these inmates!
Yes on the face of it, it seems picking Mugabe as the party’s candidate for the coming elections was a “huge gamble” given his poor health condition and advanced age. Election campaigns are physically demanding particular for a presidential candidate who would be expected to travel all over Zimbabwe particularly given just how unpopular Zanu PF is with the electorate. But there lies the really reason why Mugabe is the ONLY candidate Zanu PF could have if they are to “win” the election.
The only way Zanu PF can “win” is if the party used violence just as it has done in the past. The level of violence in the June 2008 run-off election was shocking by any standard. To win the coming elections the party will have to resort to the same brutal violent tactics including cold blooded murder.
Most people would cringe at the thought of hitting someone particularly some one who is innocent, helpless and totally defenceless. Only the heartless thugs often high on drugs can rape and kill. But when it comes to masterminding the rape and murder of tens of thousands only someone with “degrees in violence” can do it. Only Mugabe has degrees in violence as he has said repeatedly and proved beyond doubt in practice!
The last three years have shown beyond doubt that Tsvangirai and MDC are completely useless. And yet if there were free and fair elections in Zimbabwe MDC would win the election hands down; a show of how much the electorate detest Zanu PF. The level of violence Zanu PF has to use to reverse this grim reality is indeed a mountain Everest to climb. Only a proven psychopath, Mugabe, can pull this off; if anyone can!
9999999
Mugabe asks donors to help feed prisoners.
I have an alternative suggestion Mr Mugabe; why don't you use some of the vast fortune you looted to support these inmates!
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Tsvangirai says there a 20 human rights violations a day: what has he been doing?!
Tsvangirai says there are 20 human rights violations a day!
Whilst the rest of the world has moved on we in Zimbabwe are like a scratched vinyl record repeating the same line over and over again.
It was over fifty years ago that the Americans designed and built a rocket that took men to the moon and brought them safely back to earth. “Whilst others are going to the Moon, we are still struggling to cross the street!” moaned then President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere! And since then the world has made even more giant strides in terms of development. Today the Scientific world has just announced they may well have recreated what happened on the moment of creation with the possible discovery of the Higgs Boson subatomic particles. And in Zimbabwe we learn that up twenty Zimbabweans are routinely denied their basic human rights!
Surely, surely the restoration of basic human rights must have been at the very top of Tsvangirai and MDC’s “TO DO” list! If there was any doubt that the GNU could deliver this then MDC should never have signed the power sharing agreement with Mugabe!
PM Tsvangirai can not blame Mugabe for the GNU’s failures. He clearly underestimated Mugabe’s stubbornness and thus proving his own incompetency. For the last three years Tsvangirai has become the milestone round the nation’s neck; as long as he remains in any position of power and authority this nation will continue to suffer. Tsvangirai must go!
%%%%%
For the last three years MDC has been part of the Zimbabwe government. Other than tell lies about how Mugabe has changed and enjoy the perks given to them as Prime Minister and Ministers, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have made no difference. Many Zimbabweans still consider MDC the nation's saviour just as they once regarded Mugabe national hero per excellence. It will take a few more years before it finally dawns on them than Tsvangirai is useless! Am I a black Zimbabwean, still I have to admit it; we are a thick nation!
Whilst the rest of the world has moved on we in Zimbabwe are like a scratched vinyl record repeating the same line over and over again.
It was over fifty years ago that the Americans designed and built a rocket that took men to the moon and brought them safely back to earth. “Whilst others are going to the Moon, we are still struggling to cross the street!” moaned then President of Tanzania, Julius Nyerere! And since then the world has made even more giant strides in terms of development. Today the Scientific world has just announced they may well have recreated what happened on the moment of creation with the possible discovery of the Higgs Boson subatomic particles. And in Zimbabwe we learn that up twenty Zimbabweans are routinely denied their basic human rights!
Surely, surely the restoration of basic human rights must have been at the very top of Tsvangirai and MDC’s “TO DO” list! If there was any doubt that the GNU could deliver this then MDC should never have signed the power sharing agreement with Mugabe!
PM Tsvangirai can not blame Mugabe for the GNU’s failures. He clearly underestimated Mugabe’s stubbornness and thus proving his own incompetency. For the last three years Tsvangirai has become the milestone round the nation’s neck; as long as he remains in any position of power and authority this nation will continue to suffer. Tsvangirai must go!
%%%%%
For the last three years MDC has been part of the Zimbabwe government. Other than tell lies about how Mugabe has changed and enjoy the perks given to them as Prime Minister and Ministers, Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have made no difference. Many Zimbabweans still consider MDC the nation's saviour just as they once regarded Mugabe national hero per excellence. It will take a few more years before it finally dawns on them than Tsvangirai is useless! Am I a black Zimbabwean, still I have to admit it; we are a thick nation!
Sunday, 11 December 2011
ANC Secretary-General Mantashe promise to help Zanu PF "win" the next elections. Not surprised, not really!
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe attending the just ended Zanu PF conference promised to send “campaign strategy teams” to help Zanu PF win the coming elections.
Since SA's ANC led government passed the Secrecy Bill which everyone could see was retrogressive and an affront on democracy; President Zuma and ANC knew they could never again lecture Mugabe on democracy and good governance. Lindiwe Zulu, President Zuma’s right hand person in his role as SADC mediator to the Zimbabwe crisis toned down her up to then softly, softly approach to nothing. The week before the Secrecy Bill was passed she was in Zimbabwe talking of a coming visit by President Zuma to get the principal to the GPA to address outstanding issues. After the bill was passed the visit was abandoned.
So Mr Mantashe’s promise to help Mugabe “win” the next elections is to be expected. Since ANC has lost all pretence to democratic credibility and will now openly support a fellow “liberation movement” that lost all democratic credibility a long time ago!
