If there is one thing the ordinary Zimbabweans do NOT want right now is to be dragged into yet another meaningless election process whose outcome will be to confirm the corrupt, dysfunctional and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. And yet this is exactly what the MDC factions are hell bend on doing!
It was 2004 to 2007 USA ambassador to Zimbabwe, Chris Dell, who foretold in a leaked cable back to Washington that Morgan Tsvangirai was “a flawed and indecisive character who would be an albatross round Zimbabwe’s neck, if he ever got into power!”
Tsvangirai and his MDC friends did get into power the following year, the 2008 to 2013 GNU, and have been the country’s main opposition party ever since. And ever since the GNU, MDC leaders have been the dead-weight weighing the nation down in every sense.
Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends’ primary task in the GNU was to implement the raft of democratic reforms agreed in the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA). SADC leaders, as the guarantor of the GPA, did their best to remind MDC leaders to implement the reforms but were ignored. MDC failed to implement even one token reform in five years.
In a desperate last minute attempt to stop another rigged Zimbabwe elections, SADC leaders told Tsvangirai and company not to participate in the upcoming July 2013 elections until reforms are implemented.
“In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit. I went there,” Dr Ibbo Mandaza told Journalist Violet Gonda.
“And after that Summit, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, all of them were called to a separate meeting by the Heads of State of SADC in the absence of Mugabe, that same evening. They were told ‘if you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done’.”
MDC leaders themselves agreed with the SADC leaders on the futility of participating in a flawed election process. They once again ignored SADC leaders’ sound advice out of greed, as David Coltart admitted in his book.
In his Book, gave details of how Zanu PF was flouting the electoral rules in the upcoming 2013 elections. It was clear the elections would not be free, fair and credible.
“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,” wrote David Coltart in his book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.
“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.”
David Coltart was an MDC – Ncube Senator and Minister of Education in the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Four MDC factions did come together to form the MDC Alliance (MDC A) before the 2018 elections. As we know the Alliance did participate in that year’s election knowing fully well that Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
The MDC A has once again split into two main factions, MDC A led by Nelson Chamisa and MDC T led by Douglas Mwonzora. The two factions are set on participating in the 2023 elections with no reforms in place! MDC is the albatross around Zimbabwe’s neck, giving legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF!
Alex T Magaisa, one of the proponents of participating in the 2023 elections with no reforms, does not deny that Zanu PF without implement the reforms Zanu PF will rig the elections.
“At present, the framing of “political reforms” is that they are dependent on what ZANU PF, as the ruling party, should do to improve the electoral system and environment. The idea is that such reforms would produce a fairer system that would assist in achieving legitimate electoral outcomes. However, most observers agree that ZANU PF has no incentive to implement such reforms. Therefore, the chances of achieving political reforms under the ZANU PF regime are remote,” wrote Magaisa, in Zimeye.
“It is important to take a fresh look at the nature of political reforms. I argue that as the biggest and most formidable opposition party, the MDC Alliance should within for political reforms that would make it a better and more effective force against a seemingly intractable regime.
“An effective anti-rigging strategy is having eyes and ears on the ground during the election process. This simply means there must be election agents at each polling station. You cannot prevent rigging unless you have people at each polling station.”
Of course, this is a foolish argument based on the assumption that vote rigging is limited to what happens at the polling station. It is common knowledge that Zanu PF denied 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora the right to register and to vote in the 2018 elections.
ZEC also failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, a legal and common sense requirement. Without a verified voters’ roll one cannot trace and verified anything and there is no limit to vote rigging mischief one can get up to.
For the record, Alex Magaisa was Morgan Tsvangirai and MDC -T special advisor during the GNU. Since MDC failed to implement even one reform during the GNU and went on to participate in the July 2013 elections against the advice of SADC leaders; one can only imagine what foolish advice he gave the party.
After 41 years of rigged elections it really is insane to be participate in yet another flawed and illegal elections process on the basis of some ill-conceived “strategy to win rigged elections.”
