Many people have listened to an audio posted on Zimeye in which the Right Honourable Themba Mliswa, Independent MP for Norton, was ranting and raving calling me “a political novice”. What was all that about, some people have asked.
The whole argument started with the Right Honourable MP arguing that if Zimbabweans wanted political and economic change in Zimbabwe then they must register to vote for the upcoming 2023 elections. It is bad enough to have to listen to the brain-dead MDC/CCC supporters regurgitating the same foolish argument; it is too much ask to hear it from an MP too!
In the watershed March 2008 elections 73% of the people voted for Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends but before the results were announced the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut stepped in. Zanu PF led by none other than President Emmerson Mnangagwa himself, by his own admission, whittled down the 73% to 47%, enough to force a presidential runoff.
During the runoff the party unleashed the party’s militia, war veterans backed by the Police, Army and CIO for the express purpose of punishing the people for daring to reject Mugabe and Zanu PF in the March vote.
“What was accomplished by the bullet cannot be undone by the ballot!” thundered Robert Mugabe throughout Operation “Mavhotera papi!” (Whom did you vote for!)
Themba Mliswa was a senior Zanu PF member, an MP and was, at one point, Zanu PF chairman of Mashonaland West. Of course, he played has his role in the establishment and retention of the de facto one-party, Zanu PF, dictatorship that has ruled the country to this day with an iron fist.
SADC refused to endorse Zanu PF’s election victory in protest against the blatant cheating and wanton violence, a historic first given the regional body had always turned a blind eye to Zanu PF rigged elections in the past. SADC forced Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement, agreeing to the need for Zimbabwe to implement a raft of democratic reforms to restore the individual freedoms and rights including the right to free, fair and credible elections.
Themba Mliswa knows that Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends sold out big time by failing to implement even one democratic reform in the five years of the 2008 to 2013 GNU. “Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good life, they will never rock the boat!) Zanu PF cronies openly boasted during the GNU when asked why MDC were not implementing reforms.
Mliswa would have joined his fellow Zanu PF cronies in celebrating the end of the GNU in 2013 with not even a token reform in place. They all knew that as long as Zanu PF retained its carte blanche powers to rigged elections and use wanton violence, the party would NEVER EVER lose elections as the 2008 watershed elections had shown.
Unlike in 2008 when the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut turned off and only turned back on to stop the unedited elections results be announced, it is turned on all the time. Hence the reason ZEC has only registered 250 000 in the period 2018 to May 2022 regardless of opposition’s effort to register six million, for example!
Of course, Themba Mliswa knows it is futile to participating in these flawed and illegal elections – the opposition will only give the process some modicum of credibility and legitimacy. He does not care about that because he also knows that Zanu PF will give away a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate. He won one of these bait seats in the last elections and that is all he cares about.
“I am related to Didymus Mutasa and Emmerson Mnangagwa. And Nelson Chamisa is my sekuru (uncle).” Argued Mliswa. “Am I able to advance national interest? Yes I am!”
I judge people on merit and not on their political connections, gender, tribe, age, etc. The Zanu PF dictatorship is at the heart of the nation’s economic and political mess and only an idiot would think perpetuating the dictatorship for selfish reasons is in the national interest!
In his ranting and raving Mliswa revealed that he has studied and worked for some of the world-renowned education institutions in UK, USA and Japan. I for one was disappointed that Mliswa had clearly learned nothing; he did not even have the common sense to know one cannot have free and fair elections without something as basic as a verified voters’ roll.
It goes to show, one can take an ape out of the jungle, but you cannot take the jungle mentality out of the ape! Zimbabwe’s corrupted electoral system has allowed apes to be MPs and no wonder the country is in serious trouble! And the solution is to break this cycle of rigged elections that has kept the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF thugs in power for 42 years.
We cannot stop Zanu PF rigging the 2023 elections nor can we stop Mliswa, his uncle Chamisa and the rest in the opposition camp participating in the flawed and illegal elections. What we can and must do is stop SADC endorsing the flawed process and granting Zanu PF legitimacy.
There is a lot more to implementing the democratic reforms and holding free and fair elections than restoring a fundamental right; it is the essence of good governance and our ticket out of the hellhole Zanu PF have dragged us into!