"The ANC wishes to affirm her commitment to being a good and trustworthy neighbour to a fellow liberation movement," Secretary- General Mantashe said. Given that Mugabe and Zanu PF has proved to be NOT a good and trustworthy neighbour; why does that leave President Zuma and ANC?
It was very naïve of Tsvangirai to have signed the GPA believing Mugabe can some how be transformer from the ruthless tyrant to a democrat and that SADC would ever push Mugabe to change.
$$$$$$
The UN has received less than half of the US$ 478 million to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable Zimbabweans next year. The UN blames it on donor fatigue.
According to the UN a million rural Zimbabweans will need food assistance, 34% and 2.4% of the children suffer from chronic and acute child malnutrition and 30% of the rural population are exposed to waterborne diseases because they drink water from unprotected water sources.
It is ease to see why donors are tired of Zimbabwe's begging, especially during these hard times when everyone is cutting back. Zimbabwe continues to spend a cool US$ 45 million on Mugabe's globe trotting in one year alone and then says it has no money!? How does one square that round hole!
Since SA's ANC led government passed the Secrecy Bill which everyone could see was retrogressive and an affront on democracy; President Zuma and ANC knew they could never again lecture Mugabe on democracy and good governance. Lindiwe Zulu, President Zuma’s right hand person in his role as SADC mediator to the Zimbabwe crisis toned down her up to then softly, softly approach to nothing. The week before the Secrecy Bill was passed she was in Zimbabwe talking of a coming visit by President Zuma to get the principal to the GPA to address outstanding issues. After the bill was passed the visit was abandoned.
So Mr Mantashe’s promise to help Mugabe “win” the next elections is to be expected. Since ANC has lost all pretence to democratic credibility and will now openly support a fellow “liberation movement” that lost all democratic credibility a long time ago!
"The ANC wishes to affirm her commitment to being a good and trustworthy neighbour to a fellow liberation movement," Secretary- General Mantashe said. Given that Mugabe and Zanu PF has proved to be NOT a good and trustworthy neighbour; why does that leave President Zuma and ANC?
It was very naïve of Tsvangirai to have signed the GPA believing Mugabe can some how be transformer from the ruthless tyrant to a democrat and that SADC would ever push Mugabe to change.
$$$$$$
The UN has received less than half of the US$ 478 million to meet the urgent needs of vulnerable Zimbabweans next year. The UN blames it on donor fatigue.
According to the UN a million rural Zimbabweans will need food assistance, 34% and 2.4% of the children suffer from chronic and acute child malnutrition and 30% of the rural population are exposed to waterborne diseases because they drink water from unprotected water sources.
It is ease to see why donors are tired of Zimbabwe's begging, especially during these hard times when everyone is cutting back. Zimbabwe continues to spend a cool US$ 45 million on Mugabe's globe trotting in one year alone and then says it has no money!? How does one square that round hole!
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Zanu PF's vultures and hyenas are out for blood and Mugabe is in their sights!
Zanu PF War Vet leader, Jabulan Sibanda calls Zanu PF leaders calling for Mugabe to go according to the WikiLeaks cables dogs to the rapturous applause from party conference delegates.
“Those people are serious sellouts, who pretend to like the President in his presence but go to the enemy behind him and criticise him. Dogs are even better than these people,” said Sibanda.For years we have heard of the two warring Zanu PF factions; the Mujuru and the “Ngwena” (Crocodile) Mnangagwa factions. How Mugabe, the loner with not even one person in the party he could call friend, has managed to play one faction against the other to retain the crown is a measure of the mental dexterity of the cunning fox.
Many of the Zanu PF big wigs like Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo had become increasingly bitter. Neither of the two factions considered them important for their cause and hence never bothered to invite them. Mugabe too must have considered them losers and so in his fight against the factions, he too ignored them completely. The WikiLeaks revelations have suddenly given Mutasa, Gumbo and all the other Zanu PF losers a life-line!
The WikiLeaks cables have revealed that a number of Zanu PF leaders had been calling for the removal of Mugabe. The Zanu PF losers are set to see all those named’s political wings clipped if not kicked out of the party. Such a move will break up the current factions and allow new factions and loyalty to emerge. They, hopefully, be the king-making, at very least! The very fact that there was such a loud cheer from the conference floor when Sibanda called those named in the WikiLeak “worse than dogs” goes to show there are indeed many “losers” beside Mutasa and Gumbo!
Ten years ago; the cunning old fox would have relished taking the WikiLeak “dogs” on. He is too old and feeble to do so now. After all the years of being played for fools, every one of these dogs would want nothing better than to go for the jugular vein if he dared take them on!
Millions of ordinary Zimbabweans hate Mugabe for the suffering and misery he brought on the nation. In a free and fair election Zimbabweans would “vote for a donkey than Mugabe,” Professor Jonathan Moyo rightly concluded. And like it or not Mugabe has to face the Zimbabwean electorate next year!
It suited Mugabe to divide his party into fighting factions; divide and rule. The in fight is now dog-eat-dog and the consequences, whatever happens, are not going to be pretty! Thugs like Sibanda and so too are many in the Police, Army and the notorious CIO are all throwing in their lot in the fight for political power.
It is the Zanu PF thugs who have carried out the lion’s share of the dirty work of the political violence that has kept Mugabe and Zanu PF in power. These thugs has had to contend themselves with nothing better than positions in the security sector. They had their fair share of the farms but, like everyone else, they soon realised farming is hard work. They are now aiming for higher jobs as MPs and Ministers denied them so far because they were not educated.
“A dog is not educated but it can understand better and defend its home than these people. Some of these people are even educated and some of them are even holding degrees!” Sibanda and his fellow thugs are pitching for the top jobs in the country!