The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb, over 500 were murdered by Zanu PF during the 2008 run-off alone, to elect MDC leaders into office on the understanding the party will implement the reforms. MDC leaders have failed to implement even one reform in 20 years!
The truth is MDC leaders have sold-out on reforms and free, fair and credible elections. They have settled for the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away to entice the opposition to participate in elections.
The MDC leaders’ justification for continued participation in flawed and illegal election is that they can win rigged elections if they unite and are better organised.
By participating in these flawed and illegal elections MDC are giving the process credibility and the the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy.
SADC leaders would have refused to endorse Zanu PF’s election victory in 2013 if MDC had boycotted the elections, after all it was the region leaders who had asked MDC to boycott the election until reforms were implemented. By insisting on participating in the election with no reforms, MDC left SADC leaders with no choice but to accept the process will be flawed and illegal.
Zimbabweans should have joined SADC leaders in demanding that MDC leaders did not to participate in the 2013 elections until the reforms were implemented. We did not and have paid dearly for making that mistake.
Zimbabweans must be first off the mark in demanding the full implementation of the democratic reform to ensure free, fair and credible elections. We must reject the nonsensical argument that the opposition can come up with strategies to win rigged elections.
We do not want rigged elections. Period!
9 comments:
Boy, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends were corrupt! Mugabe must have known even before he signed the Global Political Agreement committing him to the implementation of the raft of democratic reforms that he can bribe the MDC leaders to do nothing about implementing any of the reforms. He bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high office and for five years MDC leaders forgot about the reforms.
The fact that Mugabe bribed not just Tsvangirai and a few others around him but all the MDC-T and MDC-N cabinet members, all the MDC MPs and senators and other senior party members who could and should have given the leaders hell for doing nothing about the reforms for five years goes to show there was something far worse in the MDC family than being corrupt. From Tsvangirai himself right down to the MDC village chairperson they were and still are breathtakingly incompetent. There is no other rational reason why MDC leaders not only failed to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU but even to this day many of them have failed to comprehend what happened much less apportion the blame.
There is no doubt that Mugabe and his fellow Zanu PF cronies understood what was going on during the GNU. Indeed, the loud mouths among them could not help but boast about it!
"Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!" (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good life and shut up!) Zanu PF cronies often boasted. No doubt, Mugabe reprimanded them; there will be time enough to boast after the GNU term was over.
It is not only MDC leaders and members who have failed to comprehend what the 2008 to 2013 GNU was about, a great many Zimbabweans out there still have no clue too. Of course, it is nonsensical to pretend MDC can ever win against the well-oiled and well-financed Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut.
MDC leaders have been participating in these flawed elections for the sake of the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away but could not admit that and so keep coming up with these outrageous strategies to win rigged elections. Fortunately for the MDC leaders there are many Zimbabweans out there naive and gullible enough to believe the nonsense even after decades of rigged elections!
There is no doubt that we have a corrupt and incompetent opposition and worst of all a naive, gullible and incompetent electorate. The question we must ask ourselves is can Zimbabwe ever hope to have a healthy and functioning democracy?
Even if the nation was given a healthy and functioning democracy in a silver platter, never mind how this was achieved; if the nation got it in the morning by noon the hallmarks of a dictatorship will have emerged!
As Special Advisor to Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, had the ear of the MDC leader. The fact that MDC failed to implement even one democratic reform would suggest the Special Advisor did not think the reforms were important. If Magaisa did advise MDC to implement the reforms then at least one or two MDC leaders would have flagged this up by now.
Samuel Sipepa Nkomo has admitted that Lindiwe Zulu, SA's leader in the GNU matters, fought hard to remind MDC leaders to implement the reforms but she was ignored. Mugabe too has confirmed his annoyance with her on the matter and called her "street woman"! No one has ever mentioned Magaisa as a reformist!
