“If you have support why are so violent, so heartless against citizens even the elderly?And why should bases and vigilante groups be allowed around the country? Are we now worse than animals? What leadership is this that invests in violence?” asked Nelson Chamisa, president of CCC.
“Violence is very expensive! Violence is the weapon used by the desperate and losing! Using violence and intimidation is evidence of defeat, primitivism, savagery and backwardness. Stop it!”
These are rhetorical questions and we all know the answer to each and everyone of the questions.
Starting back in 1980, when the country held is first post colonial rule elections; Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies made it clear that the bush war would continue if they did not win the elections because they wanted to be absolute certain they win. And they did win. The people voted to end the war.
And when Mugabe and company got into power in 1980 they number priority was to consolidate they hold on power by hook and by crook. The regime launched the Gukurahundi massacre in 1983 whose primary purpose was to force the now late Dr Joshua Nkomo and his PF Zapu to sign the Unity Accord and join Zanu PF. Dr Nkomo and company finally capitulated in 1987, paving the way for the imposition on the de facto one party state.
Each time Zanu PF has felt its hold on power threatened the party has resorted to wanton violence to augment its institutionalised and well funded vote rigging machinery. The 2008 elections have become a watershed in that the whole world was able to see Zanu PF’s blatant cheating and wanton violence in graphic detail.
By the late 1990s the people of Zimbabwe had realised that Zanu PF was a party of corrupt, incompetent and ruthless thugs who had destroyed the country’s once prosperous economy. And if the regime remained in office, it would drag the nation deeper and deeper into poverty and despair. The people realised the nation needed implement democratic changes to restore the law, rule of law and thus stop Zanu PF rigging elections and end the dictatorship.
Morgan Tsvangirai, Nelson Chamisa and other launched the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in 1999 in answer to the nation’s desire for democratic change. And for the last 23 years the people have risked life and limb to elect MDC leaders into office on the understanding they will deliver the changes the nation has been dying for these last 43 years.
Sadly, MDC has failed to implement even one democratic change in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU when the party had the golden opportunity to do so. Not even one reform!
“What leadership is this that invests in violence?” It would be idiotic for anyone, anyone at all to be asking this after 43 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF rule. We have to dig deeper to understand why Nelson Chamisa and his MDC/CCC friends are asking this. They are not idiots, they are worse!
Of course, the now late Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends understood that also now late Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies were corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who wanted absolute power and willing crashed the people and their hopes of freedom, human rights and dignity to get it. MDC leaders understood the cure for tyrannical rule was to restore law and rule of law. It is just that when Tsvangirai and company got into power and had the chance to implement the democratic reforms they were distracted by the trappings of power and forgot about the reforms.
“MDC leaders were busy enjoying themselves during the 2008 to 2013 GNU, they forgot why they were there!” remarked one SADC diplomate in July 2013, in disgust at MDC’s failure to implement even one reform in five years of the GNU.
The truth is MDC/CCC leaders have failed to implement even one democratic reform in 23 years because they are corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and utterly useless.
The tragedy here is that whilst SADC leaders and the international community have since realised MDC/CCC leaders are useless and thus deserted them in droves; many ordinary Zimbabweans are yet to wake up to this political reality.
“Violence is very expensive! Violence is the weapon used by the desperate and losing! Using violence and intimidation is evidence of defeat, primitivism, savagery and backwardness. Stop it!” continued Chamisa.
How pathetic! Of course Zanu PF will NOT stop!
Zanu PF is blatantly rigging these elections and will resort to all manner of barbarism to guarantee the party’s electoral victory.
The thing is Chamisa and his fellow CCC leaders KNOW Zanu PF is rigging these elections and that they participation will only give Zanu PF political legitimacy. And yet they are still participating regardless because they also know that Zanu PF is giving away a few gravy train seats, echos of their GNU years, as bait and this they find irresistible.
So, Chamisa is asking all these rhetorical questions and appealing to Zanu PF thugs’ sense of shame, knowing they have none, just to please his many naive and gullible supporters.
As long as the people remain a naive and gullible lot, Zimbabwe will remain a pariah state governed by corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF thugs in cahoots with their entourage of corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless opposition parties. And as long as the country remains a pariah state there will be no meaningful economic recovery and the tragic human suffering will only get worse.
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FORMER Deputy Prime minister in the 2009-2013 Government of National Unity (GNU), Arthur Mutambara says the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) must redo the delimitation exercise as he dismissed the preliminary delimitation report as invalid and unconstitutional.
The preliminary report was tabled in Parliament last week on Friday.
Critics — who include renowned parliamentary and legal watchdog Veritas and former Economic Planning and Investment Promotion minister Elton Mangoma — have poked holes into the report accusing the electoral management body of gerrymandering and using a wrong formula on how constitutional boundaries are supposed to be redrawn.
A leader of a Zanu-PF affiliate, Tonderai Chidawa — who fronts the Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform — has also challenged the authenticity of the report and sensationally claimed that Zec chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba and her deputy Rodney Simukai Kiwa hijacked the preliminary report and that other commissioners were not consulted.
Arthur Mutambara is just a loud mouth who loves attention and does not have any common sense. Comrade loud mouth should know that ZEC has not produced a verified voters’ roll what is the point of carrying out the delimitation without a verified voters’ roll.
