"At the outset I wish to affirm your Constitutional right to stand for President.
My only questions, Sir, are: One – Do you realise that all you are going
to do is divide those opposed to Zanu-PF, which benefits Zanu-PF and no one
else? Two – Why not rather join and strengthen CCC?" asked David Coltart of
Robert Chapman, leader of Democratic Union of Zimbabwe (DUZ).
The single most important question both Coltart and Chapman
must answer is did the opposition lose past elections because the opposition vote
was divided or was it because Zanu PF rigged the election?
In the March 2008; the only time Zimbabwe came close to
holding free, fair and credible elections because SADC countries had forced
Zanu PF to switch-off its vote rigging juggernaut; MDC garnered 73% of the
votes. Zanu PF quickly switched the vote rigging machine back on and stopped
ZEC announcing the results. The regime then spent the next six weeks recounting
5 million votes – whittling down Tsvangirai’s 73% to 47%, enough to force a
run-off.
During the run-off Zanu PF punished the people for rejecting
Zanu PF in the March vote. “Zanu PF has declared war on the people!” said
Tsvangirai as he announced his withdrawal from the race.
SADC leaders engineered the 2008 Global Political Agreement,
forcing Zanu PF to agree to the need to implement democratic reforms designed
to stop Zanu rigging future elections. The fact that not even one reform was
implemented during the five years of the GNU was Coltart and his MDC friends’
fault.
Tendai Biti and David Coltart have publicly admitted it is
foolish participating in Zimbabwe’s elections without first implementing the
democratic reforms designed to turn off the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut.
“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,” confessed 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.”
So Coltart’s excuse for participating in the 2013 elections
was that the two MDC factions had “failed to agree a coalition” so that they
would both boycott the elections – “the only logical step”.
Well four of the main MDC factions plus three other
opposition parties did agree to form the MDC Alliance before the 2018 elections,
whose presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, garnered 42% and 60% of the presidential
votes according to ZEC and Tendai Biti’s parallel reckoning. A formidable
opposition by all accounts. And yet, again there was no talk of boycotting the
elections – the obvious thing since not even one token reform was implemented
since 2013 elections.
MDC A leaders participated in the 2018 elections for the
same reason they participated in the 2013 – greed.
Indeed, it was greed that had stopped them implementing even
one reform during the GNU. “Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC
leaders have learned to enjoy the trappings of high office, they will not rock
the boat!) boasted Zanu PF cronies when asked why MDC leaders were not
implementing the reforms during the GNU.
Of course, David Coltart knows that Zanu PF is rigging the
2023 elections and that the opposition’s participation will give Zanu PF
legitimacy in return for a few gravy train seats. For his part, Robert Chapman
and his DUZ friends too know Zanu is rigging the elections and by participating
they will be giving Zanu PF legitimacy all for the sake of the few gravy train
seats on offer as bait.
There is still time for CCC and DUZ to come to some
coalition arrangement before 2023 elections. Even if they do, they will still participate
in these flawed and illegal elections no matter what out of greed.
43 years of Zanu PF corrupt and tyrannical rule has left the
country is economic ruins and political paralysis – given the country’s many opposition
leaders don’t even have the common sense to see the sheer futility of
participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship.
What Zimbabwe needs are a few Zimbabweans with honest to
admit Zanu PF is rigging the elections and the courage to denounce this flawed election
process and denounce CCC and others for participating out of greed. Deny the electoral
process and opposition political credibility and you deny Zanu PF political
legitimacy.
If 2023 election fail to produce a legitimate government the country will need a new GNU similar to the one in 2008. The subtle difference is that this time a competent GNU must be appointed so that all the democratic reforms are fully implemented without failure.
13 comments:
It took the people of Zimbabwe nearly 20 years for them to accept that Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies were corrupt and murderous thugs and not the liberation war heroes they, Mugabe and company, insisted they were and the ideal the people themselves cherished. Even with the mounting evidence of corruption, the Willowvale Motor scandal, and of political repression with the Gukurahundi massacre; the people had stubbornly held on to the idyllic liberation hero image.
By the late 1990s the penny finally dropped, the people accepted the truth. There are those who fought in the liberation war because they believed in the cause of freedom and liberty for all then there are others who fought for a reward – they wanted to replace the whites so they can be new lords of the manor. They did not care about the freedoms and rights of the people are readily turned the guns used to drive the white out of power onto the defenceless populous to press home their demands. In Mugabe’s Zanu PF the mercenaries ruled the roost.
