Mugabe has no power to stop Parliament debating Security Officers' lawlessness!

The root cause of Zimbabwe’s political crisis is Mugabe and Zanu PF denying the people of Zimbabwe their basic and fundamental right to a meaningful say in the governance of country. Before independence “One man, one vote!” was their rallying call but as soon as they were in power their only vote that counted was a Zanu PF vote.

Without free and fair elections the people have no other way of stopping corrupt and repressive public officials as Zimbabweans soon learnt. Free and fair elections are the central pillar on which free and democratic government stand. Deny that right and corruption and repression will thrive and the nation will pay dearly for it in blood and treasure.

Mugabe and Zanu PF’s response to the nation’s growing demand to the party to honour its “One man one vote!” was greater political repression. First the party used members of its Women and Youth Leagues and War Veterans to spear head its political violence to silence its critics and political opponents. Security services, media, judiciary and parliament itself - all staffed by Zanu PF loyalists - turned a blind eye to it all. In the last election the Police, Army, CIO and other State Security organs played a dominant role in the orgy of rape, beatings and murder that marked the 2008 presidential run-off.

“Parliament cannot be Commander-in-Chief of the security forces. It has no business debating the conduct of individuals in command, let them raise that with me in appropriate forums,” Mugabe said last year.

The State President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the security forces; that it true. But when Police Officers fail to make any arrest when an innocent man has his hand cup off and killed, when CIO Officers drive around kidnapping and murdering our people and Army General’s make disparaging remarks about refusing to honour the electoral will of the people; the nation has a right to demand immediate and decisive action to stop all this lawlessness. And who better to do than Parliament.

Mugabe usurped the people’s political power by denying them a meaningful vote. He undermined the constitutional and democratic functions of the media, judiciary, Police, etc. by appointing party loyalists and sycophants to run these organisations. Until the 2008 elections Zanu PF controlled parliament and for 28 years there was no real debate in that august house. Not even the massacre of 20 000 by Gukurahundi prompted even one MP to ask why? In 2008 Zimbabweans ended Zanu PF’s parliamentary majority.

Parliament has the power and authority to impeach the State President and, if necessary, have him/her removed from office. If Parliament has these powers over the Commander-in-Chief how can it be that the same parliament has no similar powers over those the Chief commands?

Mugabe is a dictator and true to form he assumed for himself powers beyond those constitutionally granted to the office of State President. The only relevant question here is; does the MDC controlled parliament have the political will and spine to end Mugabe’s dictatorial excesses? Sadly the answer has to be no.

For three years Tsvangirai has done nothing to rein in Mugabe and end the lawlessness although MDC have the political power to do so. Zimbabweans have to accept that MDC will never get the nation out of the political mess Mugabe landed us in. No Zimbabwean life should be put at risk by supporting Tsvangirai and MDC; they will never change anything!