First it was the British who were bending over backwards to re-engage the corrupt and tyrannical Mnangagwa regime, for the UK’s selfish reasons. Ever since Mnangagwa seized power in Zimbabwe, a year ago, the British have tried to sell his regime as a democratic one the world can work with. The then UK Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Catriona Laing, took it upon herself to gross over Mnangagwa’s past and ignore evidence that Mnangagwa was still a corrupt and ruthless thug.
It was only when Mnangagwa blatantly rigged the 30 July 2018 and followed this up with the cold blooded shooting of unarmed civilians, to pre-empty public anger at another rigged elections, that the British finally accepted Zanu PF was sill a party of corrupt and ruthless thugs. Ambassador Laing’s parting shot at the regime was to tell it “the electoral playing field was not level”.
Out went the British and in came the Germans in pursuit of exactly the same thing - to re-engage the Zanu PF regime, regardless of all the evidence it is a corrupt, vote rigging and tyrannical regime!
Let it be said here and now, loud as you like, we, the ordinary and long suffering Zimbabweans, condemn all attempts to re-engage this Zanu PF dictatorship because all such re-engagement will only help perpetuate the dictatorship.
“Germany has taken the initiative to renew bilateral ties with Zimbabwe after it dispatched a high-powered delegation to Harare in the past week to open discussions aimed at opening a new chapter on trade and investment, it has emerged,” reported Bulawayo24/ Zimbabwe Independent.
"The visit of the German delegation to Zimbabwe underlines the willingness of the government of the Federal Republic of Germany to re-engage with the government of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” Germany's ambassador to Zimbabwe, Thorsten Hutter, explained.
“Both sides are aware of the fact that the debt (US$550 million) owed to Germany as well as the need to implement political and economic reforms are important issues that need to be resolved before formal government consultations on the resumption of development cooperation may take place.”
If the truth be told, Germany is paying lip-service to the needs for Zimbabwe to implement political reforms. We all know that implementing the democratic reforms is the one thing President Mnangagwa has stubbornly refused to do as evidenced by the recent Zimbabwe elections.
Whilst President Mnangagwa was very quick off the mark to promise to hold free, fair and credible before dust had settled down on following last November’s military coup; no doubt he knew the coup was illegal and therefore he was illegitimate. He clearly made the promise as a PR necessity only because he refused to implement even one of the raft of democratic reforms, everyone agreed at the onset of the 2008 GNU, were necessary for free and fair elections.
“Major shortcomings in the pre-election environment impacted on the free expression of the will of electors, state resources were misused in favour of the incumbent and coverage by state media was heavily biased in favour of the ruling party,” said the EU Zimbabwe Election Observer Mission final report.
“Further, the electoral commission lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability.
“Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign. As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards.”
Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 30 July 2018 elections, this is an established historic fact. It is utterly pointless to talk of giving the regime a chance to implement political reforms as if this is something the regime did not know about.
What is more, people must not forget that Zimbabwe is in this political and economic mess because the country has been stuck for 38 years and counting with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. The people have failed to remove it from office because the party has blatantly rigged the elections.
Worst of all, the regime has been allowed to stay in power after each rigged election only for Zanu PF to rig the next elections and thus perpetuate its illegitimate reign.
If Zanu PF is allowed to stay in power, which is exactly what re-engagement will do, until 2023; then we can be certain of one thing right now, Zanu PF will rig the 2023 elections!
For the Germans, or any other nation for that matter, to re-engage this vote rigging and thus illegitimate Zanu PF government; they must know their action is tantamount to spitting the long suffering Zimbabweans in the face. Whilst these people are powerless to stop this insult they are not stupid to quickly forget or forgive!
Zimbabweans are fighting to end a corrupt, incompetent and murderous dictatorship. They are yarning for a competent government that respects their freedoms and basic human rights including the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life itself. All are asking for from the international community is a sympathetic consideration. As for those nations who do not give a damn about the suffering masses, then please keep your noses out of Zimbabwe’s internal affairs. That is not too much to ask!
