When
I was a boy I visited my Aunt, my father’s step sister, and her family in
Bulawayo. Her husband worked at Ingutsheni Mental Hospital. The one image that
has stayed with me all life is of this patient, strong as an ox, toiling in the
hot sun watering the garden with a leaking bucket. She was soaked with water
and mud.
“Once
she sets her mind on doing something she will not stop,” explained my Uncle.
“Watering the garden is one of her favourite chores. As long as she is not
doing anyone else or herself any harm we let her.”
But
why the leaking bucket?
“Well,
that is part of the test. If she was a full shilling, she would ask for one
that is not leaking.
“MaGumbo!
(the patient’s totem family name)” called out my uncle. “Your bucket in
leaking!”
MaGumbo
stopped and looked at the bucket. “Aahayii!” The disappointment in her voice
was palpable.
“I
will carry the bucket on my head!” She said, after a thoughtful pose; setting
off with renewed zeal and passion born of the lightning bolt of inspiration! She
soon looked like a chicken caught in a storm, in her drenched khaki hospital
drab; but toiled on regardless.
Save
(Tsvangirai’s totem family name) has been told a thousand times that it is
insane to keep contesting Zimbabwean flawed elections which Zanu PF is free to
rig the vote and expect a difference result.
Zanu
PF’s unbeatable vote rigging exploits have been graphically proven beyond all
doubt in the 2008 elections. Tsvangirai polled 73% of the vote, according to
Mugabe’s own inadvertent admission, but before the result was made public ZEC
was ordered to recount the 5 million or so votes. After six weeks of cooking up
the figures, the 73% was whittled down to 47% - enough to deny Tsvangirai an
outright victory and forcing a run-off.
In
the run-off, Mugabe set out to harass, beat, rape and even murdered over 500
innocent Zimbabweans for the sole purpose of forcing the people to vote for
him. It worked! He overturned his 27% in March into an 84% landslide victory in
June – one of the greatest vote swing in human history.
The
whole world, including AU and SADC, refused to recognise Zanu PF’s 2008 electoral
victory after all that blatant cooking up of the vote count and wanton
violence. SADC ordered fresh elections but first the GNU was ordered to implement
a raft of reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging the vote. Save and his MDC
colleagues failed to get even one reform implemented.
SADC
leaders and anyone with any common sense advised Save & co. not to contest
the 2013 elections with no reforms in place because Zanu PF will just rig the
vote again. If Save and many other MDC leaders did not see the futility of
contesting flawed elections, a few like David Coltart, MDC Minister of
education during the GNU, did.
“The
worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs
couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the elections,” Coltart admitted in
his recent book.
“The
electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to
withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the
distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that
the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process
credibility.”
It
was only after contesting the 2013 elections and suffering another heavy defeat
that Save & co. came to their senses and agreed it was, indeed, futile to
contest flawed elections. “No reform, no elections!” their respective party
congresses resolved.
Sadly,
they all since changed their minds, they are all going to contest next year’s
elections although not even one reform has been implemented since the July 2013
rigged elections. Save, has had his three lightning-bolts of inspirations to
fire him up to contest the flawed elections.
a)
Form
the grand coalition, the MDC Alliance
Whilst a coalition will reduce splitting the opposition vote
and thus improve their chance of winning in a few more parliamentary and
senatorial seats it will do nothing to stop Zanu PF winning the presidency and
overall majority in both houses. Mugabe won 62% of the votes in 2013 and a
single opposition candidate would have got 38% and still lose. election.
b)
Mounted
a concerted voter education and mobilization
Judging from the attendances at MDC rallies before the July
2013 elections, it is nonsense to even suggest that voter apathy had anything
to do with Zanu PF’s victory. Mugabe rigged the vote, we all saw the bussed
hooded Zanu PF youths who casted multiple votes, the nearly one million
opposition supporters denied the vote because their details deliberately
entered in wrong constituent voters’ roll, etc. The regime refused to release a
verifiable 2013 voters’ roll which is the smoking gun to its vote rigging
activities.