The nation realised that as long as Zanu PF retained the dictatorial powers including powers to rig elections, the nation will be stuck with the regime. The people have risked life and limb, the wrath of Zanu PF for daring to reject the party, in electing MDC leaders into power on the understanding they would implement the democratic changes to end the Zanu PF dictatorship. It is a historic fact that in 23 years on the political stage, 5 of which in the GNU, MDC has failed to implement even one democratic reform.
Before the 2008 GNU MDC leaders had at least paid lip service to implementing reforms, after the GNU even the lip service stopped. MDC/CCC’s current position is the party has strategies to win rigged elections (wire). In other word the party accepts Zanu PF has the carte blanche powers to rig elections. All the strategies the party has come up with have been a total waste of time and spare.
Everybody has argued there should be no elections without reforms especially after witnessing first hand Zanu PF’s limitless vote rigging capacity in the 2008 election. MDC/CCC leaders know it is futile to participate in the flawed elections but still they do is because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering as bait. They are keeping up the wire strategies nonsense to hid the true reason for participating – greed.
Of course, Robert Chapman and his DUM friend know Zanu PF is rigging these elections, know that participating will give Zanu PF legitimacy and still they too are hell bent on participating out of greed.
The real challenge for the nation is for the penny to finally drop so they finally realise the crop of opposition leaders are sell outs who will never implement reforms and deliver free elections. Echoes of the 20 years for the people to realise Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies were corrupt and murderous mercenaries who would never deliver freedom and human rights for all.
ZAMBIA must use its alliances in the West to support the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe and allow the country to develop without inhibitions, the former Zambian Provincial Minister for Lusaka Province and Provincial Minister for the Copperbelt Province, Mr Bowman Lusambo, has said.
He made an impassioned plea to President Hakainde Hichilema, who has joined regional calls for sanctions on Zimbabwe to end, to leverage on his close relations with the West to urge them to end illegal measures on Zimbabwe.
Speaking at a media briefing last Saturday, Mr Lusambo, said it was unhelpful for the West to keep sanctions on Zimbabwe as President Mnangagwa has done well in bringing the country back into the community of nations through his engagement and re-engagement efforts.
"We want to urge the President, the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Hakainde Hichilema, his friends — to those same people, the Europeans and the Americans, they wine and dine together — to talk on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe. The issue at hand is a very serious issue. When your neighbour's house is on fire, even you, you are also affected," said Mr Lusambo.
There is a mountain of evidence proving beyond all doubt that Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown is cause by decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruptions and not the sanctions. The very fact that Mr Lusambo is still wittering about sanctions only goes to show just how shallow, thick and slow he is.
It is not all who see who perceive. It is not all who hear who understand. Blessed are they who see and perceive, hear and understand.
The sanctions were imposed on Zanu PF for human rights abuses including failing to hold free and fair elections. Zimbabwe is right in the middle of the 2023 election campaign and it is clear Zanu PF is rigging these elections. Only a village idiot would call for the lifting of sanctions and reward Zanu PF for rigging the elections.
The sanctions must and will stay!
@ Mbofana
Did we not have those who flocked, in their droves, to naively vote for the ruling ZANU PF in 2013 - after being promised a ludicrous 2.2 million formal jobs in five years?
However, we have only witnessed more and more youths - especially, the thousands being churned out of our universities each and every year, as if some form of mass production line - merely joining the already overflowing rank of the unemployed.
Did we not see multitudes of gullible Zimbabweans celebrating the so-called New Dispensation's laughable pledges of building 1.5 million houses before 2023 - at the incredulous rate of 821 units per day?
We really are a naïve and very gullible lot. I cannot believe we have yet to hold free and fair elections, 43 years after independence. The last ten years we have been trying to “win rigged elections”, new novelty. Hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have dead in the fight for one man one vote, only to abandon this for an oxymoronic idea. Tragic!
Still, Zimbabwe is not going to get out of this political and economic mess until we finally open our eyes and minds and stop being so naive and helpless.
It must have been pure agony for David Coltart that confess that participating in the elections without reforms was foolish. He could not deny the rigging by Zanu PF was blatant the only rational thing to do was to boycott. It must have been for the sake of the book that he confessed he and his MDC friends did not boycott the 2013 elections because of greed. He could not leave out that confession because he had already left so many other questions unanswered in his narrative the book would have been complete trash.