Zimbabwe’s economic melt down has been devastating to the ordinary Zimbabweans; they have seen their hopes and dreams of freedom, a life with human dignity and economic security crashed! The Zanu PF ruling elite have not been spared either; with each passing year they love of power and wealth has grown and grown meanwhile the national cake has shrunk and shrunk. The daggers are out Zanu PF thugs will fight Mugabe to the death just as readily as they will fight and each other and their political opponents.
The Zanu PF vultures and hyenas are hungry and there is no much to satisfy their ravenous appetites. Mugabe nurtured all these ruthless creatures and is destined to be torn to shreds this party of ruthless thugs turn on each other.
Everything is piling up high for Mugabe and the old tyrant does not know which way to turn. No one is his right mind would want to be in Mugabe’s shoes; not for all the tyrant’s beautiful mansions, executive cars, thirteen farms, billions in foreign bank accounts, etc., etc. He would gladly give up all this wealth and the absolute power to boot for one hour of real peace of mind!
“The evil that men do lives after them” wrote William Shakespeare. “The good is oft interred with their bones!” The evil Mugabe has done is not waiting for his death; it is haunting him now and will continue to do so to the tyrant’s dying day!
“Those people are serious sellouts, who pretend to like the President in his presence but go to the enemy behind him and criticise him. Dogs are even better than these people,” said Sibanda.For years we have heard of the two warring Zanu PF factions; the Mujuru and the “Ngwena” (Crocodile) Mnangagwa factions. How Mugabe, the loner with not even one person in the party he could call friend, has managed to play one faction against the other to retain the crown is a measure of the mental dexterity of the cunning fox.
Many of the Zanu PF big wigs like Mutasa and Rugare Gumbo had become increasingly bitter. Neither of the two factions considered them important for their cause and hence never bothered to invite them. Mugabe too must have considered them losers and so in his fight against the factions, he too ignored them completely. The WikiLeaks revelations have suddenly given Mutasa, Gumbo and all the other Zanu PF losers a life-line!
The WikiLeaks cables have revealed that a number of Zanu PF leaders had been calling for the removal of Mugabe. The Zanu PF losers are set to see all those named’s political wings clipped if not kicked out of the party. Such a move will break up the current factions and allow new factions and loyalty to emerge. They, hopefully, be the king-making, at very least! The very fact that there was such a loud cheer from the conference floor when Sibanda called those named in the WikiLeak “worse than dogs” goes to show there are indeed many “losers” beside Mutasa and Gumbo!
Ten years ago; the cunning old fox would have relished taking the WikiLeak “dogs” on. He is too old and feeble to do so now. After all the years of being played for fools, every one of these dogs would want nothing better than to go for the jugular vein if he dared take them on!
Millions of ordinary Zimbabweans hate Mugabe for the suffering and misery he brought on the nation. In a free and fair election Zimbabweans would “vote for a donkey than Mugabe,” Professor Jonathan Moyo rightly concluded. And like it or not Mugabe has to face the Zimbabwean electorate next year!
It suited Mugabe to divide his party into fighting factions; divide and rule. The in fight is now dog-eat-dog and the consequences, whatever happens, are not going to be pretty! Thugs like Sibanda and so too are many in the Police, Army and the notorious CIO are all throwing in their lot in the fight for political power.
It is the Zanu PF thugs who have carried out the lion’s share of the dirty work of the political violence that has kept Mugabe and Zanu PF in power. These thugs has had to contend themselves with nothing better than positions in the security sector. They had their fair share of the farms but, like everyone else, they soon realised farming is hard work. They are now aiming for higher jobs as MPs and Ministers denied them so far because they were not educated.
“A dog is not educated but it can understand better and defend its home than these people. Some of these people are even educated and some of them are even holding degrees!” Sibanda and his fellow thugs are pitching for the top jobs in the country!
Zimbabwe’s economic melt down has been devastating to the ordinary Zimbabweans; they have seen their hopes and dreams of freedom, a life with human dignity and economic security crashed! The Zanu PF ruling elite have not been spared either; with each passing year they love of power and wealth has grown and grown meanwhile the national cake has shrunk and shrunk. The daggers are out Zanu PF thugs will fight Mugabe to the death just as readily as they will fight and each other and their political opponents.
The Zanu PF vultures and hyenas are hungry and there is no much to satisfy their ravenous appetites. Mugabe nurtured all these ruthless creatures and is destined to be torn to shreds this party of ruthless thugs turn on each other.
Everything is piling up high for Mugabe and the old tyrant does not know which way to turn. No one is his right mind would want to be in Mugabe’s shoes; not for all the tyrant’s beautiful mansions, executive cars, thirteen farms, billions in foreign bank accounts, etc., etc. He would gladly give up all this wealth and the absolute power to boot for one hour of real peace of mind!
“The evil that men do lives after them” wrote William Shakespeare. “The good is oft interred with their bones!” The evil Mugabe has done is not waiting for his death; it is haunting him now and will continue to do so to the tyrant’s dying day!
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Who will guard against the Zanu PF demigods given that they have absolute power!
When the late Solomon Mujuru died is a mysterious fire on his farm outside Harare; the Harare Fire truck arrived at the farm many hours after they had been notified of the fire. Peter Lobels, a US based businessmen and son of the founder of Lobels Bakery, and his wife who visited the Harare Fire Department at the time decried the deplorable state of disrepair of department’s trucks and equipment.
“This is crazy,” Mrs Lobels said. “We have a commitment to uplifting the people of Zimbabwe and one of the ways is through providing better services.”
The Lobels donated two fire trucks to Harare Fire Department.