Even if one assumed voter apathy was the problem in the past,
Zanu PF already taken the sting out of the opposition drive to get people to
register as voters by delaying the exercise which should have started three
years ago at the latest until now. There is no way ZEC, even with all the good
will, can register 7 million voters in four months and produce a verifiable
voters’ roll.
c)
MDC
has announced it has devised its Winning In Rigged Elections strategies
These are all nothing more than the fable of mouse tying the
bell round the cat.
All Save’s lightning-bolt inspirations are no
wise than maGumbo’s “I will carry the bucket on my head!” Save is going to drag
the nation into yet another utterly futile election to try, for the umpteenth
time, to win rigged elections.
Everyone
knows that Mugabe and Zanu PF will never win free, fair and credible elections,
not with their chequered record of economic failures and political tyranny. All
we have to do is implement the democratic reforms to stop Mugabe rigging the
vote. Of course, it is simple and very logical to someone who is sane; to the
insane, there is no such thing as common sense.
“When
it is full moon, MaGumbo toil away watering the garden in the pouring rain!” my
uncle explained.
What
is infuriate about our situation is:
1)
Save
& co. did not implement even one democratic reform during the GNU because
they did not appreciate the importance of the reforms; they did. Mugabe bribed
them with the trappings of high office, ministerial limos, very generous
salaries and allowances, a former white-owned farm for Ncube, a $4 million
mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. And in return the MDC leaders kicked reforms into
the tall grass.
Even when it was obvious that Zanu PF was rigging the vote,
MDC leaders still refused to do the obvious thing and demand reforms because
they were after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF was giving away as bribes to
those who contested the flawed elections, as David Coltart has confessed. The
opposition politicians are contesting next year’s flawed and illegal elections
for the same scraps Zanu PF throws away.
2)
MaGumbo’s
insane activity of watering the garden did no one else any harm Save & co.’s
failure to implement the reforms and continues participation in flawed
elections are the root cause we are still stuck with this corrupt and
tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. Zimbabwe is in a serious economic situation
with unemployment now a nauseating 90% plus, 72.3% of our people are living on
US1.00 or less a day, etc. The last thing we want is another rigged election
and yet that is exactly what Save & co. are dragging us into.
Contesting
next year’s elections with no reforms is sheer madness. Tsvangirai & co.’s
greed have dulled their minds, they cannot even listen to reason and that is
why they failed to implement even one reform during the GNU and will continue
contesting elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process has become.
We, the people, must acknowledge Save is no longer a full shilling and stop
following him blindly like sheep.
We
must stand firm in our demand for reform before elections and refuse to have
anything to do with the ongoing elections which we know a flawed and will be
rigged.
6 comments:
Elections should be about electing leaders who the people believe are best suited to take the nation found. Zimbabwe is in this economic mess because for decades now Zanu PF has been rigging elections to stay in power regardless of the popular democratic wish of the people. The call for democratic change in the late 1990s arose out of the realization that until we can stop Zanu PF rigging the elections all hope of addressing the nation’s economic challenges will come to naught.
For decades, parties have religiously produced election manifestoes and religiously the people have discussed these documents. But, of course, election results have never been a reflection of the people’s approval or otherwise of the manifesto because rigged elections are not about people. The winning party of rigged election has never had to bother with trying to fulfil its election pledge because the party can win the next elections regardless.
The need for democratic political change was accept as the forerunner of meaningful economic change. Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends presented themselves as the men and women who will champion the democratic change, indeed the name of the party was meant to capture this spirit of democratic change.
The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to put Tsvangirai and company into power so they can deliver the democratic changes the country has been dying for. MDC have had many golden opportunities to make good on their promises to deliver change, especially during the GNU, but have wasted them all because the party leaders are incompetent and corrupt. I agree MDC leaders’ greed has turned to madness, there is really no excuse for contesting flawed elections other than to feed their insatiable greed for gravy train lifestyles.