In the book, Coltart did not say why MDC leaders had failed to implement even one democratic reform in five years. Of course, he knew that implementing the democratic reforms was the primary purpose of the GNU. Even if he did not, he would have been reminded by SADC leaders like Lindiwe Zulu about implementing the reforms and by Zanu PF thugs by 2012 were openly boasting that MDC leaders had learned to enjoy the trapping of power they would never implement any reforms. Coltart airbrushed all these events out of his book.
Coltart blame the failure by the two MDC faction to agree on a coalition to justify their participation in the 2013 elections. A feeble excuse when boycotting was the obvious thing! But even if one accepted the excuse, why did MDC A participate in 2018 when the main factions had formed the coalition. Greed is the reason why CCC is hell bent on participating in these 2023 elections.
The tragedy is that the ordinary Zimbabweans have yet to realise MDC/CCC are corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and utterly useless, even after 23 years and with the country in serious economic and political trouble. One only hopes the penny will drop before the 2023 elections so that enough Zimbabweans act to stop Zanu PF getting legitimacy!
@ Godfrey
“There has been a long established mainstream narrative of an elephant in the room which we have suddenly woken up to acknowledge through our analogy of the existence of a PIT BULL behind the tail we see wagging and try to control.
We should criticise CCC with that in mind and make our argument easy to follow for our position to be taken serious - otherwise we just get ignored
We probably have been the ones dozing in ignorance with closed minds to this reality
We should take time to know our REAL enemy and that will be half the battle won. Discuss How to retrieve a chunk of goat meat from the mouth of a pit bull perhaps
We can not criticise opposition just because they failed to WRESTLE power from the now agreed 'full-tooth' pit bull's grip when we know they CCC had garnered enough fair vote numbers for a smooth transfer of power
We need to treat opposition's arguments fairly to give ours a chance to get an ear-turn. And not exaggerate our claims by labelling them solely grave-train seat seekers, corrupt and incompetent - such generalised criticisms (although incompetence during GNU - I would agree within limits)
We also need to climb down from our strong opinions to try and understand CCC's and move along with them or agree to disagree and reach a departure point. THIS WILL BE MY IN ABSENTIA CONTRIBUTION TO THE STREAMYARD DISCUSSION ON TONIGHT.”
As much as the Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services played a key role in the 2008 election wanton violence, they accepted the GNU. And more significantly they played no part in stopping the reforms being implemented. None! They have also played no part in getting the opposition to participate in these flawed elections knowing doing so will give Zanu PF legitimacy.
The MDC/CCC failed to implement even one reforms in 23 years and have been participating in the flawed elections out of greed. People like Biti and Coltart have confessed this and they never ever mentioned they were afraid of the Army, police, etc. We should deal with the historic facts and not what we imagined is there.
@ Godfrey
“HOW TO SIDETRACK THE UNTRAINED UNSOCIALIDED TERRIER
Throw another bigger succulent looking chunk of venison steak at the pit bull terrier (lithium) - maybe and leave them to fight among themselves for portion sizes to distract them from the main subject
This could be the government’s ploy since ZDI which had been keeping Army’s attention from mainstream politics up to 2000 has had its business curtailed due to sanctions
Lithium would definitely shift their attention away from frontline politics for good.”
You are right there, the Army top brass are certainly nothing to be afraid of to anyone with half a brain.
The 2017 coup plotters were clearly aware that Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown was a big issue and hence the reason why they gave that as their reason for the coup. “To remove those who are destroying the economy!” said Sibusiso Moyo.
Their insistence the coup was “a military assisted transition and not a coup” was a dead give away they are buffoon. Only a buffoon would think anyone would believe that nonsense. Indeed more nonsense was to follow with the “Zimbabwe is open for business!”, Second Republic, promise to hold free elections, etc.
Still, as much as there are hardliners in both Zanu PF, Army, Police, etc. even they know that Zimbabwe’s economic and political system is unsustainable. They are all know change is coming, they hope not soon so they are held to account for their part in the looting and murders.
Change should have happened in 2013 at the latest if MDC leaders had not turned out to be so corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless. This is why the focus must be on replacing the MDC/CCC sell outs, get the reforms implemented and hold free elections a.s.a.p. We must not waste a day pampering MDC/CCC leaders and pretend they are part of the solution when they are the exact opposite!