Commitment to uplifting the lives of the people of Zimbabwe and providing them better services!? Well that was certainly double Dutch to Mrs Mujuru and would be to Mugabe and the rest of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite. For is it not the thirty years of the greed, corruption and looting by the ruling elite that is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down and collapse of even the most basic services like education, health and, in this case, fire prevention?
The Mujurus have reportedly amassed a fortune after all the years of corruption and looting. The farm where Mujuru died was looted from a white farmer who driven off with little more than the shirt he was wearing. The farm, like all the other looted farms, was never put to full productive use cause a steep drop in agricultural production and the precipitous national economic decline. A very familiar story in Zimbabwe!
The people know they live in abject poverty because of the years of rampant mismanagement, corruption and looting. They are powerless to do stop it; they have been systematically and ruthlessly denied a meaningful say in the governance. Another familiar story in Zimbabwe!
The donated Fire Trucks were received by a “tearful” Mrs Mujuru. The ruling elite like to officiate on such occasions. Indeed, they demand to be there; as many donors in Zimbabwe would testify. The Mujurus’ amassed fortune exceeds that of Mr Lobels and yet it would be unthinkable of her to donate the trucks even when she stood to benefit too as is clearly the case here. Still she had to be there because no one else other than the ruling elite should ever be seen as capable of doing anything to improve the lives of the masses. Donors who have failed to observe this protocol have been kicked out of the country leaving the aid recipients to suffer.
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will guard the guards themselves?)” AskedJuvenal Satires, Roman poet & satirist (55 AD - 127 AD.
Yes who indeed will guard the guards themselves if they should be corrupt! The task becomes near impossible if the guards are themselves the legislators, enforcers, the judges, the jury and executioners and the victims are not Roman citizens who understand their entitlement to the full protection of the law but voiceless slaves! Zanu PF “guards” have become nothing short of demigods and have ruled accordingly!
%%%%%%%
Chief Lucious Chitsinde Negomo of Chiweshe in Mashonaland Central Province has summoned Prime Minister Tsvangirai to his court for breaking an old custom forbidding one to marry in the month of November! With all Zimbabwe’s problems one would think the Chief would have more important things to do.
Chief Negomo, how many children are sick and dying because the clinics and hospitals in Chiweshe have closed or they are so poorly equipped and staffed to be of any help? We all know the route cause of this human tragedy and yet you have done nothing. In your infinite wisdom you think pursuing Tsvangirai for marrying in November is what you are there for?
Before independence Zimbabwe had leaders like Chief Tangwena, a man of courage and vision. Today from the village-heads, to the Chiefs, to MPs, Ministers, Prime Minister and his Deputies right up to the President himself and his Vice Presidents; none of them have shown they have common sense let alone courage and vision. Zimbabwe’s economic and political mess is a man-made problem; for the last three decade the nation has pursued policies that defy common sense!
The Zanu PF dictatorship has brainwashed and stifled this nation. It swept away the light of reason, truth, love and justice and replaced it with the darkness of fear and ignorance. Out of this culture of fear only scum can rise to the top, to be leaders!
“This is crazy,” Mrs Lobels said. “We have a commitment to uplifting the people of Zimbabwe and one of the ways is through providing better services.”
The Lobels donated two fire trucks to Harare Fire Department.
Commitment to uplifting the lives of the people of Zimbabwe and providing them better services!? Well that was certainly double Dutch to Mrs Mujuru and would be to Mugabe and the rest of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite. For is it not the thirty years of the greed, corruption and looting by the ruling elite that is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down and collapse of even the most basic services like education, health and, in this case, fire prevention?
The Mujurus have reportedly amassed a fortune after all the years of corruption and looting. The farm where Mujuru died was looted from a white farmer who driven off with little more than the shirt he was wearing. The farm, like all the other looted farms, was never put to full productive use cause a steep drop in agricultural production and the precipitous national economic decline. A very familiar story in Zimbabwe!
The people know they live in abject poverty because of the years of rampant mismanagement, corruption and looting. They are powerless to do stop it; they have been systematically and ruthlessly denied a meaningful say in the governance. Another familiar story in Zimbabwe!
The donated Fire Trucks were received by a “tearful” Mrs Mujuru. The ruling elite like to officiate on such occasions. Indeed, they demand to be there; as many donors in Zimbabwe would testify. The Mujurus’ amassed fortune exceeds that of Mr Lobels and yet it would be unthinkable of her to donate the trucks even when she stood to benefit too as is clearly the case here. Still she had to be there because no one else other than the ruling elite should ever be seen as capable of doing anything to improve the lives of the masses. Donors who have failed to observe this protocol have been kicked out of the country leaving the aid recipients to suffer.
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who will guard the guards themselves?)” AskedJuvenal Satires, Roman poet & satirist (55 AD - 127 AD.
Yes who indeed will guard the guards themselves if they should be corrupt! The task becomes near impossible if the guards are themselves the legislators, enforcers, the judges, the jury and executioners and the victims are not Roman citizens who understand their entitlement to the full protection of the law but voiceless slaves! Zanu PF “guards” have become nothing short of demigods and have ruled accordingly!
%%%%%%%
Chief Lucious Chitsinde Negomo of Chiweshe in Mashonaland Central Province has summoned Prime Minister Tsvangirai to his court for breaking an old custom forbidding one to marry in the month of November! With all Zimbabwe’s problems one would think the Chief would have more important things to do.
Chief Negomo, how many children are sick and dying because the clinics and hospitals in Chiweshe have closed or they are so poorly equipped and staffed to be of any help? We all know the route cause of this human tragedy and yet you have done nothing. In your infinite wisdom you think pursuing Tsvangirai for marrying in November is what you are there for?