Themba Mliswa taught at Eton College and yet does not even have the common sense to know what constitute free, fair and credible elections. He and his like must not have the final say in 2023 elections!
(Right Honourable MP Themba Mliswa’s ranting, and raving audio is available on facebook.com/zimeye/videos/508767777357655/?flite=scwspnss)
7 comments:
@ Standard
"One of the reasons why opposition parties in the region are failing to dislodge these dynasties from power is that they make the mistake of focusing solely on their leaders and ignoring the institutions that are larger than the individuals.
Zimbabwe offers good lessons on the pitfalls of such a narrow approach to politics.
Thousands of Zimbabweans marched through the capital city in November 2017 demanding the resignation of the late former president Robert Gabriel Mugabe, following a dramatic military takeover days earlier.
It was the largest anti-government demonstration in decades.
At that moment, Mugabe was the enemy that most Zimbabweans wanted to get rid of, not the ruling Zanu-PF party.
Even opposition leaders joined hands with one of the Zanu-PF factions in urging Mugabe to resign immediately in order to avert impeachment.
The unity of purpose blinkered some Zimbabweans to forget that Zanu-PF was an institution and not individuals, in that case Mugabe.
Many Zimbabweans appeared to prefer then former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa as Mugabe's successor, as did the military commanders who detained the 95-year-old ruler then.
Fast forward, we now have "ED Must Go" trending hashtags"
It took the November 2017 military coup to dislodge Robert Mugabe because the corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent opposition had wasted the golden opportunity to do so during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. You would think the people have learned the lesson and will now pay attention to electing quality opposition leaders; they have not.
Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, David Coltart and many of the CCC leaders were in the GNU that failed to implement even one reform and yet the wildebeest herd support these corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent individuals with blind devotion. The herd even call Chamisa “Change Champion in Chief” yet none of them can name one change he or the party has brought!
The problem with Zimbabweans is they are ignorant, naïve and gullible; their understanding of issues is potato skin deep and so they are easily swayed to do the wrong thing. Until our people learn to pay attention to detail, detail is everything, the nation will continue to blinder from pillar to post and sink deeper and deeper into the abyss.
“For this reason, the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change led by Nelson Chamisa needs to rethink its strategies if it entertains hopes of defeating Zanu-PF as an institution and stop focusing on individuals.” you argue.
Chamisa and company have already proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent, they have failed to deliver even one reform in 22 years because they had no strategies. Those who are corrupt and incompetent are per se incapable of producing a strategy. And therefore, to keep calling for a strategy for CCC is to expect blood from a rock! It shows you too have failed to comprehend that CCC leaders are corrupt and incompetent, even with the benefit of hindsight!
@ Tawanda Majoni
The picture is not that clear in 2013, not as it was in 2008 when it took them a whole month, 24/7, to hassle the figures around and nip Tsvangirai's ballots like sorghum heads. 2013 was the year of Nikuv. We heard lots about how that company worked with the RG's office to do ghost voters and what, what. Zanu-PF and Mugabe wins were mysterious, seeing as it is they were "landslides".
But the likes of Tendai Biti worsened the mystery of the elections. Instead of blaming the MDC non-win of both the ballots and power on Nikuv, Biti and gang started saying things about how bad a leader Tsvangirai had been. They went and formed another party but it doesn't look like good leadership followed them there.
In 2013, Tsvangirai was warned not to go into elections without the requisite electoral, judicial, media, security sector and other reforms. Instead, he put both his hands in the pockets and boasted that his party would win no matter what.
Equally, the 2018 elections were done without the necessary reforms. Chamisa, for all I care, got the numbers and beat Mnangagwa. But the numbers are not the power. That's why Mnangagwa is in power.
And you see this other thing about Chamisa? He is as fickle as a dry leaf in August. One day he is saying this thing, the other day he is sprinting in the opposite direction. Just this last week, he forgot that he had said reforms didn't matter. He and his "convergence of citizens" launched an electoral reform blueprint. This time around, they are saying we need reforms to ensure our elections are legitimate, and that's within a space of three weeks only after Chinhoyi.