@ Wakurawarerwa
As of 30 May 2022 only 1/4 million had registered to vote or 4% of CCC's target of 6m! Mass voter registration as a "winning in rigged election" strategy is dead in the water! Chamisa and company are hell bent on participating in these flawed elections out of greed. They know Zanu PF is rigging these elections.
It is infuriating that the nation’s chance to have the reforms implemented is once again being waste under the pretext CCC can win rigged elections, a feeble excuse, to hide the real reason of greed. The CCC sell outs must be exposed and Zanu PF denied legitimacy! The insanity of rigged elections and bad governance must end!
@ Benjamin
“You hit the nail on the head. Well done. We can no longer afford to give excuses for foolishness. CCC need to participate in every election for survival. Both politically and financially. It was meant to be about change (reforms) now it's about taking what zanu has left over (change).”
The political and financial survival of Chamisa and company must not be at the expense of the survival of the millions now living in abject poverty. Zimbabweans have risked life and live making Zanu PF angry by electing MDC/CCC on the understanding Chamisa and company will implement the reforms. They did not risk all so that Chamisa and company can sell out on reforms and keep Zanu PF in power for 30 pieces of silver!
Like it or not MDC/CCC will never implement even one reform. Never. If they failed to do so during the five years of the GNU what evidence is there to suggest they will do in the future. And why would the nation want to take such a risk? There are millions of other Zimbabweans who will implement the reforms, they are not rocket science nor is Chamisa and company rocket scientists!
@ Godfrey
“Yes sure 5 years in office now with a 99% chance of another 5 year term handed to him on a silver plate in a few months time.”
Well, he was cocksure his "Zimbabwe is open for business!" mantra was going to open the flood gate of investors and kick-start the country's comatose economy. Six years later, it is clear the economic revival is not going to happen.
Mnangagwa has poured a fortune in lobbying SADC leaders and others to believe the sanctions were the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown – not the mismanagement and corruption. He even got SADC no name 25 October as “anti-sanctions day”! Zanu PF had many African leaders calling for the lifting of the sanction and those in Commonwealth calling for Zimbabwe to be readmitted. Zanu PF was very confident, after the very encouraging overture from the Commonwealth Secretariate delegation visit last November that Zimbabwe will be readmitted into the Commonwealth before the 2023 elections. I am not a betting man but will wager £100 Zimbabwe will not be readmitted into the Commonwealth before 2023 elections!
The failure to get its wish to be readmitted into the Commonwealth will only help bring back the spotlight on Zimbabwe’s failure to hold free, fair and credible elections. CCC are participating in these flawed elections out of greed and thus their political credibility is not worth a spit! Zanu PF’s political legitimacy is now very much in doubt given the mountain of evidence the election process is so flawed it does not have a verified voters’ roll and a discredited opposition!
Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections with easy, plain sailing. Getting political legitimacy will be a serious challenge! Watch this space!
Part 1 of 2
@ Godfrey
On BOYCOTT - There is need to give people a well laid out convincing WIN IN BOYCOT otherwise WIB and WIRE would just be dismissed as empty claims. We have fallen short on this campaign and looks even less likely to be a winning formula as we see AU SADC and some British Lords seeming to want to give ED a chance. The chance for a fair hearing from these institutions seems to evaporate by the day - even in the face of rise in violence.
We can not have our voices heard before the elections worse after the elections even worse after a boycott
I am beginning to strongly doubt the effectiveness of a boycott given the current international institutions' warming up stance
ON THIRD FORCE
Do we agree the existence of THIRD force
Do we agree Zanu is face of THIRD force
We agreed THIRD force is wagging Zanu
Do we take the We are the Army .... as empty brag.
Now do we agree the THIRD force was behind the excelgate
Do we agree THIRD force ordered RGM not to give up power
Do we agree with Zanu disregard constitutional 'stipulates' with impunity
Do we agree implementation of Reforms is an extension of documented laws in practice
Do we agree Opposition has no power to enforce lawful practice right now
Then how would they ensure lawful practice in line with documented reforms in future
How do you reform a bad unlawful practice - say a drug addict - surely not by adding more laws.
MY QUESTION AND ANSWER POINTS FOR DISCUSSION AT NEXT STREAMYARD.”