Before independence Zimbabwe had leaders like Chief Tangwena, a man of courage and vision. Today from the village-heads, to the Chiefs, to MPs, Ministers, Prime Minister and his Deputies right up to the President himself and his Vice Presidents; none of them have shown they have common sense let alone courage and vision. Zimbabwe’s economic and political mess is a man-made problem; for the last three decade the nation has pursued policies that defy common sense!
The Zanu PF dictatorship has brainwashed and stifled this nation. It swept away the light of reason, truth, love and justice and replaced it with the darkness of fear and ignorance. Out of this culture of fear only scum can rise to the top, to be leaders!
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
In the search for quality leaders the ego of the individual is not important!
@Tahir
It is not the fate of Morgan, you, me or anyone else out there that is at stake here. It is the fate of Zimbabwe, the fate of the whole nation, all the 12 million of us. Zimbabwe is in a hell-hole today politically and economically and the tragic consequences of that are there for us all to see. It was the nation’s leaders who landed us in this mess and we all played our part - active, direct or whatever - electing these incompetent men and women into power and keeping them there. We must now play our part in making sure we elect the most competent leaders into power if we are ever to get out of this mess.
There are many reasons why this nation has been ruled and ruined by tyrants like Mugabe; misfits like Gono, Simba Makoni; half wits like Chihuri, Muzenda, Tsvangirai; etc. One of those reasons has to be that once we have elected someone leader we want him or her to succeed so badly we refuse to acknowledge they are even capable of making a mistake. For 20 years after independence the nation simply refused to acknowledge that Mugabe, the great war-hero, could do wrong. Even with all the evidence of growing corruption, political repression and the blood of thousands of innocent Zimbabweans on his hands; we refused to accept Mugabe was a ruthless tyrant. We are doing the same with Tsvangirai.
Signing the GPA and thus allow Mugabe back into power was a monumental blunder by Tsvangirai. And he has made numerous more blunders beside. Why are you finding it so difficult to accept that?
The willingness to accept that a leader can make mistakes, that they are fallible, or to accept that there are other alternative points of view other than those of the current leadership is an essential quality if we are ever to get quality leaders. It is this willingness to accept that all leader a fallible and that there can be some one else better them him or her that will force the leader to hard to prove they are the best. And those challenging the leader will strive hard to prove why they should lead. It is because of the competition that we can be sure of electing and retaining the best leaders possible!
$$$$$
Ghana’s former President, J Rawlings, criticise IIC for “humiliating” Gbagbo following the latter’s arrest. Gbagbo faces four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and inhuman acts, over post-election violence the UN said cost about 3 000 lives.
The trouble with some African leaders is that they really think once someone becomes Head of State they deserve special treatment even if they commit very serious crimes against the nation. By refusing to step down after losing the Election Gbagbo cause the political chaos that costed many lives. The nation could have easily slip into a bloody civil war, for Christ sake. All J Rawlings is concerned about is Gbagbo's comforts. Why did he not tell Gbagbo to step down and thus saved something more important than the misplace ego of a tyrant - human lives!
@ Agbodzi
What are you talking about? Do you accept that Gbagbo lost the elections and refused to step down? If so, do you accept that by refusing to step down he caused the upheaval that followed? If so then it is right that Gbagbo should account for it.
Africa has already seen a number of leaders lose elections and refuse to hand over power. We must stamp this out. The ICC is helping us do just that and so what are you complaining about?
It is not the fate of Morgan, you, me or anyone else out there that is at stake here. It is the fate of Zimbabwe, the fate of the whole nation, all the 12 million of us. Zimbabwe is in a hell-hole today politically and economically and the tragic consequences of that are there for us all to see. It was the nation’s leaders who landed us in this mess and we all played our part - active, direct or whatever - electing these incompetent men and women into power and keeping them there. We must now play our part in making sure we elect the most competent leaders into power if we are ever to get out of this mess.
There are many reasons why this nation has been ruled and ruined by tyrants like Mugabe; misfits like Gono, Simba Makoni; half wits like Chihuri, Muzenda, Tsvangirai; etc. One of those reasons has to be that once we have elected someone leader we want him or her to succeed so badly we refuse to acknowledge they are even capable of making a mistake. For 20 years after independence the nation simply refused to acknowledge that Mugabe, the great war-hero, could do wrong. Even with all the evidence of growing corruption, political repression and the blood of thousands of innocent Zimbabweans on his hands; we refused to accept Mugabe was a ruthless tyrant. We are doing the same with Tsvangirai.
Signing the GPA and thus allow Mugabe back into power was a monumental blunder by Tsvangirai. And he has made numerous more blunders beside. Why are you finding it so difficult to accept that?
The willingness to accept that a leader can make mistakes, that they are fallible, or to accept that there are other alternative points of view other than those of the current leadership is an essential quality if we are ever to get quality leaders. It is this willingness to accept that all leader a fallible and that there can be some one else better them him or her that will force the leader to hard to prove they are the best. And those challenging the leader will strive hard to prove why they should lead. It is because of the competition that we can be sure of electing and retaining the best leaders possible!
$$$$$
Ghana’s former President, J Rawlings, criticise IIC for “humiliating” Gbagbo following the latter’s arrest. Gbagbo faces four counts of crimes against humanity, including murder, rape and inhuman acts, over post-election violence the UN said cost about 3 000 lives.
The trouble with some African leaders is that they really think once someone becomes Head of State they deserve special treatment even if they commit very serious crimes against the nation. By refusing to step down after losing the Election Gbagbo cause the political chaos that costed many lives. The nation could have easily slip into a bloody civil war, for Christ sake. All J Rawlings is concerned about is Gbagbo's comforts. Why did he not tell Gbagbo to step down and thus saved something more important than the misplace ego of a tyrant - human lives!
