If you have not read Dr Gus Manatsa’s article “Zanuism, ‘barrack
democracy’ threat to Zim’s progress” in Bulawayo 24 opinion; then do so. This is
one of the few insightful articles on the root causes of Zimbabwe’s political
and economic.
“Zanu-PF provides the most shocking example of the culture
of exceptionalism which has characterised many a liberation party in power.
These include:
- the belief that it is entitled to rule forever,
- blatantly refusing to view itself as an ordinary political party (watch Christopher Mutsvangwa talk),
- its conflating of party and state, and
- its demonising of other parties as "enemies of liberation" seeking to restore colonialism or white minority rule,” wrote Manatsa.
- the belief that it is entitled to rule forever,
- blatantly refusing to view itself as an ordinary political party (watch Christopher Mutsvangwa talk),
- its conflating of party and state, and
- its demonising of other parties as "enemies of liberation" seeking to restore colonialism or white minority rule,” wrote Manatsa.
I would like to add one more to the four above:
- - Zanu PF leaders believe they are not just above the law
but, worse still, they believe what they say is the law. To everyone else last
November’s military coup was high treason but not to these Zanu PF thugs, it
was a legally justified “military assisted transition to stop state capture by
criminal elements around Robert Mugabe”. The junta roped in a couple of High
Court Judges to endorse the coup, making Zimbabwe the only country in the world
where a coup is legal.
Last Saturday someone else staged their own
“grenade assisted transition” targeting the same thugs behind last November’s coup.
President Mnangagwa was quick to condemn the bomb blast as an act of “terrorism”!
Zanu PF thugs are just bullies who can do
no wrong but will punish everyone else for doing the same thing. “Kugocha
kunoda kwamai komwana kunodzima moto!” as one would say in Shona.
It is very disappointing that SADC, through
SA President Cyril Ramaphosa, the UK and a few other nations have all been
quick off the mark in condemning the “grenade assisted transition” and yet they
condoned last November’s coup. Worse still, SADC leaders and all these busy
bodies are all aware that President Mnangagwa has promised to hold free, fair
and credible elections and yet even the blind can see he is rigging these
elections.
By failing to hold free and fair elections
President Mnangagwa has closed the door to peaceful democratic change, just as
Robert Mugabe before him had done. If Mugabe made last November’s coup necessary
as the only way to effect change then, by the same token, Mnangagwa has made
last Saturday’s bomb attack necessary. It failed but who is to say there will
be another coup, bomb, violent street protest, etc.
Zimbabwe will never be a stable nation as
long as Zanu PF is allowed to ride roughshod over the people’s freedoms and
basic human rights; denying them the right to a meaningful say in the
governance of the country and even the right to life; in pursuit of its selfish
agenda to rule forever. Instead of pontificating over those behind the bomb
blast SADC should tell Mnangagwa this is a problem of his own making and since
he is incapable of solving it, they will.
The international community must
declare these flawed and illegal elections; how can these be free and fair
elections with no free public media, no verified voters’ roll, etc.; null and
void. Zimbabwe should revisit and implement the raft of democratic reforms
agreed at the onset of the 2008 GNU. Then and only then can there be free and
fair elections and an end to the madness of rigged elections.
“While the opposition parties formally exist, they have not
been allowed to win an election,” argued Dr Gus Manatsa.
If the truth be told, Dr Manatsa, then we must admit that
whilst it is Zanu PF that has landed us into this hell-hole it is MDC that has
stop our escape from the hole for the last two decades. The people of Zimbabwe
have risked life and limb to elect Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends into
power on the understanding they will bring about the democratic changes
designed to end the Zanu PF dictatorship. As we can see, MDC have failed to
bring about even one democratic change in all their 20 years on the political
centre stage.
MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic
reforms during the GNU; they failed to get even one reform implemented in five
years. Not even one!
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC people have
learnt to enjoy the gravy train lifestyle and not rock the boat!) Zanu PF
cronies, themselves veterans of the corrupting influence of the gravy train
lifestyle, used to boast; explaining why MDC leaders were not implementing any
reforms.
Whilst Zanu PF members are sold body and soul to “the belief
they are entitled to rule forever,” MDC members are sold to the belief
they should be admitted to this exclusive ruling elite club. Chamisa et al have
been using the threat to implement reforms to force Zanu PF to give MDC more
gravy train seats; MDC will never implement the reforms, they forfeited that
chance during the GNU.
MDC leaders know that with no reforms in place Zanu PF will
rig the vote, they still insist in participating because they are after the few
gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering as bait. MDC leaders know that by
participating they are giving the flawed process credibility, as David Coltart,
an MDC senator and minister in the GNU, readily admitted.
“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 (2013)
elections,” explained Senator Coltart.
“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.”
Three of the main MDC factions have since come together to
form the MDC Alliance and still there was no talk of boycotting the elections
although not even one reform was implemented since the rigged July 2013
elections.