12 comments:
Zimbabwe’s best opportunity ever to implement the reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship was during the GNU; MDC leaders had five years to implement the democratic reforms and yet failed to get even one reform implemented. It is ironic that the same individuals who sold out during the GNU should now be the ones masquerading as the ones who care and even have the cheeky to lecture the SADC leaders’ warning to MDC leaders to implement reforms fell on deaf ears.
There is not one German individual involved in this matter who does not know that Zimbabwe is now the byword for a failed state and it is all thanks to 38 years of corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical rule by Zanu PF. Our German friends will all know that all hope that Zimbabwe had finally turned the corner following the ouster of Robert Mugabe last November were quickly dashed when it became clear Mnangagwa was Mugabe in all but name.
Of course, all the German officials know Mnangagwa rigged the 30 July 2018 elections. I will bet my bottom dollar at least half of all the German visitors and the Germany Embassy staff would have read the EU Election Observer Mission report with the usual thoroughness and meticulous attention to detail. They all know the elections were not just rigged but blatantly rigged.
Germany is seeking to re-engage the Zanu PF regime and thus grant it recognition knowing fully well the regime rigged the elections and is therefore illegitimate. You are 100% correct, the Germany are raising the issue of political reforms so they can tick the box; they know they only sure way to make sure the reform are implemented is to make sure Zanu PF steps down a.s.a.p.
Anyone seeking to re-engage with Zanu PF will only be doing so to let the vote rigging regime off the hook. It is the duty of every thinking Zimbabwean out there and justice loving citizen of the world to make sure Zanu PF is not allowed to get away with another rigged election. Zanu PF must be forced to step down and to stop holding the whole nation to ransom one more day!
@ Elijah Chihota
“Zimbabwe is doing all that it can to move away from how issues were handled during the Mugabe era to where the country now boast of opening up of democratic space and strict adherence to the rule of law,” you say.
So you do admit that there was no democratic space and things were not done in adherence to the rule of law during Mugabe’s days. You also admit “Zimbabwe is doing all that it can to move away” from the Mugabe days. The country has just had its elections and Mnangagwa blatantly rigged the elections and you expect anyone with half a brain to accept that as moving away from Mugabe’s days!
Right now China is sparing with USA over the arrest of Ms Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the Chinese technology company Huawei. The Americans are accusing her of violating US trade sanction imposed on Iran.
This Zanu PF regime is having a sparing with the Americans because the Zimbabwe government is denying the freedoms and human rights of Zimbabweans - not Americans - and not just a few Zimbabweans but the overwhelming majority. No wonder Zimbabwe has become the byword of a banana republic ruled by corrupt, incompetent and brain dead idiots the world has ever seen.
“The US continues to show its hypocrisy as another condition was added to the existing list, let Biti go free or else,” you write.
The Americans have only highlight one case of one Zimbabwe who freedom and rights continued to be blatantly violated by this Zanu PF dictatorship. What is so hypocritical about that?
I think the American should be looking at extending the targeted sanctions to punish those nation who continue to prop up the Zanu PF regime. The sooner these corrupt and vote rigging Zanu PF thugs can be forced to finally step down to allow free and fair elections the sooner the people of Zimbabwe will get out of the hell-on-earth Zanu PF landed us in.
The irony is that the Americans are demanding that Zanu PF should respect the freedoms and human rights of Zimbabweans and you, Chisi a Zimbabwean, are complaining! How idiotic is that!
NEGOTIATIONS between civil servants and government ended prematurely yesterday with representatives of the workers storming out of talks in protest after being told that there would be no new offer on the table
Its workers, estimated at 500 000, were demanding an increase in salaries after prices rose five-fold and inflation shot up from 3.52% in January this year to 5.39% in September and 20.85% in October.
The failure by Zimbabweans to see the link between the country's worsening economic situation with the country's corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF rule after all those years is shocking. The country has just had another rigged elections and very few Zimbabweans hardly noticed that.
