The Americans continue to exert maximum pressure on SADC leaders to abandon their folly of supporting the Zanu PF anti-sanctions propaganda and embrace the drive for democratic reforms in Zimbabwe.
“The United States Ambassador to Botswana Craig Lewis Cloud has defended sanctions against Zimbabwe saying they were targeted at officials abusing human rights and the rule of law,” reported Byo24News.
“In a meeting with SADC executive secretary Dr Stergomena Tax on Tuesday to discuss the sanctions against Zimbabwe, Cloud said his country is one of the biggest supporters of Zimbabwe in terms of aid, contributing well over US$2 billion, since its Independence.
"Today Ambassador Cloud and Dr Tax discussed the root causes of U.S. sanctions in Zimbabwe, namely human rights abuses and anti-democratic efforts," said the US Embassy in Botswana.
It is bad enough that we are having to deal with this Zanu PF government that has no respect for the truth, reality and reason and instead, uses its absolute power, to corrupt and distort the truth, reason and reality and impose them on everyone.
There is a mountain of evidence, for example, to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that corruption and mismanagement are the root causes of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown. Whatever economic hardships are caused by sanctions, they are a tiny fraction compared to those caused by the mismanagement and corruptions.
Zanu PF has blown the effects of sanctions out of all proportion for it selfish propaganda purposes. It is disappointing that outsiders like SA President Cyril Ramaphosa and other SADC leaders have been conned into believing Zanu PF propaganda and lies.
President Mnangagwa blatantly rigged the July 2018 elections. He denied 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora a vote (he claimed victory with 2.4 million votes) only to assure them they will vote next time. ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, a legal and common sense require.
The whole election process lacked transparency, could not be traced and verified, etc. And yet Mnangagwa maintained the elections were “free, fair and credible”! Sadly, SADC leaders, once again, believed the Zanu PF lies.
Zimbabwe’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections is at the very heart of the country’s worsening economic meltdown because the nation was stuck with the corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF. 40 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruptions have destroyed the country’s once upon a time robust and vibrant economy.
Zimbabwe is a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who have rigged elections to secure their long stay in power. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state, ravished by mismanagement, corruption and lawlessness, there will be no meaningful economic recovery. None!
Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown has pushed unemployment rate into the nauseating heights of 90%, a recent WB report revealed that 90% of the population now live in poverty and 34% in abject poverty. The World Food Programme, USA and EU have stepped in to source food to feed 8 million Zimbabweans who would be starving, otherwise.
After decades of neglect, Zimbabwe’s public education and health care have all but collapsed. Teachers, doctors and nurses have stopped going to work because their wages do not cover their transport costs let alone food, accommodation, etc.
There is no denying that Zimbabwe is a failed state and, more pointedly, in serious, serious economic trouble and the danger of social and political instability is real and immediate.
Zimbabwe’s economic and political mess is a man-made problem - chronic bad governance born out of the country’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. The solution is self-evident - hold free, fair and credible elections.
Zanu PF has usurped the people’s democratic freedoms and rights to impose the de facto one-party dictatorship complete with its carte blanche powers to rig elections. It is sad that even now with Zimbabwe’s very survival at stake, SADC leaders should continue to believe Zanu PF lies and propaganda at the expense of truth, reason and reality.
The solution is for the illegitimate Zanu PF regime to step down so the people of Zimbabwe can implement the democratic reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections. Zanu PF cannot be trust to implement the reforms because no tyrannical regime will ever reform itself out of office.
Besides, SADC made that mistake of entrusting Zanu PF to implement the reforms, or be it together with MDC, during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and not even one reform was implemented. Not one!
"Thank you, Your Excellency Ambassador Cloud, for visiting the Secretariat and for the extensive discussion on impacts of sanction on the economy of Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans; and the need to walk the talk in supporting the ongoing political and economic reforms in Zimbabwe," SADC executive secretary, Dr Stergomena Tax answered.
This is so infuriating! What “ongoing political and economic reforms” is she wittering about when Mnangagwa has said the last elections were free, fair and credible and SADC itself agreed with him!
The sanctions are helping to highlight Zanu PF’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections and hence the reason they must stay.
Indeed, after nearly two decades of the sanctions, the Americans must review the sanctions to make them tougher and far reaching. People like Professor Mthuli Ncube, Minister Kirsty Coventry and opposition leaders like Nelson Chamisa and Tendai Biti must be added to the sanctions list for working with Zanu PF knowing fully well the regime rigged elections.
The West must seriously consider imposing sanctions on some of the SADC leaders. By believing Mnangagwa’s lies and propaganda, these leaders are closing their eyes to the truth, reason and reality and it is the ordinary people of Zimbabwe and of the whole SADC region who are paying dearly for the folly. Something to force these leaders to open their eyes will not be amiss!
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THE MDC will no longer seek police clearance to hold demonstrations, party Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya has vowed, in what could trigger a showdown between the main opposition party and the State.
Last week, MDC President Nelson Chamisa announced the party was planning to hold massive demonstrations across the country.
MDC is holding these demos to demand the National Transition Authority (NTA) which will secure Chamisa and a few other MDC leaders cabinet positions in a power sharing arrangement with Zanu PF. The NTA will not implement any meaningful political reforms and thus deliver free, fair and credible elections just as the 2008 GNU failed to do the same. It will be very foolish of any Zimbabwean out there to support these demos in any way and thus continue this utterly meaningless circus.