The whole thrust of Magaisa's recent article and many other before it was that MDC could still win the elections with no reforms in place if the party developed "Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies, as former MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu called them.
In a recent article, Vincent Tsvangirai accused Alex Magaisa of being a Zanu PF in-plant. There is no deny that MDC's failure to implement even one democratic reforms suited Zanu PF and if that was indeed what Magaisa had advised MDC leaders to do then in-plant or not Magaisa was doing Zanu PF a great favour!
Indeed, by arguing the MDC A to participate in the 2023 elections with no reforms in place would please Mnangagwa and everyone in Zanu PF! Magaisa is continuing to dish out foolish advice to the opposition and the ordinary Zimbabweans out there naive and gullible to believe the foolishness of WIRE strategies!
@ Fidel Hosini
“It must be an open secret by now to all those opposition parties with intentions of participating in the 2023 general elections that they must demand electoral reforms, starting from now.
Zimbabwean are backing them to do so, and that is a need not a want.”
You have to ask yourself, Hosini, why would Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, Douglas Mwonzora, Sikhosana Moyo, Fadzai Mahere and all the other opposition politicians demand electoral reforms now? They participated in the July 2018 elections knowing fully well that with no reforms Zanu PF would rig the elections.
They all participated because they knew that, beside rigging the elections, Zanu would give away a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate. It was these few seats that galvanised the opposition to participate. Zanu PF will still be offering a few gravy train seats and you can be certain that Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, etc., etc., will all be fighting each other like jackals at a lion kill!
I totally agree ordinary Zimbabwe should be solidly behind demands for reforms and free and fair elections. Ordinary Zimbabweans have gained nothing from rigged elections and it is in their interest to end this curse.
However, Zimbabweans have failed to push through their demand for reforms in the past because they never saw it as “a need not a want”. Sadly, that position has not changed; at least there is nothing to suggest it.
Democracy demands a diligent and informed electorate. Like it or not, Zimbabweans are some of the most naive and gullible people on earth. Yeah, we have a serious problem!
@ Nomazulu
In the 1990s ZESA HO was hit by the “Carpet Interview” sex scandal. Many people condemned the practice because no human being should ever be subjected to such inhuman treatment. This is not a uniquely Zimbabwean problem as the #MeToo Holly Wood scandal uncovered.
We should condemn these sexual predictor, who ever they are, because no one should ever be subjected to such inhuman treatment.
It is disappointing that some people are incapable of rising above petty trivial matters such as tribe, race, gender, etc. Dr Masimba Mavaza is certainly one individual who has shown again and again that he has no respect for truth, facts and reality and his contributions are clouded by tribal and partisan bias.
It was the Greek philosopher Socrates who said: “Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.”
It is a great pity that with people like Dr Mavaza in our midst the nation is again and again dragged into the mud where we discuss personalities and not ideas.
She said pupils in urban areas had access to online learning and extra lessons for those whose parents and guardians can afford.
Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said education is now being accessed by the rich who can afford extra lessons and online lesson resources. Rural pupils are mostly drawn from low-income families and their guardians or parents are often self-employed as smallholder farmers or artisans.
Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga said as a committee they have proposed that class of 2020 Grade Seven pupils who wish to rewrite their examinations must be afforded the opportunity to do so in June.
The student failed because they did not have any lessons and asking them to rewrite the exams without attending classes will accomplish nothing!
When was the last time any of these MPs visited the rural areas and seen the deplorable condition of the rural schools, hospitals and clinics after decades of being starved of funds. These legislators are paid $20 000 per month plus a host of other perks including a new car, heavily subsidised five course meal, etc. The teachers and nurses are $5 000 per month and are poorly resourced.
Zimbabwe’s health care and education services collapsed years ago. What we are witnessing here is MPs making a big song and dance about the bad grade seven results for no other reason than to seek cheap publicity!
The only way Zimbabwe can revive its collapsed education and health care is by ending the curse of rigged elections, the real reason the nation has been stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF regime.
