“The coup excitement is dying as Mugabe backed
party arises. The much heralded economic prosperity expected to have come with
the coup is not coming quick enough. All we hear about it is ’give ED a chance’
Zimbabweans are used to giving their lying leaders a chance only to be
disillusioned whilst the leaders and their families, and closest and nosiest
allies get wealthy. Many politicians, especially young ones cannot account for
their sudden wealth in the midst of our suffering. This therefore makes us
frown when asked to give ED a chance,” wrote Ndaba Nduku in Zimeye opinion.
You are 100% right there! It is not a matter of
the much-heralded economic recovery not “coming quick enough”, it is not coming.
Whilst the world readily turned a blind eye to
the November 2017 coup because they all wanted to see the back of the Zimbabwe
dictator Mugabe. What the world was aware of however was to distinct
possibility of removing one dictator only to replace him with another and that
is why they have been quick off the mark in reminding President Mnangagwa of
the urgent need to restore Zimbabwe to rule of law a.s.a.p. One sure way to
assure the world, especially the savvy foreign investors, Zimbabwe is now a law-abiding
nation is by holding free, fair and credible elections.
President Mnangagwa has promised free and fair
elections by day and continued scheming to rig the vote at night. It is clear
that the elections will not be free and fair. Zimbabwe will not be getting any
of the much-needed foreign investment and assistance; no one wants to do
business in a lawless nation ruled by thugs!
The British have been pushing hard to restore
normal relations with Zimbabwe, the EU is telling them to wait.
By the time Zimbabwe hold the elections, in
another four or five months, the country should have laid the foundation stones
of a handful of projects with many more in the pipeline; if the world heeded President
Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business” call. Mark my word; there will be
no foundation stones and no new projects in the pipe line.
“The Opposition can win by uniting and
forcefully reminding the electorate that Mnangagwa is Zanu and that there is nothing
bad about Mugabe that cannot be tied to Mnangagwa. …The Opposition must point
at the Mnanagagwa cabinet is effectively from Mugabe people, with a few more
violent men like military mafia Rugeje, and also point out that it is a
military Command cabinet,” Nduku concluded.
I beg to differ; as long as Zanu PF retains all
the carte blanche powers to rig the vote, the party will win. We need to implement
the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.
What you must remember here is that if the
opposition contest the flawed elections then they must not complain about the
vote rigging, violence, etc. afterwards because they knew and had been warned
about these things and they would not listen. Are you sure reminding the rural
voters of “violent men like military mafia Rugeje” will have them voting for
the opposition and not Zanu PF?
Opposition leaders like Nelson Chamisa have
been wittering about “stringent measures” to stop Zanu PF rigging the vote.
They have all been coy when asked what these measures are because they know they
are lying. People must ask themselves why MDC failed to use any of these
measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the July 2013 elections.
The only measures that are guaranteed to stop
Zanu PF rigging elections are implementing the raft of democratic reforms agreed
at the start of the 2008 to 2013 GNU. MDC leaders like Morgan Tsvangirai,
Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, etc. do not want to talk about the reforms because
they have never admitted to selling-out and failing to implement even one
reform in five years.
What the people of Zimbabwe must know and
understand is that ever since MDC leaders failed to implement the reforms
during the GNU, they have effectively abandoned the national agenda of bringing
about the democratic changes necessary for free, fair and credible elections.
MDC leaders accept Zanu PF’s undemocratic powers to rig elections as fait
accompli, what they care about now is winning as many gravy train seats they
know Zanu PF gives away as bait to the opposition.
“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,” admitted Senator David Coltart, MDC Minister of Education
in the GNU, 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.”
The Senator was commenting on the 2013
elections. What is interesting to note here is that the three main MDC factions
have since come together to form the MDC Alliance and yet they are all as keen
as mustard to contest this year’s elections regardless of the fact that not
even one reform has been implemented. They are all after the bait seats and
they do not care that the elections are flawed, illegal and will be marred by
violence.
“I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that
this is going to be a violent election,” Tendai Biti told a panel discussion
audience last week.
"There is nothing that will stop the tanks
from moving again no matter who has been elected in July 2018. So, it is
critical that we find an answer to making sure that the barracks remain sealed
off from interfering with the process because that's the elephant in the living
room."
For the 1001 th time, this month alone, the
only sure way to stop the military interfering in the elections; making sure
the public media gives equal coverage of all contesting parties, so the voters
have an informed choice; ZEC deliver free and fair elections; etc., etc. is by implementing
the democratic reforms. SADC leaders instructed Biti and his MDC friends not to
contest the 2013 elections without first implementing the reforms.
There is not one Zimbabwe opposition politician
out there who does not know that contesting the country’s flawed and illegal elections
is insane. They only reason they will continue to contest is greed, they are
after the bait seats Zanu PF gives away to entice the opposition to take part. Of
course, people like Biti will never admit they have sold-out of free and fair
elections much less admit they are blinded to reason by greed.