@ Agbodzi
What are you talking about? Do you accept that Gbagbo lost the elections and refused to step down? If so, do you accept that by refusing to step down he caused the upheaval that followed? If so then it is right that Gbagbo should account for it.
Africa has already seen a number of leaders lose elections and refuse to hand over power. We must stamp this out. The ICC is helping us do just that and so what are you complaining about?
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Africa's salvation lies in turning the subservient masses into a thinking and self assured electorate!
Tony Hawkins wrote an article “Economy: growth or recovery” in which he question Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister. Tendai Biti’s forecast 2% growth rate. I did not care much whether the 2% was considered growth or recovery; that was all semantics. I was disappointed that in the last three years the Zimbabwe economy has only managed such a miserable growth rate when it could have achieved a 20 % rate plus.
We should remember that the Zimbabwe economy had registered a staggering 84% economic shrinkage in 2002 to 2008. If the GNU had managed to end the corruption, restore rule of law, etc. the country would have had billions in foreign aid and investment and with efficient utilization of our own human and material resources there is no reason why the national economy should not have taken off big-time. Why not; after all the country still had the infrastructure and the skilled workers.
The vitriolic attach against Tony was totally unjustified. Some people question his qualification to criticise without ever making a single economic argument to disprove Tony’s points. Across the board the Zimbabwe media and public had given Minister Biti’s budget a big thumbs-up! And all these people were now angry that Tony to expose their ignorance.
Anger is the shield and spear of choince of the ignorant!
People have often lamented the lack of quality leaders in Africa and of course they are right but what these people forget to mention is the lack of a quality electorate. Africa’s salvations lies in the transformation of a subservient, gullible and blissfully contended, sometimes to the point of hostility against those who dare remind them of their folly, masses into a thinking and confident electorate. For without a quality electorate; the quality leaders, even if a few could emerge, will never have the mass public support to change much!
(Tony Hawkins’ article is in the New Zimbabwe and SA’s Financial Mail.)
%%%%%%%
This is a really interesting and important subject and thank you very much for bringing it up. I would not say the "ball is in the people's court" at least not as far as JOC is concerned. JOC believes they have the guns and therefore they can dictate what they please. The ball is in their court in that they call all the shots and like it or not we, the people are powerless to do anything. And admittedly that is exactly what we see on the ground.
The ball is in the people’s court in the sense that it is up to them now to do something to end this intolerable and repressive situation. And I say that the people have done something end this dictatorship.
In March 2008 the people of Zimbabwe voted in droves to give Mugabe and Zanu PF the biggest electoral defeat and Tsvangirai and his MDC party the mandate to rule Zimbabwe. The people knew that Mugabe and Zanu PF will not take kindly to any electoral revolt and the tyrant’s retribution was both swift and severe. He refused to accept that he lost the vote and demanded a presidential run-off tyrant and made sure that that the electorate were beaten into submission before the June 2008 vote.
Of course what Mugabe did in 2008 was an outrage and the whole international community was condemned the sham election. They refused to accept him as the legitimate President of Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai did not have to go into any power sharing agreement with Mugabe, not after what the tyrant had just done. And to add insult to injury sign a power sharing arrangement in which the tyrant had all his dictatorial power. That was down right stupid on Tsvangirai’s part and the nation has paid dearly for it.
Still even within the frame work of the GPA the opportunity to end the repression still existed. The March 2008 vote gave MDC control of parliament. Parliament has the power and authority to rein in Chihuru and all the other rogue security officers, for example, who have taken it upon themselves to neglect their duties of enforcing the rule of law or worse in their drive to keep Mugabe and Zanu PF in power at all cost. Parliament has the power and authority to impeach Mugabe himself if it can be proven that he has ever said or done anything to encourage the scourge political violence that has caused so much suffering and deaths in the country for all these years.
MDC had 57 MPs in the 2005 parliament but they made no difference supposedly because it was a Zanu PF controlled house. What is MDC’s excuse for doing nothing this time!
Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans were beaten or raped and over 500 lost their lives for a useless and powerless parliament; a paper tiger! Why anyone should ever bother to vote for Tsvangirai or any of his MDC friends beggars belief!
$$$$$
Ray Bennet calls Zanu PF a “Mafia” gang. Has this reality just dawned on him now or is he saying this now because he was denied a chance to join his MDC friends at the table presided over by none other than the tyrant Mugabe himself!
It is rich for Mr Bennet to be calling Zanu PF the Mafia today and yet he like the rest of MDC leaders approved MDC's singing the GPA with Mugabe and for a long time after it said nothing! He is not different from all the other Zanu PF turncoats like Makoni, Nkala, Dumiso Dabengwa who had nothing but praise for Mugabe when they were in power only to criticise him when they fell out with the tyrant! We want principled leaders not good weather friends.
We should remember that the Zimbabwe economy had registered a staggering 84% economic shrinkage in 2002 to 2008. If the GNU had managed to end the corruption, restore rule of law, etc. the country would have had billions in foreign aid and investment and with efficient utilization of our own human and material resources there is no reason why the national economy should not have taken off big-time. Why not; after all the country still had the infrastructure and the skilled workers.
The vitriolic attach against Tony was totally unjustified. Some people question his qualification to criticise without ever making a single economic argument to disprove Tony’s points. Across the board the Zimbabwe media and public had given Minister Biti’s budget a big thumbs-up! And all these people were now angry that Tony to expose their ignorance.
Anger is the shield and spear of choince of the ignorant!
People have often lamented the lack of quality leaders in Africa and of course they are right but what these people forget to mention is the lack of a quality electorate. Africa’s salvations lies in the transformation of a subservient, gullible and blissfully contended, sometimes to the point of hostility against those who dare remind them of their folly, masses into a thinking and confident electorate. For without a quality electorate; the quality leaders, even if a few could emerge, will never have the mass public support to change much!