The opposition is dealing with a political party and political thugs who not only think the sun shines through their bowels for having fought the white man, but know they have a lot to lose if they get out of power. The shadow of the 2017 coup haunts them and, you know it too well now, those dudes didn't push Mugabe out to reform themselves out of power.
These are the people who will resist all meaningful reformation. And the situation is not made any easier by the fact that the opposition seems to think that fighting for reforms is a lunar park swing.
I totally agree with you we are stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship because we have a corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless opposition.
The bottom line is Chamisa is hell bent on participating in the 2023 elections with no reforms. Zanu PF knows that and hence the reason the regime is ignoring calls for reforms.
Yes, the ordinary people are desperate to see the back of the Zanu PF regime they are not paying attention to what MDC/CCC is doing, a fatal mistake. The people’s blind loyalty to MDC/CCC is giving the party political credibility when Chamisa and company have long stopped serving the public interest. By failing to implement even one meaningful reform and by participating in flawed elections MDC/CCC is giving Zanu PF legitimacy thus perpetuating the dictatorship – the very thing the ordinary people have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC to end!
It has never occurred to the majority of our people to ask what changes have MDC/CCC delivered in 22 years, 5 of which in the GNU? Even with the benefit of hindsight, even when prompted; they still fail to ask. As long as we have an ignorant, naïve and gullible populous; there is no hope of getting out of this mess!
@ Fay Chung
“For example whilst primary education for all and secondary education for the majority, and a clean water supply for all were achieved for two decades, they were seriously undermined by the second decade.
In the first two decades, the economy increased by 2-3% of GDP a year, regarded as very low at the time.
It was believed that ESAP would enable it to grow at 7% per year, a major increase.”
This is nonsense! The so-called achievement of the first two decades were either unsustainable and/or propaganda!
The number of schools and students doubled and doubled again every few years, for example, but at the price of quality. By the mid 1990s it was common to find young men and women who “O” level and even “A” level education and yet did not know what a verb is! Now many have University degrees and PhDs and yet cannot write a single sentence without a spelling or grammar mistake; forget about the sentence making sense!
Zimbabwe’s economic decline started the day Mugabe became Prime Minister, the idiot started spending money not only on education and health but on luxuries too. In a recent interview with Trevor Ncube, Dr Simba Makoni revealed how Mugabe bought Mercedes Benz limos for his cabinet to replace the Peugeots Smith gave his ministers. The limos were not budgeted for nor had cabinet approval. The extravagant spending has remained the hallmark of not only Mugabe’s administration but that of Mnangagwa too.
The criminal waste of resources through mismanagement and corruption was not pronounce in the first 20 years only because the nation had inherited the seven fat cows from Smith and by 2000 all the cows were died and not even the ruling elite were spared of the growing economic hardships!
ZANU PF Defeats CCC in Nyanga and Mberengwa council elections.
Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and by participating CCC is giving the process some credibility because the world will always take that as proof the nation is happy with the process. CCC are participating out of greed, they are after the few urban seats Zanu PF gives away as bait.
What CCC leaders are doing is no different from what Muzorewa was doing in participating in the 1978 internal settlement with Ian Smith. If Zanu and Zapu had participated Smith would have got legitimacy. MDC has failed to implement even one reform in 22 years, 5 of which in the GNU. They have sold out on the cause of reforms and good governance and the people of Zimbabwe must wake up to this political reality!
As results started trickling in last night, some Zanu-PF bigwigs including former Health minister David Parirenyatwa, politburo member Tendai Chirau and ex-wife of ruling party deputy president Kembo Mohadi, Tambudzani fell by the wayside in chaotic central committee elections held yesterday.
The polls were marred by reports of vote buying with ICT minister Jenfan Muswere arriving at a polling station in Manicaland with a truck full of bicycles in what was seen as an attempt to buy votes.
Parirenyatwa and Lillian Zemura were defeated by David Mugomeza in Murewa district.
In Beitbridge, Mohadi and Ambassador Aaron Maboyi fell by the wayside in the polls.
Close allies of the late Robert Mugabe such as Sydney Sekeramayi and Webster Shamu were however celebrating after winning.