What the people of Zimbabwe need is that Zanu PF must step down so that the nation can appoint a body to finally implement the reforms. Zanu PF will never reform itself out of office!
In addition to the Borrowdale mansion ta the centre of the divorce case, Chiwenga said Mubaiwa purchased two properties in South Africa while he was hospitalised in that country.
“Again and furthermore I note that he ancillary relief sought is for vehicles and clothes which vehicles do not belong to her but to the State. The certificate of urgency does not state how she acquired and came to own six (6) vehicles belonging to the State, some of which were my package from the army when I left to enter political office.”
According to the Vice-President, the Toyota Lexus belonged to the Command Agriculture programme, the Mercedes-Benz S400 was purchased from the Defence ministry, the silver Mercedes-Benz E350 was given by Sakunda Holdings boss Kuda Tagwirei as an escort for the children and the black Mercedes-Benz E350 also belonged to the Defence ministry, but was given for Chiwenga’s personal use.
Chiwenga argues that it does not make sense for his former wife to demand the said cars as she has her own fleet of personal cars besides the Range Rover. He cites a BMW 7-Series, a red Chevrolet and a Toyota Hilux.
The other demands are for one international holiday per year at a five-star facility and the equivalence of US$25 000 spending money, one fully-expensed regional holiday and US$15 000 spending money, one fully-paid local holiday per annum and not less than 25 000 per person and an equivalent of US$40 000 a month for her own personal maintenance per month as well as internationally-recognised medical aid cover until her death.
It is this lifestyle of unparalleled luxury and comfort that explains why these Zanu PF ruling elite will never ever give up their carte blanche powers to rig elections. How else can they secure their extravagant lifestyles except by making sure they have absolute power and with it the right to loot the nation’s wealth to feed their insatiable greed.
@ Ken Mufuka
All this meant nothing to Mzembi, who had run down his own farm. Masvingo Mirror reported that Mzembi had previously overrun the land around Lake Mtirikwi, a pristine holiday resort.
As if this was not enough, with the help of party thugs, he had overrun Renco Gold Mine, the largest employer in Masvingo Province.
Kasukuwere led the youth group which forced Nestle International to close or shift its operations. If Nestle, Renco Mines and Barquest Chicks have no security of tenure, surely, we in the Diaspora are in the same boat with them.
The Masvingo Mirror reported Mzembi’s arrival at Renco Mine with pomp. “he called a public meeting and announced that RioZim had not complied with the indigenization obligations … and hence they were taking over Renco.”
This is the sum total of Mzembi’s comprehension of the laws of commerce and industry. The shareholders were not consulted, the Zimbabwe bourse was not informed, the workers were not consulted and the international market was supposed to swallow the deal.
By the way Mzembi wears a gold tooth.
The press statement says that there is a general wake up by Zimbabweans against the oppressive practices of ZANU-PF.
In my ten year research, a common theme in the longevity of the Mugabe rule was the recurrent desire by Mugabe’s enablers, once they were defenestrated from office, to form new parties.
Zimbabwean Tapiwa Chiriga, on reading about the new party, recalled that “a few months ago, you were cheer- leading ZANU-PF and Mnangagwa. Now your eyes are opened so much that you see another ZANU (party) as a solution.”
Mzembi is unfit for leadership by any name whatever. If by chance, Mnangagwa had not expelled him from ZANU-PF, he would still be there, cheering the policies he now says have failed to fulfill Zimbabwean dreams.
In his treatment of 84 year old Mrs. Mitchell, he showed callousness that is the trademark of ZANU-PF. Today they ransack the 100 000 per day egg farm. Tomorrow they want the United Nations to save children from malnutrition. It is the fact that such men like him, like Didymus Mutasa, like Mai Joice Mujuru, and many others, cheered Mugabe that his longevity was assured for so long.
When these same people lost favor with the devil, that they had created and protected, they wanted our support. They miss the camaraderie of a Mafioso. This brother does not deserve anybody’s support.
Could not agree with you more on Mzembi being unfit for public office and people’s trust. The trouble with some people is they have very short memories and hence forget yesterday’s thugs with the night’s sleep.
It was Mark Twain who said, “It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt.”
When President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa opened his mouth to endorse Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections as having “gone well” he removed all doubt of his stupidity. Zanu PF had blatantly rigged the elections, the whole election process was full of errors, it was not transparent, could not be traced and verified. ZEC had failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll for Pete’s sake! How anyone could still say the process went well, beggars belief!
When President Ramaphosa claimed that sanctions were the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic problems to an international audience in Davos, Switzerland; not some rural village audience; he proved his stupidity was beyond the pale!
The only saving grace for SA from mediocre leaders like Ramaphosa is that the country has a working democracy or be it restricted by ANC’s dominance. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Zimbabwe, not as long as we have a political system that allows individuals to rig elections!
State universities could end up charging up to $15 000 a semester once all ancillary fees, accommodation and meals have been factored in.
The Government set maximum tuition fees between $3 500 and $5 000 per semester for universities, depending on course, while tuition at colleges was set at between $500 and $1 500.
Ancillary fees, accommodation and meals were left to the institutions to determine.
The ancillary charges include registration, examination, maintenance, medical aid, technology, students union, sports levy, laboratory, travel, student development, fieldwork and graduation fees and can total $3 660.
In a country with unemployment rate a nauseating 90% where are the guardians of these students expected to get the money from?
Zimbabwe’s education is all but dead under the double edged sword - first cut by pricing it beyond the reach of many people. The second cut was starving the institutions of funding to buy equipment and pay staff a living wage.
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