(Tony Hawkins’ article is in the New Zimbabwe and SA’s Financial Mail.)
%%%%%%%
This is a really interesting and important subject and thank you very much for bringing it up. I would not say the "ball is in the people's court" at least not as far as JOC is concerned. JOC believes they have the guns and therefore they can dictate what they please. The ball is in their court in that they call all the shots and like it or not we, the people are powerless to do anything. And admittedly that is exactly what we see on the ground.
The ball is in the people’s court in the sense that it is up to them now to do something to end this intolerable and repressive situation. And I say that the people have done something end this dictatorship.
In March 2008 the people of Zimbabwe voted in droves to give Mugabe and Zanu PF the biggest electoral defeat and Tsvangirai and his MDC party the mandate to rule Zimbabwe. The people knew that Mugabe and Zanu PF will not take kindly to any electoral revolt and the tyrant’s retribution was both swift and severe. He refused to accept that he lost the vote and demanded a presidential run-off tyrant and made sure that that the electorate were beaten into submission before the June 2008 vote.
Of course what Mugabe did in 2008 was an outrage and the whole international community was condemned the sham election. They refused to accept him as the legitimate President of Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai did not have to go into any power sharing agreement with Mugabe, not after what the tyrant had just done. And to add insult to injury sign a power sharing arrangement in which the tyrant had all his dictatorial power. That was down right stupid on Tsvangirai’s part and the nation has paid dearly for it.
Still even within the frame work of the GPA the opportunity to end the repression still existed. The March 2008 vote gave MDC control of parliament. Parliament has the power and authority to rein in Chihuru and all the other rogue security officers, for example, who have taken it upon themselves to neglect their duties of enforcing the rule of law or worse in their drive to keep Mugabe and Zanu PF in power at all cost. Parliament has the power and authority to impeach Mugabe himself if it can be proven that he has ever said or done anything to encourage the scourge political violence that has caused so much suffering and deaths in the country for all these years.
MDC had 57 MPs in the 2005 parliament but they made no difference supposedly because it was a Zanu PF controlled house. What is MDC’s excuse for doing nothing this time!
Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans were beaten or raped and over 500 lost their lives for a useless and powerless parliament; a paper tiger! Why anyone should ever bother to vote for Tsvangirai or any of his MDC friends beggars belief!
$$$$$
Ray Bennet calls Zanu PF a “Mafia” gang. Has this reality just dawned on him now or is he saying this now because he was denied a chance to join his MDC friends at the table presided over by none other than the tyrant Mugabe himself!
It is rich for Mr Bennet to be calling Zanu PF the Mafia today and yet he like the rest of MDC leaders approved MDC's singing the GPA with Mugabe and for a long time after it said nothing! He is not different from all the other Zanu PF turncoats like Makoni, Nkala, Dumiso Dabengwa who had nothing but praise for Mugabe when they were in power only to criticise him when they fell out with the tyrant! We want principled leaders not good weather friends.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
The American presidential race is on, we should learn the true rigours on democracy but never do!
It is that time of the American political cycle again where all aspiring candidates to hold various public offices including the top job, President of the United States of America, put their names in the hat and under goes a rigorous test at the end of which the party members seek who they want to be their party candidate. After that the winning candidate will have to undergo an even more torturous acid test at the end of which the whole nation gets to pick the winner. This is what is noticeably lacking in Africa!
For all their rhetoric about championing democratic change Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have stifled debate and competition within the party itself, just as Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies have done. Indeed the only difference between Tsvangirai and Mugabe is that the latter stifled democratic competition against him and his Zanu PF candidates to the point of death! Is it any wonder then we have ended up with a tyrant Mugabe as president and an incompetent and indecisive Tsvangirai as the alternative.
££££££££££
Tony Hawkins, one of the leading Economist in Zimbabwe asked the key question: Economy: is it growth or recovery?
“AT first sight it is almost too good to be true. Zimbabwe’s economy has “grown” about 2 percent in the three years since dollarisation and the launch of the seriously misnamed government of national unity in February 2009,” wrote Tony.
Zimbabwe’s 2% growth is at the back of a staggering 84% economic shrink in the six year period 2002 to 2008. With sound economic policies and political will the country should be registering 20% plus growth. Zimbabwe did not have any foreign aid or investment for example, one of the key requirements for economic recovery, because the country to this day is still seen as a lawlessness and corrupt country.
For a country facing 80% plus unemployment rate a 2% economic growth rate is nothing. It is really disappointing that some Zimbabweans including the Finance Minister himself should be pleased with the 2%. Yes it is infinitely better than what the nation had at the tail end of Mugabe's rule; still should we be comparing ourselves with a failed dictatorship or what we can be?!
For all their rhetoric about championing democratic change Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have stifled debate and competition within the party itself, just as Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies have done. Indeed the only difference between Tsvangirai and Mugabe is that the latter stifled democratic competition against him and his Zanu PF candidates to the point of death! Is it any wonder then we have ended up with a tyrant Mugabe as president and an incompetent and indecisive Tsvangirai as the alternative.
££££££££££
Tony Hawkins, one of the leading Economist in Zimbabwe asked the key question: Economy: is it growth or recovery?
“AT first sight it is almost too good to be true. Zimbabwe’s economy has “grown” about 2 percent in the three years since dollarisation and the launch of the seriously misnamed government of national unity in February 2009,” wrote Tony.
Zimbabwe’s 2% growth is at the back of a staggering 84% economic shrink in the six year period 2002 to 2008. With sound economic policies and political will the country should be registering 20% plus growth. Zimbabwe did not have any foreign aid or investment for example, one of the key requirements for economic recovery, because the country to this day is still seen as a lawlessness and corrupt country.