What people like you, Ndaba Nduku, assuming you
are genuinely interested in seeing the country hold free elections, must stop giving
the opposition lie wings that we do not need to implement the reforms; it is
possible to win rigged elections! After 38 years of rigged elections, we must
do the only sane thing – stop messing around and implement all the reforms BEFORE
election.
8 comments:
@ Nketha Zapu Secretary
"Everyone who is interested in our political situation knows pretty well that ZEC is not independent. Zapu did highlight the gross anomalies of ZEC in 2013 and our calls were ignored even by other opposition parties. We had raised many issues such as the multiple appearances of voters on the voters roll. This time around Zimbabweans still have to go with this same ZEC that is far from being independent. It is a Zanu PF controlled set up that can never produce credible election results if those results are against Zanu PF. It is a fact that Zimbabwe has never had free and fair elections ever since. The progressive and democratic forces the world over must not be hoodwinked by those who have their long standing clandestine deals with Zanu PF and Mnangagwa precisely for selfish business interests," you said.
"It is an open secret that coup politicians have engaged the traditional chiefs to violently campaign for them. A very brutal and primitive method of denying non Zanu PF members food is being used by the chiefs who have been bribed by expensive cars. Is it fair to expect starving peasants to vote otherwise?"
This is all very true what the world would want to know is why did Zapu continue contesting these flawed elections, especially after SADC had recommended reforms following the 2008 elections. There was no excuse for taking part in the 2013 elections when everyone could see not even one reform had been implemented by MDC.
Since the 2013 rigged elections, not even one reform has been implemented. President Mnangagwa has promised free and fair elections but has carried on with the usual Zanu PF vote rigging shenanigans. The coming elections are being rigged as we speak. The question is: will Zapu go on and take part in the elections regardless?
As a nation, we have become expert at shooting ourselves in the foot and blame everyone else for our own stupidity!
The British are sending back 2 500 Zimbabwean who are not in the country legally.
Ambassador Lang said discussions also centred on reengagement so as to normalise bilateral relations and steps required to attain this including the importance of free fair and credible elections.
The Mnangagwa regime has promised free and fair elections but has done nothing to make this possible. People must never forget that Mnangagwa has been at the heart of all Zanu PF's vote rigging shenanigans all these last 38 years; he is not going to stop now. It will be very foolish to normalise relations and the regime rigs the next elections!
@ ED hasmyvote
Was it not Mnangagwa who has kept Mugabe in power for the 37 years by rigging the vote and using violence including mass murders. He has stubbornly refused to implement even one democratic reform because he has no intention of holding free and fair elections. Do not flatter yourself by thinking you "gave" Mnangagwa your vote, he was going to take your vote, mine and millions of others out there because that is what vote rigging means.
After 38 years of being denied a meaningful vote you still have no clue what is happening under your own nose! No wonder the nation is a real mess. "ED is the deal in town!" I despair!
Zimbabweans have shot themselves in the foot time and time again by making the common mistake of thinking they can cherry pick even when they have been warned they cannot have it both ways.
How many times have people said we must not go into the elections without first implementing the democratic reforms that will stop Zanu PF rigging the vote as has happened countless times in the last 38 years.
"If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done," SADC leaders warned MDC leaders in June 2013 according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza.
There are only three logical explanations why MDC leaders paid no heed to the warning:
1) They did not believe SADC leaders that the elections were “done” and so they naively contested the elections as if everything was normal. They were surprised at the blatant vote rigging that followed and complained bitterly of Zanu PF “stealing the elections”. SADC leaders just ignored the clever Alec!
2) MDC leaders believed SADC leaders, even saw the evidence of the vote rigging shenanigans for themselves, still they believed that they would prevail. Tsvangirai has admitted to MDC did not believe Zanu PF vote rigging would overwhelm his party’s massive vote.
3) The third reason is that MDC leaders knew Zanu PF would rig the elections and win with the usual landslide victory; they were contesting the flawed elections for the few seats the regime gives away as bait to the opposition. One SADC leader denounced the MDC leaders “for enjoying themselves whilst in the GNU, they forgot why they were there”, in sheer exasperation at their failure to get even one reform implemented in five years.
If anyone had forgiven MDC leaders for contesting the flawed elections in 2013 on the grounds that they were incompetent and naïve, point 1) and 2) above; no one can do so this time with the experience of the 2013 vote rigging fresh in everyone’s mind. The only logical reason people like Tendai Biti would readily admit the elections are flawed, illegal and will be marred by violence and yet still disregard the warning not to contest is greed!
Any ordinary Zimbabweans who still participate in these flawed elections hoping against hope to see Zanu PF rig the vote and, somehow, lose the elections are insane. One can explain to them a million times why that will not happen and, worse still, how that is helping giving the flawed process legitimacy and thus delay the implementation of the reform; they will be no wiser. Reason and logic mean nothing to these people, as I have said, they are insane.
