“'Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.'”
argued Nicholas Clairmont in Big Think.
“The quote is most likely due to writer and
philosopher George Santayana, and in its original form it read,
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat
it."
“The sentiment that history repeats aspires to common
sense and is hard to disagree with.”
In Zimbabwe, we are certainly caught in the vortexes of
history repeating itself not so much from having the historic facts presented
to us in a silver platter and failing to learn from them but rather from being
bamboozled with bullshit!
Zimbabwe has more than her fair share of citizens who have
taken to heart the aphorism “If you cannot dazzle them with brilliance baffle
them with bullshit!” Dr Alex Magaisa is one such Zimbabwean academic whose
regular contributions on various media platforms is nothing but brainwashing
bullshit!
“One might have thought that he (Emmerson Mnangagwa) used
the long period of political apprenticeship (37 years) to identify the errors
to be avoided if ever he got an opportunity to lead. However, nearly four years
since grabbing power in a coup that toppled his long-time boss, Robert Mugabe,
Emmerson Mnangagwa has struggled to uplift Zimbabwe from the depths of poverty,
and citizens remain under the yoke of political repression. The average
Zimbabwean is no better today than he was when Mnangagwa took office in those
heady days of November 2017.” Started, well enough, Dr Magaisa in his article
in The News Hawks.
Dr Magaisa went on to describe the events leading to the
November 2017 military coup that toppled Mugabe and Mnangagwa’s fight to
consolidate his hold on power.
“The death of Morgan Tsvangirai, the popular opposition
leader who had given Mugabe sleepless nights, led him to believe that the MDC
would be a much-diminished opponent,” continued Magaisa. “He was also wrong on
this count. The youthful Nelson Chamisa, who succeeded Tsvangirai went on to
win more votes in a presidential election than his illustrious predecessor. It
was even more remarkable because he did so on a shoe-string budget and with
very little time to campaign since Tsvangirai died in February with the
election just 5 months away.
“In the end, the election brought more trouble than he had
anticipated. It did not resolve the legitimacy question, especially as his main
rival refused to give the elusive loser’s consent because he maintained that
the election had been rigged for Mnangagwa. This dispute has hung like a cloud
over Mnangagwa’s first term even after the Constitutional Court ruled in his
favour.”
Of course, this is all nonsense, a far cry from the historic
facts.
Number one, when the SADC and AU leaders joined the rest of
the international community and refused to accept Mugabe and his Zanu PF party
as the legitimate government following the blatant cheating and wanton violence
of the 2008 elections, it marked the beginning of the most trying five years in
Mugabe’s chaotic and turbulent political life.
SADC leaders forced Mugabe to sign the 2008 Global Political
Agreement, agreeing to the implementation of the raft of democratic reforms
designed to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship. The task of implementing the
reforms was given to Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends.
Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of high
office; the ministerial limos, the very generous salaries and allowances, a
US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. Of course, he was worried that the
bribes would not be enough to buy-off all the MDC leaders to stop them
implementing the reforms; it did.
But not even Mugabe would have dared to believe his bribes
would stop MDC leaders implementing the reforms for the five years of the GNU,
particularly given the constant nagging by SADC leaders reminding Tsvangirai
and company to implement the reforms. Still, it is a historic fact that MDC
leaders failed to implement even one democratic reform in five years of the
2008 to 2013 GNU.
It was only thanks to MDC leaders who proved to be corrupt
and hopelessly incompetent that Mugabe and his Zanu PF party emerged from the
GNU with all the dictatorial powers intact. Only a village idiot like Dr
Magaisa would suggest a corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent Morgan
Tsvangirai gave Mugabe sleepless nights!
Two, Mnangagwa is a buffoon who got very lucky; the
probability of the 200 or so MDC leaders being so incompetent they would not
implement even one reform in the five years of the GNU. And, typical of all
buffoons who find themselves thrust with power and authority, Mnangagwa believes
he is Lord God Almighty’s gift to humanity. What he lacked in intellectual
vigour more than made up for in self-confidence. Mnangagwa never doubted his “Zimbabwe
is open for business!” mantra would fail to open the flood gates of investors
and kick-start the comatose Zimbabwe economy.
As we know, investors are shrewd and savvy lot; they were
not going to be fooled into believing the musical chair changes in Zanu PF brought
on by the military coup was enough to transform the pariah state into a healthy
and functional democracy. “Zimbabwe is open for business!” was still born; not
even one serious investor gave it so much as a nibble.