For a country facing 80% plus unemployment rate a 2% economic growth rate is nothing. It is really disappointing that some Zimbabweans including the Finance Minister himself should be pleased with the 2%. Yes it is infinitely better than what the nation had at the tail end of Mugabe's rule; still should we be comparing ourselves with a failed dictatorship or what we can be?!
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Minister Biti bows down to MPs' outrageous US$ 3.3 million allowances demand!
Minister Biti has reportedly bowed to MPs demands for their US$ 3.3 million allowance back pay. Why am I not surprised!
The country’s health and education systems, Prisons, etc. are all in a shocking state because for decades now government has failed to make adequate budgetary provisions for these important public services. The budget Minister Biti presented last week was no different; the rot in the public service will continue. And millions of Zimbabweans who now live in abject poverty for no fault of their own and are therefore totally dependent on these meagre public services will continue to suffer and dies.
A US$ 3.3 million budgetary allocation to the ministry of health can mean the difference between the buying enough polio vaccines for a million children, for example, or condemned them to heart breaking misery should they catch the disease. Yes, Zimbabwe’s budgetary squeeze has sunk to nauseating depth of depravity! It is in this contrasting light that the MPs’ US$ 3.3 allowance demand and Mugabe gobbling up of US$ 45 million on foreign travel alone - all paid from the same public pot - must be seen.
Mugabe has lavished power and money on all those holding in position of power from the lowly village heads and traditional Chiefs to MPs and Ministers to buy their blind loyalty and keeping him in power. Tsvangirai and his MDC MPs can complain about Mugabe refusing to honour everything else since the signing of the GPA but one thing; the tyrant has honoured his promise to let MDC members to enjoy the spoils of power same as his Zanu PF cronies. And for their part, Tsvangirai and company have been careful never to do anything to seriously threaten Mugabe’s hold on power.
MDC MPs joined Zanu PF’s own MPs in demanding the US$ 3.3 million out of a sense of entitlement; their share of the loot! Of course, Mugabe, Tsvangirai all these MPs know that their looting is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down and the heart breaking suffering of the millions across the land and they do not care. All they care about is to hang on to their public office position and have a get as much of the loot as they can while they can.
The Zimbabwe economy has remained in the stuck in doldrums these last three years because the GNU has failed to carry through the necessary structural changes. The West has not given Zimbabwe a single penny for the much hoped for foreign aid because they do not pour water in a leaky bucket. God knows they have explained to Minister Biti what Zimbabwe needs to do. Biti did not push through any of these changes because he did not want to rock the boat. It did not take much arm twisting for him to give to the MPs the US$ 3.3 on this occasion! He too knows which side of his bread is buttered.
All MDC’s talk of democratic change is nothing but empty rhetoric. Tsvangirai and MDC have had countless opportunities to force through change and end this ruinous dictatorship but failed to follow through on all occasions because they are “now busy eating” as Tanonoka Joseph Hwande has so aptly put it!
Until we have quality leaders who will stand up to Mugabe and all those who have sold their souls to the tyrant for thirty pieces of silver; only then will Zimbabwe have real change and hope for a better future.
The country’s health and education systems, Prisons, etc. are all in a shocking state because for decades now government has failed to make adequate budgetary provisions for these important public services. The budget Minister Biti presented last week was no different; the rot in the public service will continue. And millions of Zimbabweans who now live in abject poverty for no fault of their own and are therefore totally dependent on these meagre public services will continue to suffer and dies.
A US$ 3.3 million budgetary allocation to the ministry of health can mean the difference between the buying enough polio vaccines for a million children, for example, or condemned them to heart breaking misery should they catch the disease. Yes, Zimbabwe’s budgetary squeeze has sunk to nauseating depth of depravity! It is in this contrasting light that the MPs’ US$ 3.3 allowance demand and Mugabe gobbling up of US$ 45 million on foreign travel alone - all paid from the same public pot - must be seen.
Mugabe has lavished power and money on all those holding in position of power from the lowly village heads and traditional Chiefs to MPs and Ministers to buy their blind loyalty and keeping him in power. Tsvangirai and his MDC MPs can complain about Mugabe refusing to honour everything else since the signing of the GPA but one thing; the tyrant has honoured his promise to let MDC members to enjoy the spoils of power same as his Zanu PF cronies. And for their part, Tsvangirai and company have been careful never to do anything to seriously threaten Mugabe’s hold on power.
MDC MPs joined Zanu PF’s own MPs in demanding the US$ 3.3 million out of a sense of entitlement; their share of the loot! Of course, Mugabe, Tsvangirai all these MPs know that their looting is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down and the heart breaking suffering of the millions across the land and they do not care. All they care about is to hang on to their public office position and have a get as much of the loot as they can while they can.
The Zimbabwe economy has remained in the stuck in doldrums these last three years because the GNU has failed to carry through the necessary structural changes. The West has not given Zimbabwe a single penny for the much hoped for foreign aid because they do not pour water in a leaky bucket. God knows they have explained to Minister Biti what Zimbabwe needs to do. Biti did not push through any of these changes because he did not want to rock the boat. It did not take much arm twisting for him to give to the MPs the US$ 3.3 on this occasion! He too knows which side of his bread is buttered.
All MDC’s talk of democratic change is nothing but empty rhetoric. Tsvangirai and MDC have had countless opportunities to force through change and end this ruinous dictatorship but failed to follow through on all occasions because they are “now busy eating” as Tanonoka Joseph Hwande has so aptly put it!
Until we have quality leaders who will stand up to Mugabe and all those who have sold their souls to the tyrant for thirty pieces of silver; only then will Zimbabwe have real change and hope for a better future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)