Ms Misihairabwi-Mushonga and her fellow MDC colleagues failed to implement even one reform in five years during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They are the ones who are participating in these flawed elections for the sake of the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away giving the vote rigging Zanu PF regime legitimacy. They now shed buckets of crocodile tears over victims of the system they are helping to keep in power!
This was said by the Zimbabwe Elections Support Network (Zesn), an independent electoral watchdog, in a recent report where it outlined that there are no tangible electoral reforms to ensure that Zec acted independently.
"The provisions (in the Electoral Act) permitting Executive interference in Zec are still in force," the Zesn report read.
"According to the inter-ministerial taskforce on the alignment of legislation to the Constitution, the alignment of the Electoral Act to the Constitution is complete. Zesn is of a contrary view and has made submissions to both government and Parliament," Zesn said.
The electoral watchdog's comments came soon after the inter-ministerial committee tasked with aligning the Electoral Act to the Constitution announced that it had completed its work, albeit without ensuring that the law asserts the independence of Zec within its provisions.
The best opportunity the nation has ever had to implement democratic reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections was during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Sadly, MDC leaders took their eyes off the ball and failed to implement even one token reform.
Anyone who expects Zanu PF to implement the reforms is naive to say the least. Zanu PF will never reform itself out of office.
It is clear the 2023 elections will go ahead with no reforms in place and the usual opposition suspects will participate. This time, no stone will be left unturned to ensure the election is declared null and void. We need to end the curse of rigged election and bad governance.
According to the educators, each teacher was supposed to be paid $10 RTGS for Paper One while the price for marking Paper Two was pegged at $15 RTGS per script.
Approximately, each person was supposed to mark about 500 scripts.
The affected teachers said they have been visiting Zimsec Bulawayo provincial offices almost on daily basis following up on their dues but without any success.
“Before we commenced the marking of the examinations, we were promised that payment will be deposited in our accounts on the day of completion of the marking exercise.
“Since we completed marking the examinations, our supervisors have been making enquiries at the Zimsec offices, but nobody has given us satisfactory explanations
Why am I not surprised!
Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo has been arrested by SACU. Charges are; one count of fraud and 5 counts of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
All charges arise from the Uchena Land Commission report.
More to follow…
Living in a dictatorship is all well and good for those in the ruling elite and whilst they remain in power. The day they lose the protection of the party they quickly learn how difficult life outside the party is and if their former party colleague should ever decide to go after them, life can really become hell-on-earth!
For one Ignatius Chombo, his trip on the wild side has just began. The dictatorship kept him in power for donkey years and now the same dictatorship is going to keep him in hell for donkey years too!
@ Nads Mudhie
“It must be the people of Zimbabwe who should make noise about it as one voice and put pressure on political parties, otherwise will clock a century without reforms if we leave it out for political parties to resolve it for us.”
Could not agree with you more, the people of Zimbabwe have always had the power to change the country for the better! But power without knowledge is as dangerous as a gun in the hands of idiot, especially when the idiot is under the spell of a corrupt and ruthless tyrant!
I believe Zimbabwe can put an end to the nightmare of rigged elections and bad governance if ordinary Zimbabweans were to stand firm in their demands for reforms before the elections. The country could and should have had its dawn of freedom in 2013 if MDC leaders had not sold-out and implemented the reforms. The MDC leaders continue to sell out with their participation in flawed elections giving Zanu PF legitimacy.
“MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” was how Chamisa justified MDC A’s participation in the 2018 elections. All bulls**t as we all should know by now!
“But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you see the light
You stand up for your right, yeah!
Get up, stand up
Don’t give up the fight!
You can fool some people
sometimes
But you can’t fool all the people
all the time”
said Bob Marley.
But after 41 years of rigged elections and still there are millions of Zimbabweans ready and willing to be conned into participating in yet another utterly meaningless elections; one is forced to admit in Zimbabwe one can fool the majority forever!
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