Sekeramayi was uncontested in Marondera while Shamu won in Chegutu West.
Sydney Sekeramayi has been at the heart of government for the last 42 years and has played his role in the economic and political chaos and tragic human suffering and deaths that has engulfed the nation. What does he have to offer the nation except more chaos and suffering?
The truth is Sekeramayi, like everyone else is Zanu PF, is not in politics for the good he can bring to the nation. He is there for the power, influence and wealth power brings. He and his fellow Zanu PF cronies have enjoyed absolute power these last 42 years and they are now addicted.
The decades of Zanu PF misrule have caused the nation-wide economic meltdown, the national cake has been shrinking whilst the appetites of the ruling elite has grown in leaps and bounds. Millions have been forced to live in abject poverty but as the economic meltdown got worse and worse more and more of the ruling elite have been thrown to the wolves.
Sekeramayi knows that if he lost his Central Committee seat, he too will not be spared the trials and tribulations of poverty. He was luck to retain the highly coveted seat because losing it would have condemned him to the economic hardships Didymus Mutasa is facing and the late Nathan Shamuyarira faced. Shamuyarira was declared a national hero and spared a pauper’s funeral!
The in-house dog-eat-dog fight for power in Zanu PF will go into over-drive in the national election. Zanu PF is blatantly rigging the elections and will use wanton violence to secure victory. CCC are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy train seats! It is high time the ordinary Zimbabweans woke up to this blatant betrayal and ended the insanity!
ZIMBABWE continues to back Russia in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine and is looking forward to the establishment of direct flights to Moscow, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda has said.
The head of the House of Assembly was in Russia to reciprocate a recent visit by Moscow officials to Harare.
Moscow recently to annexed a swath of Ukraine, after referenda results showed support in four partially occupied provinces to join Russia. Ukraine and its allies in the West denounced the votes as "illegal sham referendums held at gunpoint".
"Zimbabwe was and will remain on Russia's side even after the referendums in Ukraine," Russian news outlet RIA Novosti reported Mudenda as saying.
"Zimbabwe was on Russia's side even before the referendums in terms of understanding the root causes of the current situation.
"Zimbabwe and Russia are both victims of sanctions and that makes us comrades in the sanctions battle. To the extent that we are victims of sanctions, we share with Russia the same consequences of sanctions."
Of course, the recent referendum in Ukraine was farce! The very fact that the referendum took place when there was an occupying foreign army speaks volumes.
However, we should not be surprised that Zimbabwe accepted the referendum results; indeed, we would be surprised if it had done otherwise. Zimbabwe has never held free, fair and credible elections since the country's independence in 1980. Zanu PF has blatantly rigged the elections and has relied on Russia and China to rubber stamp the election and insulate her from international criticism. Zimbabwe is not only returning the favour but rather making a down payment – Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and will need all the help to get away with it!
VIOLENCE and ugly scenes reportedly marred the just-ended Zanu-PF central committee (CC) elections as bigwigs locked horns over positions in the party's highest decision-making body.
Reports and videos captured by NewsDay reporters, in areas such as Hurungwe, Beitbridge, Makoni and Harare exhibited cases of violence while in some cases, clearly, intoxicated party youths tried to bar proceedings.
In Shurugwi, former Tourism minister Francis Nhema beat Emmanuel Fundira and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi Shurugwi while in Nyanga, former minister Supa Mandiwanzira emerged victorious.
Mnangagwa warned the bigwigs not to rig elections and his warning fall on deaf ears! What we can be sure of is that ever rigging and violence that happens within the party, it is nothing compared to what Zanu PF will dish out to the opposition.
Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and will step up the violence if need be to secure victory. Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friend know that and they are participating regardless because they also know that Zanu PF is offering a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate. CCC and the rest in the opposition camp have always found the bribe irresistible!
Zimbabwe’s hopes and dream of implementing the reforms to ensure free and fair elections and thus end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance is being sacrificed on the altar of greed – first by Zanu PF and now they have been joined by MDC/CCC!
Ordinary Zimbabweans must now wake up to the political reality that CCC leaders have given up the fight for reforms for a share of the spoils of power from Zanu PF.
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