Part 2 of 2
There are some people who have made up their minds that we must participate in these elections no matter what, I would not want to waste my time and energy trying to convince them. Common sense dictates that this is just a foolish position. Elections must be free, fair and credible and surely when it is impossible to meet any of the basic requirements such as having verified voters’ roll, when even garnering 73% of the votes is not good enough to win, etc. and participating only serve to give the vote rigging party legitimacy. Of course, it makes more sense to boycott than to participate!
Chamisa and company know it is foolish to participate in these flawed elections but they are doing for a totally different reason – greed! David Coltart admitted in his book because he could not gloss over it with the book becoming total trash. He regretted admitting it and has never ever repeated it!
CCC have given all manner of idiotic winning in rigged elections strategies to justify why they are hell bent on participating. They will never say they are doing out of greed. Never! (Never again for Coltart!)
I totally agree with you that Zanu PF had the AU and SADC leaders calling for the lifting of the sanctions and to have Zimbabwe readmitted in the Commonwealth. Calling for something is one thing getting it done is another.
My reading of last week’s House of Lords debate is they certainly appreciate the folly of readmitting Zimbabwe into the Commonwealth before 2023 elections. Baron Sonny Leong’s view to readmit Zimbabwe because it is “too much and unfair” to ask Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections is foolish and patronising and I don’t think he carried the House.
I don’t think Zimbabwe will be readmitted into the Commonwealth and the British and Americans are not going to lift the sanctions before 2023 elections.
The Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services are very important players in Zimbabwe politics but we must no forget that it was Zanu PF that coerced them to do its dirty work for selfish reasons. Yes many of them have done many things for which they know they will be punished if uncovered, they have amassed wealth from the looting which they will not want to give up but know they will be forced to give up if Zanu PF lost power. This is why these men are now totally committed to keeping Zanu PF in power.
Yes the army forced Mnangagwa to abandon the government position not to export lithium ore.
Does all this power and influence make the Army a third force that Jonathan Moyo was talking about? No it does not. The Army played no role in the GNU and if MDC had implemented the reforms they would have been powerless to stop the reforms being implemented, holding of free and fair elections and regime change.
Sure, we can have a streamyard discussion tomorrow on this. Looking forward to hearing your explanation.
Many people have lost their very lives in the fight for one man, one vote. First it was Zanu PF who denied the ordinary people the meaningful vote from the word go by telling the voters the bush war would continue if Zanu PF lost the 1980 elections. Of course, the people voted to end the war, at least they thought so.
Zanu PF launch the 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre for the sole purpose of forcing PF Zapu to join Zanu PF and clear the way for the imposition of a de facto one-party dictatorship.
The people have risked life and limb at the hands of Zanu PF by voting MDC/CCC in the hope the party would implement the democratic reforms to restore the people freedoms and rights. The MDC have not only sold out on reforms but have been participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuate the dictatorship for the sake of a few gravy train seats offered as bait.
The people have continued risking life and limb voting for MDC/CCC conned into believe the party has devised winning in rigged elections strategies. All hot air to hide their greed. How the people can be so naïve to believe such nonsense beggars belief!
@ Israel
“I am glad people are realising politics is a futile exercise. We are a monotheistic people we are only to be ruled by kings and priests. Even then I am only referring to the Almighty SoNINI naNINI and His son Ngonyama/Shumba and the 144 000 righteous Bantu men selected by the Most High Himself not men.
Go back to when we wanted to choose leaders for ourselves, we started with one Saul who was so disobedient to Mvelingqanga he had to die. Fast forward to Slomo a.k.a. Solomon - he was a womaniser and he brought an abomination to our nation - other gods - we only recognise and worship only one the Black king of kings with so-called Afro-hair as pure as wool or kinky hair (Daniel 7:9) and dark skin like a jasper and sardine stone (Rev 4:1 - 3) and His son so dark His skin is as though it was burn in a furnace (Rev 1:13 - 15).
Listen, non of these men are righteous - they do not abide by the law of the Most High - you will reap nothing but heartache from politics. Many have died for these politicians for what?”
Please name one nation in this day and age ruled by someone selected by the Most High Himself? When the children of Israel rejected God’s prophet Samuel demanding a King they crossed the River Rubicon, there was no going back.
Democracy as a system of government has certainly delivered peace, justice and economic prosperity in many other nations compared to our failed pariah state autocracy. We will be better off spending time dismantling the dictatorship than yearning for the return of the bygone years of the prophets.
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