They are many people, opposition apologists and Zanu PF double agents, who are desperate to see the elections go ahead for whatever real or imagined selfish gain. Like Biti, they too do not care that the elections are flawed and the dire economic and political consequences to the nation of another rigged election.
@ Icho
Well the most important lesson here is that it is foolish to give up one's fundamental right to have a meaningful say in the governance of the country. Although we learnt that prosperity does not come through Zanu PF, we fought during the liberation struggle, etc. by the late 1990s we have been stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical regime until now because we had lost our political power, the free and meaningful vote, to remove Zanu PF from office.
After 38 years of rigged elections, the greatest challenge for us today is to make sure the right of every Zimbabwean to a free, fair and verifiable vote is restored. By restoring the individual right to a meaningful vote we will be underlining a fundamental truth that no regime, including a Zanu PF one that has just booted out its old dictator to produce the new dispensation, is infallible and hence the reason the reason it must be democratically accountable to the people.
By refusing to implement the democratic reforms the new dispensation is essentially claiming that it is infallible - this is such an important point, a red line, there is no point talking about anything else until this is resolve. Zanu PF's carte blanche power to rig elections must be taken away, that is not negotiable.
The next elections must be free, fair and verifiable if they are not then they are null and void! If Zanu PF cannot implement the reforms then we must find some other administration that will do it. There will be no going away with fudged the elections this time!
@ Mugarbage
"It will take years to fix Zim regardless of which idiot is in power," you say.
What an idiotic statement! If you have an idiot in power he/she will not be fixing Zimbabwe but dragging us deeper and deeper into the hell-hole we are in right now. It is 37 years of corrupt and tyrannical rule by this Zanu PF government that got us into this mess. The coup government is the same Zanu PF that got us here minus Mugabe and a few others; only a fool will buy this nonsense that the new party is all the nation has ever wanted in a political party and thus must give it a blank cheque.
We got into this mess because for 37 years we were stuck with a corrupt and tyrannical regime because we had allowed Zanu PF to steal the electoral cheque book. From now on, we want the people's power to hold the government of the day to account restored; we the democratic reforms implemented and all elections must free, fair and credible.
The coup government has promised free and fair election but has not implemented even one reform to make this possible. If the regime thinks that the nation will allow it to get away another rigged elections "because we a happy to be rid of the Mugabe dynasty" then it had better think again. The coup government got us into this hell-hole and we know the only sure way to get out is to get back our right to hold the government of the day to account.
If the coup government cannot deliver free and fair elections then the election will be declared null and void to create the political space for a transition authority that will implement the reforms and hold free, fair and credible elections - the first such elections in the country's history!
Many people had lamented the late start of the BVR registration exercising saying it would be impossible to register the expected 7 million voters from scratch. Time has proven them right. ZEC has managed to register 5.3 million voters and thus 1.7 million, 24.3% of the expected voters, have already been denied the vote before voting has even begun!
There other problem will be that ZEC will not have time to down load the data produce the draft voters’ roll and send it off to all the polling stations for cross-checking and verification by the voters. Make all the corrections and then produce the final voters’ roll a month before voting, as is required by law. The elections are due in August, at the very latest, that is five months away. Even with all the political willing and all the man-power and resources, ZEC will NOT produce a verifiable voters’ roll for this year’s elections.
President Mnangagwa has known about ZEC’s very late registration start, 14 September 2017 – should very started January 2015 at the very latest – he has the Minister of Justice and ZEC was his responsibility. So, his promise to hold free and fair elections is already untenable since 24.3% are being denied the vote and will become an impossible promise to fulfil when it is confirmed ZEC has failed to produce a verifiable voters’ roll!
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy said, “Zimbabwe’s recent change in government offers an extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set itself on a new path to implement reforms that could allow the United States to re-engage in ways not previously possible. We welcome President Mnangagwa’s stated intentions to carry out political and economic reforms, but our engagement will be based on demonstrations of those reforms.”
Well so far this coup regime has said one thing and done the opposite. The regime has stubbornly refused to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed with SADC at the start of the 2008 GNU were necessary for free and fair elections. Indeed, the regime has continue to implement some of the regime’s vote rigging schemes such as the bribing of traditional Chiefs, the failure to produce a verifiable voters’ roll, etc.
All signs are the regime will not fulfil its promise to hold free, fair and credible elections; there is therefore no reason why the targeted sanctions should be lifted! One hopes that the other country and would-be foreign investors will take note and follow the US example.
The thinking people of Zimbabwe now know that the country will never get out of the political and economic hell-hole Zanu PF dragged us into until the country implement the reforms and hold free, fair and credible elections – the first such elections in the country’s history. A free and a meaningful vote is not only a fundamental right but it is also the basis of a good and accountable government. Zimbabwe is stuck in this mess because for the last 38 years the nation was stuck with a corrupt and tyrannical regime.
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