One only hopes that the international community will not
take the participation of MDC and the other 130 opposition parties
participating in those flawed and illegal elections as proof the people of
Zimbabwe do not want free, fair and credible elections. The people of Zimbabwe
are desperate for free and fair elections and they want these elections
declared null and void. Please disregard what the MDC leaders are doing, they
lost political credibility a long time ago.
8 comments:
Dr Nkosana Moyo has completely failed to see the key issue here which is the need to hold free, fair and credible elections. Yes, putting aside the Saturday bomb blast the elections have been relatively peaceful but even on this point it is obvious this is at best a truce. Zanu PF has refused to implement the democratic reforms everyone agrees are necessary to give the Police, ZEC and other state organs the power, authority and confidence to investigate and punish all those responsible for politically motivated violence.
There is peace because Zanu PF has its party thugs on a leash and also because the party is not 100% confident of the Police and CIO playing their usual supportive role to the party violence activities following the November coup. It is no secrete that the Police and CIO supported Mugabe in the factional fighting and they were roughed up for weeks following the coup. The Army is doggedly loyal to the junta but it alone cannot implement all aspects of the traditional Zanu PF violence programmes.
Zanu PF has agreed to sign a Peace Pledge just to avoid implementing the reforms. If push was to come to shove Zanu PF can step up the violence using the Army and war veterans. At present the party feels its other vote rigging measures are working.
There is no free public media. ZEC has failed to produce a verified voters' roll throwing the door wide open for NIKUV and the Chinese to come up with many vote rigging schemes. As usual, Zanu PF has been robbing the nation blind to bankroll its party's campaign and vote rigging activities, etc. These elections are not going to be free, fair and credible, not by a long shot!
It is very disappointing that someone like Dr Moyo could be so shallow, thick and slow to think that an enforced truce on Zanu PF alone is enough to make these elections free and fair. Dr Moyo is thrilled just to be introduced as "Zimbabwe's presidential candidate!" and does not care whether the elections are rigged. Indeed by participating in these flawed elections these opposition opportunists are give the process the modicum of credibility they do not deserve.
Dr Moyo was determined to participate in these elections and have his few week on the political stage. Zimbabwean politicians are renowned for selling their own mother for power and loot and even boast their had a mother to sell! This is what Dr Moyo is doing here, selling the nation's chance for free and fair elections just to feed his misplace ego!
"I knew in 1994 from the one-party state debate that Zanu PF could not be reformed from outside its ranks. I've learnt the hard way that it can't be reformed from within, either. The DNA of Zanu PF stockholders is violence. For example, ED's Gukurahundi was a planned genocide," twittered Jonathan Moyo.
It was no so much that Zanu PF could not be reformed from without and so you join the party to reform it from within. You joined the party for the simple reason of if you cannot beat them, join them. Ever since your joining Zanu PF you have been the party's chief strategist and have worked hard to help the party to stay in power at all cost. President Mugabe was smart enough to see your talents and has rewarded you with cushy gravy train jobs and all wealth.
Many Zimbabweans have earned the reputation of being so selfish they will sell their own mothers for a price and be proud they had a mother to sell. You, Professor Jonathan Moyo are one of these selfish individuals; you sold the whole nation for thirty pieces of silver.
One hopes one of these fine days Zimbabwe will get out of this hell-hole and you will still be alive to see justice. You are "the devil incarnation" as Mugabe once called you and the nation has suffered greatly because of you.
"So, Zim can only break from the 1980 - 2018 cycle of violence of the first Republic by rejecting Mnangagwa, the architect of that violence for 38 years. The second Republic needs a fresh start with a new generational leader: Chamisa," argued Moyo.
Whilst one would agree with you on rejecting Mnangagwa one cannot agree that Chamisa will take this nation forward. Chamisa and MDC friends have already proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt and incompetent. There can only be one reason Moyo would want them in power - given MDC leaders' incompetence Moyo knows that they will let him go scot free, and may even grant his a lucrative pension too Chamisa has promised Mnangagwa!
PRESS STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA REPORTS ON VOTERS ROLL
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission wishes to respond to media reports that the voters' roll issued to stakeholders is fake. The Commission is saddened by such allegations which in its opinion are meant to cause alarm and despondency among the generality of the Zimbabwean populace. ZEC calls upon all stakeholders to conduct themselves in a responsible manner which is consistent with nation-building.
Section 20 (2) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13] provides that a voters roll shall specify in relation to each registered voter, the voter's first and last names, date of birth, national registration number and sex as well as the place where the voter ordinarily resides. The voters roll issued to stakeholders contains the above information as required by the law. The law in section 21 (7) further requires ZEC to issue a voters roll that is searchable and analysable but tamper-proof. ZEC is issuing a roll which can be analysed and searched by age, name, national registration number and residential address in conformity with the law.