Thanks to Mnangagwa rigging the elections, he has driven away all would be investors just as Mugabe had done.
Zimbabweans are going on strike demand better wages and conditions of service oblivious of the fact that will never happen as long as the country remains a pariah state.
With an electorate this ignorant and naive, it is little wonder Zimbabwe is up to her eyes in this economic and political mess. Worse still, unless the people snap out of this sloth-like slumber there is no hope this nation ever getting out of the mess. None!
NEGOTIATIONS between civil servants and government ended prematurely yesterday with representatives of the workers storming out of talks in protest after being told that there would be no new offer on the table
Its workers, estimated at 500 000, were demanding an increase in salaries after prices rose five-fold and inflation shot up from 3.52% in January this year to 5.39% in September and 20.85% in October.
But after announcing austerity measures in the 2019 budget to drive down State expenditure and lower employment costs — which take up about 90% of its revenue — government has little room to manoeuvre as it seeks to bring down the budget deficit from 11,7% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year to 5% next year.
A 2015 civil service report put the figure at 3 307 while Auditor-General Mildred Chiri, in her report of the same year found 3 500 ghost workers drawing $21 million in salaries.
The failure by Zimbabweans to see the link between the country's worsening economic situation with the country's corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF rule after all those years is shocking. The country has just had another rigged elections and very few Zimbabweans hardly noticed that.
Thanks to Mnangagwa rigging the elections, he has driven away all would be investors just as Mugabe had done.
Zimbabweans are going on strike demand better wages and conditions of service oblivious of the fact that will never happen as long as the country remains a pariah state.
With an electorate this ignorant and naive, it is little wonder Zimbabwe is up to her eyes in this economic and political mess. Worse still, unless the people snap out of this sloth-like slumber there is no hope this nation ever getting out of the mess. None!
@ Max Maphosa
All those who are frequent use of this site have heard from you and many, like me, have come to the conclusion that you say a lot and none of it make any sense.
“(Exaggerated ) please there is a difference between a failed state and economic melt down. You come from a Zimbabwe which is a failed state but some of us come from a Zimbabwe with economic problems. Please write accurately not false woods or chirungu is 5/10,” you say.
I have far better things to do than waste time splitting hairs! When you have unemployment soaring to the dizzying height of 90% you have economic meltdown and a failed state!
It is not all of us who see and perceive, who hear and understand. You are one of those who see but never perceive who hear but never understand. Sadly for Zimbabwe, there are many, many such idiots just like you hence the reason the country is a failed state. Worse still, if you lot do not snap out of your sloth-like mental slumber, the country will never ever get out of the hell-on-earth we now find ourselves in.
Zimbabwe is, for all intent and practical purposes, the Garden of Eden and yet millions are starving. Before independence, we used to be the breadbasket of the whole region and earned a great fortune from selling quality tobacco, cut flowers, etc. In 20 years after independence all that was gone! That, my idiotic friend, is a damning testimonial on Zanu PF leaders and the nation at large’s failure to govern!
@ Max Maphosa
It is easy to see why Zimbabwe is a failed state, with morons like you as its citizens the country was doom!
“Nomsa talks like you will get a saint as President one day. She is day dreaming .Majority of world leader in the past and present have blood on their hands. What makes you think Zimbabwe will be run by some St Peters or St Paul. You are just working against your country and the suffering people. Write positive stories like developments on electricity supply ,tourism booming etc etc and leave politics to the politicians. If you are for particular party then clearly state you party and speak for them. You are the type which on one hand you want to see a lot of progress taking place in the country and on the other sanctions imposed. Those two don't mix.”
We have a country’s economy is in total meltdown because of 38 years of incompetent, corrupt and tyrannical rule. Millions of our people are out of work and 3/4 of the population are living on US$1.00 or less a day. We know the root cause of the grinding poverty is the decades of misrule by Zanu PF thugs. The country’s economy was doing well before independence, before Zanu PF thugs got into power.