No MDC leader believes they can win next year’s election using these so called Winning In Rigged Election strategies, MDC Alliance, etc.; it is all nonsense. They are only saying these things because they cannot tell the people they are contesting the flawed elections out of greed.
David Coltart’s excuse for contesting the 2013 election because MDC factions did not form a coalition; they have done so this time, what will be his excuse!
@ David Simango
“Leave Tsvangirai alone you skunk,” you said.
Well I have met people like you and you lot belong to three distinct categories:
1) You have no clue what the GNU was about and therefore cannot understand how serious MDC’s failure to implement the reforms is. Even with the benefit of hindsight and a mountain of evidence of MDC leaders’ breath-taking incompetence and how the sold-out; you still fail to get your head around the facts. Well, we do have more than our fair share of idiots, you are just one of them.
2) You have managed to understand that MDC leaders are indeed corrupt and incompetent however you cannot bring yourself to criticizing them or bear to see them being criticized. For all your pretence to want democracy you have no clue what it is much less how it works.
In a healthy and functioning democracy, leaders must be held to account for their mistakes much so for selling-out. I am holding Tsvangirai and company to account. Your liking it or not is irrelevant really because I have no time to waste with upstarts like you.
3) You know MDC leaders are corrupt and incompetent and know that is what has helped Zanu PF to stay in power these last 17 years and you are pretending to be an MDC loyalists defending Tsvangirai’s honour when you are just a Zanu PF loyalist fighting to maintain the status quo.
When Didymus Mutasa boasted that there are CIOs everywhere he was telling the truth. We have more CIOs than teachers, doctors, nurses and social workers put together! It is no secret that most of the money generated from looted from diamond is bankrolling the bloated secret service. If you really want to see a human skunk, look in the mirror!
@ Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo
You have some really good points to make but have undermined their impact by heaping praise on Tsvangirai even when that was not due.
“First of all I would like to set the record straight that indeed Tsvangirai is the father of democracy and credit must be given to him for creating a democratic environment in this country. I remember around 1997, when it was tough even mention the name of Mugabe in the streets of Harare, I remember he fought so hard to bring a democratic dispensation in this country. However, my worry is his legacy and political lifeline,” you said.
Tsvangirai “the father of democracy”! What are you talking about? The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect Tsvangirai into power on the promise he would deliver democratic changes. He and his MDC friends have been on the political stage for 17 years, 5 of which in the GNU, and still they have failed to bring about even one democratic change.
Mugabe bribed MDC leaders with the trappings of high office; limos, generous salaries and allowances, unlimited air travel, a $4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. And they, in return, kicked the democratic reforms into the tall grass.
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC people have learnt to enjoy the gravy train lifestyles without rocking the boat!) Mugabe’s cronies used to boast when asked why MDC were not implementing the reform.
Tsvangirai is no more father of democracy than Mugabe is father of the nation after his chequered record of corruption, vote rigging and political oppression and murders. Not every soldier in the trench in a hero because not all believe in the cause. Mugabe and Tsvangirai were in the trench but their true reason for being there was clear as soon as they got into power, they sold-out on the cause and the people to gratify their own insatiable greed. You should learn to distinguish heroes/fathers from mercenaries my friend.
There was no excuse, other than greed, why MDC failed to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU. And, now Tsvangirai is dragging the nation into an election knowing fully well with no reforms Zanu PF will rig the vote. What kind of father of democracy would do such a stupid thing?
Heal Zimbabwe Trust said in Mt Darwin ward 31 Zanu PF District Chairperson Emerson Climate, Village head Chimbuwe and Headman Kaitano intimidated community members during a ZANU PF restructuring meeting recently in Mumba Village.
"The three took turns to threaten community members with violence if they campaign for opposition political parties in the area," said the trust.
Interesting given that it was the trust that has been football games up and down the country supposedly to promote peace during elections. We should just call for reforms to be implemented before elections and stop wasting time with all these hare-brain peace plans.