Allegations that the voters roll is fake because it does not contain voters photographs are regrettable. While section 9 of the Electoral (Voter Registration) Regulations, 2013 Statutory Instrument 85 of 2017 provides for the Chief Elections Officer to compile a voters roll for each polling area showing in relation to each voter the voters photograph in addition to the information provided in section 20 (2) of the Electoral Act aforementioned, it is pertinent to note that the voters' roll referred to in section 9 of the Regulations alluded to by the stakeholders in the print media particularly the Newsday of 22 June 2018 relates to a polling station voters roll. This is the roll that will be printed and distributed to each polling station for purposes of polling on 30 July 2018 which will not be in its consolidated form as that issued to stakeholders.
Further, it is also important for stakeholders to note that such roll is printed in PDF format and as such it is not analysable and searchable as envisaged by the law. However, this does not mean that the Commission is under any constraint to provide any person who requests for it in that format a copy. Note, however, that this is not the roll that is envisaged by the law (section 21(7)) to be provided to stakeholders but ZEC is willing to make it available. Those who wish to get a copy of the PDF voters roll containing voters' photographs are free to approach the Commission with their own external computer hard drives where such roll will be downloaded on.
There is no one worth his/her salt who can still believe that ZEC has any desire or is capable of holding free, fair and credible elections. With just 30 days before voting day there is no way anyone can carry out a through audit of the voters' roll. We are going into these elections with no verified voters' roll, that is a fundamental fact. How anyone with even half a brain can expect the elections to be free and fair when no one knows who is in the voters' roll, whether those casting the vote are on the roll, cannot tell how many cast multiple votes, etc., etc.
The only logical thing to do right now is to condemn this flawed and illegal election process here and now and demand the process is declared null and void!
Mnangagwa told the BBC's Fergal Keane that arrests are imminent although he did not accuse former first lady Grace Mugabe who was the alleged leader of the G40 Faction in the battle to succeed former president Robert Mugabe.
The president is quoted by BBC as saying, "I don't know whether it was one individual - I would think it is broader than one person. I would think this is a political action by some aggrieved persons…On what basis would I trust someone (Grace) who was used by a cabal to say things that had no basis."
What President Mnangagwa has completely failed to understand is that it was 37 years of rigged party and national elections that made the November coup necessary. The whole world turned a blind eye to the treasonous act because they accepted the coup or some such violent act was the only to remove Mugabe. And yet by refusing to implement the reforms he has put himself in exactly the same fix Mugabe was in. If the coup was justified to remove a dictator then so too in the bomb blast!
Zimbabwe is a pariah state ruled by thugs who believe they have the divine right to rule the country and to be absolutely certain of that have secured for themselves carte blanche powers to rig elections. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state no investors will come in to help kick start the comatose economy. And, as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state the threat of another coup, another bomb, another violent street protest or any such violent revolutionary change will remain. A pariah state is an unstable nation, Zimbabwe is yarning for political stability.
Mnangagwa has called the attack a "cowardly act of terrorism." He also pointed out he's had numerous attempts on his life in the past, saying he was used to them by now.
Nonsense! If last November's coup was necessary, "legally justified to remove criminals that had surrounded Mugabe and were responsible for state capture" according to the junta - just a long-winded way of saying to remove a tyrant who rigged elections and so could not be removed any other way. With not even one democratic reform in place, Zanu PF is set to rig these elections and so the coup removed one tyrant but only for another unelected tyrant to take over.
The coup was a "cowardly act of terrorism" but so was the vote rigging. The bomb throwing too was a cowardly act of terrorism but so too was President Mnangagwa's refusal to hold free and fair elections. The coup was necessary and so was the bomb, the latter failed to produce regime change but there will be another bomb or coup!
The real tragedy here is the country will remain on the knife edge of serious instability as long as the coup and bomb remain the only way to effect political change! We want political stability to get out of this hell-on-earth and it is none other than these Zanu PF thugs who are denying the nation the political stability.
@ wayfarer
ED said he is used to these assassination attempts, he being a crocodile with a real thick skin, so why did he chicken out! If Lacoste can stage a coup G40 can throw bombs, tit for tat. The real tragedy here is that many innocent people are often caught in the cross fire and, worst of all, the nation, caught in this volatile political situation, will continue to sink deeper and deeper into this economic and political mess we are in.
Frankly the ordinary Zimbabwean does not give a damn if these Zanu PF thugs kill each other if only they would not drag the nation into the mess!
ED is a crocodile caught out of water, of course he is shaking in his boots! He thought the coup had settled the factional war and now he knows that the fighting is not over. Those after him do not want him to resign, they want him died! He has certainly lived by the AK 47 and now he will die by the AK 47!
Ngwena, chawakadya chamuka!
@datbrother
If you refuse to be removed by peaceful democratic means you, per se elect to be removed by violent means. If the coup plotters had pumped Mugabe's backside full of lead, the same multitude you saw on the street on 18 November would have still gone out and celebrated. Where was the fictitious 62% electorate who voted for him in 2013?
It is the 38 years that has dragged Zimbabwe into this hell-hole and the brink of civil war and not just the coup. If the country is dragged into a civil war, then angry Zimbabweans who seek out the tyrant in Blue Roof and do a Gaddafi on him first before seeking out his minions like ED!
Post a Comment