Mnangagwa is a buffoon but credit where credit is due, he
was smart enough to know, to stay in power, he had no choice but to rig the
2018 elections and to get away with it, to get political legitimacy, needed the
opposition to participate in election. He blatantly rigged the 2018 elections,
as any election observer readily testified.
“The electoral commission (Zimbabwe Election Commission, ZEC)
lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner,”
stated the scathing 240 member EU Election Observer Mission final report.
“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.”
But all that counted for nothing given the sheer enthusiasm
and passion shown by Zimbabwe’s opposition camp; there were 23 candidates in
the presidential rat race alone. The results could not be traced or verified
because ZEC failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, a
legal and common-sense requirement.
David Coltart, an MDC Minister during the GNU and now an MDC
A senator, admitted in his 2016 book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of
Tyranny in Zimbabwe, that Zimbabwe’s opposition should not be
participating in the country’s flawed elections.
“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 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.”
Four of the main MDC factions did form the MDC Alliance
coalition before the 2018 elections and they, regardless, went on to
participate in the 2018 elections for the same reason as in 2013 – greed! Zanu
PF is giving away a few gravy-train seats to entice the opposition to
participate in elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process happens
to be.
Right now, Mnangagwa is gearing for the 2023 elections; with
not even one token reform in place, no verified voters’ roll, etc.; Zanu PF is
set to rig the elections. For their part, Nelson Chamisa and the rest of the
opposition are set to participate in the flawed elections and thus give the
vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy. History is set to repeat itself.
Of course, Nelson Chamisa knows that without reforms Mnangagwa
will rig the elections, that by participating he will give Mnangagwa legitimacy
and that he is doing out of selfish greed – these are all well-established historic
fact.
Dr Alex Magaisa’s articles are lies designed to brainwash
the ordinary Zimbabweans into believing Nelson Chamisa and his MDC friends will
deliver the democratic changes the nation has been dying for. The historic reality
is, MDC leaders have failed to deliver even one change in 21 years, 5 of which
in the GNU and, worst of all, they are now giving legitimacy to the vote
rigging Zanu PF by participating in flawed elections!
(Dr Alex Magaisa is a lecturer at Kent Law School in UK was
the late Morgan Tsvangirai, the Prime Minister’s Special Advisor in the last
year of the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Some special advisor he turned out to be, given MDC
has blundered from pillar to post and failed to implement even one token reform!)
6 comments:
It was the failure by Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends to implement even one democratic reform during the GNU that allowed Mugabe and Zanu PF to retain the regime's dictatorial powers. To therefore suggest that Tsvangirai gave Mugabe "sleepless nights" is to misread the historic facts. This is worse coming from Dr Magaisa since he was Tsvangirai's special advisor and therefore knows Tsvangirai's incompetence was a great blessing to Mugabe! The tyrant never tired of thanking his demon-gods for Tsvangirai!
@ Alex Magaisa
Dr Alex Magaisa is like Professor Jonathan Moyo (there have been reports that the two worked together during the 2008 to 2013 GNU) knew the primary purpose of the GNU was to implement the democratic reforms and stop the outrage of another rigged election. The two knew exactly what MDC leaders should have done to implement the reforms. And yet the two gentlemen have never ever acknowledged MDC’s failure to implement the reforms as one of the most serious acts of betrayal since the country’s independence - second only to the 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre.
Zimbabwe’s utterly useless public media and the largely ineffective private media, “ndizvo nyama yavarinembwa!” as one would say in Shona; have allowed people like Magaisa to brainwash the people with nonsense.
The High Court ruling last year that saw Nelson Chamisa lose control of MDC A, many of the elected leaders and the party offices and assets; were a consequence of Chamisa’s unconstitutional seizure of power following Tsvangirai’s death. Magaisa is being totally dishonest to suggest otherwise.
“In a previous article, I have explained how the Mnangagwa regime has made use of the twin strategies of coercion and co-optation against the opposition. If you cannot repress them, bribe them to your side. Opposing an authoritarian regime is tiring and costly for individuals. For the ruling party, chasing the opposition is like a predator chasing prey. The predator targets the weaker members of the herd and goes after them. After some time, the isolated and weary targets lose their legs and the predator pounces. The last three years has seen many weary opposition warriors fall prey to the bite of the crocodile. Their future is now in Zanu-PF, not in the opposition. They are gone and they will be more vicious towards the opposition than the original Zanu-PF members,” wrote Magaisa.
A more rigorous public and/or private media who have slammed Magaisa down hard for refusing to be objective and spreading fake news.