@ David Simango
The thing I hate about people like you David is that you not only see the world monochrome, black or white, right or wrong and spend all your whole life within the narrow confines of your mole tunnels. But worse still, you want to impose your miserable limitation on others. The real world is full of all the colours of the rainbow and mankind’s eyes can see to the horizon and beyond and make sense of it all. I may not make sense of all I see but, tell you what, I love it. I will explore it and I refused to be boxed in by tyrants like Mugabe or blind moles like you.
“Wilbert Mukori the reason why I detest people like you is ...whenever people think of the future...You drap the past and you have no bloody solution.
Okay...what's your solution about the Zim crisis if not being a stinking tribalist who offers nothing on the table for zimbos,” you say.
There is no future in making the same foolish mistake of contesting flawed elections, for 37 years now and counting, hoping against hope that the result will be different. Those who fear the past never learn from their past mistakes and thus are fated to repeated the same mistake over and over again. Tsvangirai has proven to be a breathtakingly corrupt and incompetent leader in the past and that disqualifies him to be leader in the present and future. It will be foolish to vote for a sell-out like him just because you do not want the past mentioned.
Of course, I have offered a solution. “We must stand firm in our demand for reform before elections and refuse to have anything to do with the ongoing elections which we know a flawed and will be rigged,” said above. If I have said this once, I have said it a thousand times in the last week alone!
You have, instinctively, rejected my solution because any solution demanding the implementation of reforms and boycotting elections until reforms are implemented is a none-starter. Zanu PF has already said, for those who needed it spelt out, that the regime will never reform itself out of office. You have, instinctively, accepted that and so the only acceptable solutions must be within the confines of no reforms. You want strategies to win rigged elections.
My premise is simple, implement the reforms to stop vote rigging because I totally reject that Zanu PF has the power and authority to refuse reforms and thus deny the people of Zimbabwe their fundamental right to a meaning say in the governance of the country.
If you are serious about wanting to restore all individual freedoms and human rights including the right to free, fair and credible elections then you must also accept, as a matter of necessity, that Zanu PF’s dictatorial powers must be taken away. You cannot have free and fair election and still allow Zanu PF cart blanche powers to ride roughshod over the people denying some the vote, frogmarching other to vote for the party, etc. A dictatorship and democracy can never co-exist for long because the former will, at the earliest opportune moment knife the later in the back!
Even if MDC was to win next year’s rigged elections; what we can be certain of is that no one in MDC would ever want to implement the democratic reforms to ensure next elections are free, fair and credible. They will only be too keen to consolidate their own stay in power by rigging the next elections; their challengers will to have to prove their metal by winning rigged elections.
Mugabe’s vote rigging has grown from the equivalent of playing with a loaded dice in the 1980s and 1990s to playing with a dice with six on all six sides as shown in the 2008 elections. Whilst voter mobilisation would have defeated him in the 1980s it is naïve to think so now just as it is foolish to bet against him throwing a six!
@ David Simango
The one thing I have demanded without fail, during the GNU and since, is the implementation of the democratic reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections. The one thing Mugabe and Zanu PF have resisted is getting even one reform implemented. The tyrant has done absolutely everything in its power, including putting up with Tsvangirai although he detested the man and bribed him and his MDC friends just to make sure no reforms were ever implemented.
Of course, Tsvangirai and company sold out in failing to implement even one reform. SADC leaders and donors, not just me, were disappointed by MDC’s pathetic performance. One SADC leader told The Independent newspaper that Tsvangirai and co. “were to busy enjoying themselves during the GNU, they forgot why they were there.”
So, given my track record and MDC leaders’ track record on reform it beggars belief how anyone would call me the villain, “a Zanu PF dog”; unless he or she has no clue what we are talking about, is in denial of the truth or, worse still, they are the Zanu PF agent trying to confuse the naïve and gullible. Whichever category you belong to, it is a great tragedy that Zimbabwe is cursed to have scum like you. We are not in this political and economic hell-hole by accident, it is because we have more than our fair share of scum like you.
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