Failure to implement GPA reforms is causing consternation in Zanu PF and MDC

“Wilbert, do you know how much consternation and discomfort you and your GPA reforms are causing in Zanu PF, MDC and even People First circles? I can understand why Zanu PF does not want the reforms because they will dismantle the dictatorship (but not MDC),” commented Patrick.

It is not surprising that the GPA reforms are causing consternation and discomfort to both Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai; the two know in their hearts that none of the reforms were implemented and that is why the nation is going back to the wanton violence of 2008 – the very thing the GPA was supposed to end. The two leaders plus one Arthur Mutambara and President Thabo Mbeki as the SADC guarantor, are the signatories to the GPA. They cannot disown it nor can they pretend that any of the democratic reforms demanded there in were implemented. So to stop the repeat of the 2008 wanton violence the nation is demanding that these two leaders honour their pledge and finally implement the GPA reforms.

Of course President Mugabe knows that not one of the GPA reforms were implemented; he was very careful to ensure MDC members were well “oiled” with beer, women (for those known to lose their heads in the presence of women) and all the other creature comforts they desired to make them  forget about implementing the reforms. Mugabe gave Tsvangirai the $4 million Highlands mansion, “vhara muromo” (zip your mouth), as we would call it in Shona and Tsvangirai superglued his mouth shut.

Mugabe was very pleased with himself when at the end of the five years of the GNU not even one reform had been implemented and he was able to rig the elections with ease.

There have been a number of cases of wanton violence and some of it involved Zanu PF supporters from one faction fighting those belonging to another party faction. The Police and other authorities have, as usual, done little to stop the violence as they are still hamstrung by the same highly politicized loyalties of the pre- 2008 GPA. The GPA reforms were designed to cut the umbilical cords tying the Police, CIO, Judiciary, etc. to Zanu PF which has forced them to serve the party’s “no regime change” agenda instead of the nation and common good of maintaining law and order. None of these cords were cut since none of the reforms were implemented.

As much as Mugabe would want to pretend the 2013 elections were free and fair and the country has moved on the reality on the ground shows the wanton violence, chaos and vote rigging of 2008 are back with vengeance. Indeed the EU and US have issued a statement condemning the return of 2008 political violence and called on the regime to put an end to it.

“The EU delegation is deeply concerned about recent incidents of violence against members of political parties,” read the EU statement.

“Intra or inter party political violence and intimidation are totally unacceptable anywhere.

“Those responsible for such violence should be brought to justice. The EU encourages all parties to respect democratic principles and contribute to a peaceful, just and democratic society.”

The common thing for Mugabe to do would be to dismissed the GPA reforms as a regime change agenda sponsored by the “British imperialists and their Western allies”. He cannot do so here because the GPA was a SADC initiative in response to his 2008 election violence and barbarism.

The call for the implementation of the GPA reforms presents a different challenge for Tsvangirai and his fellow MDC friends that making them more than blush like teenagers after their first kiss; their political careers are at stake. They very fact that the reforms are back on the national agenda is the irrefutable proof they dropped the ball during the GNU by failed to implement even one reform.

Towards the end of the GNU when it became increasing clear MDC had failed to get even one GPA reform implemented Tsvangirai and company countered that by insisting the new constitution approved in the March 2013 referendum was enough to deliver the free, fair and credible elections the nation was seeking. They were warned the new constitution was too weak and feeble to do that but they would not listen.

Mugabe blatantly rigged the July 2013 elections, as we now know, living Tsvangirai et al with rotten eggs on their faces.

Many people have said the Zimbabwe electorate is naïve and gullible; these people are right. Still, a full public expose of how Tsvangirai and his MDC friends had sold-out during  GNU by failing to implement even one reform, a betrayal that is cause the whole nation all the political and economic grief since the July 2013 elections, could well be knock-out punch from which many MDC will recover to beat the count out; even with a naïve electorate.

Back in 2008 everyone agreed that implementing the democratic reforms in the GPA would end Zimbabwe’s political culture of political violence and vote rigging. Mugabe and Tsvangirai cannot disown the GPA they appended their names and signatures to the document. We now have the same spectra of wanton violence and barbarism rearing its ugly head again; we do not need to reinvent the wheel but only to one we agreed would work – with one qualification, we must implement all the reforms.

The 2008 GPA failed to stop the return of the wanton violence because not even one reform was implemented; we must change that and implement all the reforms this time! All!

For Pete’s sake let us just go back to the 2008 GPA and implement all the reforms without wasted another hour, another dollar and, most important of all, another innocent Zimbabwean life in this political madness.  Both Mugabe and Tsvangirai signed the 2008 GPA we demand that they must now honour their pledge and agree to the full implementation of all the reforms there in!