Dr Alex Magaisa saw to it that MDC did not implement even one reform during the GNU and his agenda now is to portray Chamisa and MDC A as the best thing that ever happened to Zimbabwe since sliced bread. The principle beneficiary of both these obnoxious activities is the Zanu PF dictatorship!
@ Newsday/Faith Hope
“This fact alone should give MDC supporters and their cheer leaders in the media (who have now suddenly and conveniently forgotten their recent hatred of the professor) cause for concern. If Moyo believes his interests are now best served by a Chamisa government, Mnangagwa must be doing something right!”
The quality of some of the articles in our so-called independent media have certainly blurred the divide between them and the Zanu PF controlled public media. This piece is what one would expect to read in The Chronicle, The Herald, ZBC or some such platform.
The author talks about of Professor Jonathan Moyo vitriolic bitterness against Mnangagwa; there is certainly no love lost between the two ever since they found each other on rival Zanu PF camps. The latter is angry with his fellow November 2017 coup leaders for failing to net Professor Moyo during the coup. Professor Moyo is thanking his lucky stars for escaping with his life but in no doubt not a happy-bunny holed up in his fox-hole.
To take Professor Moyo’s bitterness as evidence Mnangagwa must be doing something right is foolish and devoid of logic. Interesting enough, the writer was content to speculate on Mnangagwa doing something right but failed to name even one thing to support his claim because there is nothing right Mnangagwa has done!
Chamisa's grand national heroes reforms also include designating August the "Heroes Month" with multiple festivities, memorial lectures, and activities lined up.
He also promised to honour current human rights activists, constructing a liberation museum and making struggle movies while strengthening education on history, heritage, national pride, and patriotism.
Zimbabwe is set to hold its national elections in 2023 pitting for the second time arch-rivals Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF and Chamisa.
Mnangagwa narrowly beat Chamisa in the 2018 elections and the opposition leader has rejected the outcome of the poll results accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of rigging.
This is just hot-air coming from someone who had his golden opportunity to make a difference in the nation’s history and fluffed so badly he is beyond the pale.
Chamisa and his MDC friends have not only failed to implement any reforms in 21 years, 5 of which in the GNU, but by insisting on participating in flawed elections are now giving the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy.
Chamisa and company are gearing to participate in the 2023 elections knowing fully well Zanu PF will rig those elections and the best Chamisa expect is to win most of the bait seats Zanu PF is offering so he can brag about being the leader of Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition party.
So, Zimbabweans are to, once again, give legitimacy to the vote rigging Zanu PF and endure another five more years of corrupt and tyrannical rule for the sake of Chamisa calling himself leader of the opposition. No stone will be left unturned to put an end to this madness!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections are the number one task is to make sure the regime does not get away with this by taping on the sheer stupidity of Chamisa and company who will participate in flawed elections and to give the regime legitimacy.
No more rigged elections! Rigged elections must be declared null and void and arrangements made to implement the reforms to guarantee free, fair and credible elections; that is not too much to ask!
@ Natasha Meyer
“U tell us wat we already know n leave one crucial point zim young people dont vote n dat d it was during gnu dat new constitution was formed very important lastly your laymen knowledge need to be reminded wat is zanu b4 u start speaking nonsense.”
ZEC has never ever produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll. So, without a verified voters’ roll how do you know young people did not vote, those who voted are real (died people are known to vote in Zimbabwe), etc.
Yes, the new constitution was produced during the GNU but you cannot deny that it failed to deliver free, fair and credible elections; basic freedoms and rights; etc. What use having a new constitution if it is failing to protect and guarantee our basic freedoms and rights!
It must be said, Zimbabweans we are a very naive and gullible people and it shows. When Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies announced that if the party did not win the 1980 elections the bush war would continue; it was clear the party was going back on the long cherished democratic value of "One man, one vote!" The nation should have been on full alert from there on. We were not!
Zimbabweans treated Mugabe and company as gods who could do no wrong for the first 20 years of our independence, even when Zanu PF instigated its 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre the nation continued to follow the party blindly. Mugabe had the time to consolidate his hold on power and create one of the most formidable and ruthless dictatorship as history has shown.
As much as the nation was desperate to see the back of Mugabe the support the people gave the November 2017 military coup showed just how naive the people are. Of course, the second republic was a gimmick because nothing of substance had changed, it was the same corrupt, incompetent and ruthless thugs who were still in power.
As a people we are certainly very slow to learn from the past and hence the reason we have repeated the same mistakes over and over again.
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