What Nomusa is proposing is that we replace the failed one-party dictatorship with a democratic system of government based on free, fair and credible elections. Only a first class moron like Max would object on the foolish grounds that “majority of world leaders are not saints” and to seek a more competent government is “working against one’s country and the suffering people.”
Max, your mental capacity is the same as every other human being out there; the difference between you and everyone else is most of your brain tissue has turned to fatty tissue because of lack of exercise. Thank God the parts of the brain controlling body functions are still working, even the couch potato still eats and s**t, the thought of you s***ting everywhere is revolting!
“He (Chamisa) has refused to accept the election results even though all other countries have endorsed them. We had free and fair elections and President Mnangagwa was declared the winner,” Minister Oppah Machingura Kashiri.
“Chamisa refused and made a Constitutional Court (ConCourt) challenge where our President was again declared winner. Despite all this, Chamisa still remains adamant and is doing demonstrations.”
“All other countries have endorsed them?” Other than China and maybe one or two other countries with no clue what constitutes free, fair and credible elections; no other countries have endorsed these elections. The EU, Americans and even the Commonwealth team have all condemned the elections as :biased, unfair and not to acceptable international standards.
It is not so much that Chamisa has refused to endorse Mnangagwa’s victory that is bothering Zanu PF but the worsening economic situation. The regime was cocksure there was going to be a flood of investors in answer to Mnangagwa’s “Zimbabwe is open for business!” call. Sadly investors have continued to shy away because Zimbabwe is still a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs!
Zanu PF rigged the 30 July 2018 elections, the regime is illegitimate and must step down. Zanu PF has rigged elections in the past and got away with it but will not do the same this time!
“The sad reality is that things have become worse in 2018. Our salaries have been stolen from us by the new hangman in town, Professor Mthuli Ncube,” said Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ)
“We are now earning just US$120 from US$500 in January 2018. The teacher has sunk deeper on the poverty index.
“We can no longer afford food, shelter, health care and all the basic needs apt for humans.
“Our humanity has been stolen! We are treated worse than dogs and expected to work harder than horses.”
This is all true, of course. Worse still, things are set to get worse, not better.
What is disappointing here is that Zanu PF has frog matched this nation into this economic and political mess for the last 38 years and yet many Zimbabweans have elected to close their eyes to what has been going on. The party has just rigged the recent elections to extend its ruinous and murderous reign and these ARTUZ members continue to pretend Zimbabwe is a normal country with a healthy and prosperous economy and governed by competent and democratically accountable leaders.
Zimbabweans can pretend the country is a democratic and prosperous nation, all they wish. The truth is, we are now the poorest nation in Africa ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs.
As long as the country remains a pariah state there will be no hope of any meaningful economic recovery! This is something ARTUZ members, doctors, all the other civil servants and the nation at large must now accept as a historic fact. The nation can snap out of its sloth-like slumber and do something to end the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF or continue to suffer and die in damn anguish!
What is disappointing here is that Zanu PF and its acolytes are refusing to restore the individual freedoms and rights including the right to free and fair elections as if the regime has the right to do so. It is this shallow mentality that has turned yesteryear's liberators into today's oppressors. Until we learn to see the folly of this idiotic mentality this nation will never end this cycle of oppressed turned liberator turned oppressor, which is at the very heart of whether or not we are capable of self-governing.
“However, rather than injecting much-needed life into an economy in severe decline, Zimbabwe’s diamonds were ruthlessly exploited by the elite under the Mugabe-led government and came to be far better known for their association with human rights abuses, corruption and looting,” said globalwitness.
This is very true, the discovery of diamonds has enabled Zanu PF to bankroll extensive and very expensive vote rigging and vote buying schemes that have help the regime remain in power. So instead of the bounty from diamonds being a blessing, povo’s salvation, it has become the people’s curse as it paid well those keeping them in servitude!
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