To go ahead with the delimitation exercise without a verified voters’ roll is like checking the design details of the wall, the roof, etc. when you know there is no sound foundation.
Indeed, it is naive to expect ZEC to deliver free, fair and credible elections when we all know that Zanu PF has total control over ZEC and all the other state institutions like the Police, Judiciary, etc. Comrade loud-mouth and his fellow MDC friends had five years to implement the democratic reforms to end Zanu PF control of these institutions; they failed to implement even one reform. Like his fellow MDC friends, loud-mouth was wittering about trivial matters and forgot about reforms.
Mutambara, you are just a loud-mouth making a lot of noise. Delimitation exercise with no verified voters’ roll is a waste of time and resources. Shut up!
CCC accused ZEC of manipulating boundaries of constituencies in favour of Zanu-PF, gerrymandering.
The worst case identified by the opposition party being BeitBridge, where the town's two constituencies are now divided by a street in the central business district.
"We tried engaging ZEC and at most of the consultative meetings we sent our representatives to listen and make submissions in relation to aspirations of the CCC," the party's deputy secretary for elections, Ellen Shiriyedenga, told journalists Tuesday.
"The implication of non-availability of the electronic voters roll is that we are not able to validate the delimitation process because we do not have the statistics. As you might be aware, one of the primary determinants of the exercise is the number of registered voters.
True, without a verified voters’ roll it is a waste of time and resources carrying out the delimitation exercise.
What is of great concern here is that CCC will participate in these flawed and illegal elections without even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll. They have done so in the past and all signs are they will do it again.
Chamisa and company know Zanu PF is rigging these elections and that their participating will only give the regime legitimacy. They participating regardless because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering as bait.
It is mdc/CCC greed that is keeping Zanu PF is power and perpetuating the dictatorship and the people’s suffering. Is tragic that many Zimbabweans are not aware, even now with the benefit of hindsight, that CCC are selling out!
The task of educating the Zimbabwean voters is the number one task. Sadly, there are very few educators and the level of ignorance and numbers needing enlightenment are overwhelming.
@ Black Eagle
“Apart from schools built with assistance from donors, the Zanu-PF government has done nothing, particularly for the rural people, other than destroy what was set up by the repressive colonial regime.
Everything has been reduced to rubble.
Roads have become death traps, with huge dangerous gaping craters.
Senior government officials have become filthy wealthy, driving posh cars in a country whose manufacturing industry has virtually collapsed by creating cartels of briefcase and shelf companies owned by themselves and their relatives, who they dubiously award lucrative tenders.
If we continue at this rate, Zimbabwe will be a shell by 2030, with nothing to show for all the natural resources the country is endowed with.”
Admitting that Zimbabwe is a failed state has been a bitter pill to swallow for many black Zimbabweans. The iron is admitting failure is an important first step in the search for the solution. Zanu PF has stayed in power these last 43 years and MDC/CCC 23 years regardless of their respective track records of failure because the people have refuse to accept these leaders were corrupt and incompetent.
Nations get the government their deserve, we in Zimbabwe deserve the empty shell because we have done nothing to deserve anything else!
"Since the Youth League is the vanguard of the party, I know you are quite aware that this year is a year of historic elections. The youth are at the centre stage of the elections as they constitute in demographic terms, more than 65 percent of the voting population. This workshop should therefore, be used as a solid foundation to prepare you in coming up with effective youth mobilisation strategies ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections," emphasised Chinamasa.
He also called upon the youth league members to remain loyal, honest, steadfast and vigilant in light of the enemy's machinations against the party and Government.
"You are the eyes and ears of the party. It is your duty to guard it against infiltrations, divisions and disunity. Continue to preach unity, peace and love within the party and among all our people. The future of our country is bright. Victory and prosperity in all that we do is certain," said Chinamasa
This is just double talk! Zanu PF has ridden roughshod over the people’s freedom, human rights and dignity, denying them the right to s meaningful say in the governance of the country and even the right to life in the party’s resolve to retain power at all costs.
Zanu PF must thank MDC/CCC leaders for being corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless, they should have implemented the democratic reforms and putting an end to the Zanu PF autocracy years ago!
Part 1 of 2
@ DR Mavaza
What was the centre of all this were the capital markets that were the most advanced outside South Africa.
Contrary to the declaration in 1966 by the British Prime Minister Harold Wilson promising the African states at the Commonwealth Summit in Lagos that recently imposed sanctions would bring down the minority Rhodesian regime in ‘weeks, not months the Rhodesian government was technically not on sanctions.
Rhodesia’s survival, years later, was ipso facto proof, for popular opinion as well as for many scholars, that ‘sanctions don’t work if the other countries are not supporting them. Zimbabwe is independent now, but Rhodesian sanctions have not been a major subject of inquiry for some years until the puppets in the CCC and MDC and it’s sections started comparing Rhodesia to Zimbabwe.
Writing in 1978, Strack claimed that not only were Rhodesian sanctions ‘ineffective’ in terms of securing policy objectives, they were possibly “counter-productive’, causing ‘the deterioration of a situation they were designed to alleviate’ Political success has not been forthcoming’ as a result of the Rhodesian embargo, ‘despite sanctions having some very damaging economic results’ Rhodesia was technically under threat of sanctions but not under sanctions.
As a form of coercion, sanctions on Rhodesia proved they (sanctions) could not be imposed collectively. The sanctions were futile as Rhodesia continued to enjoy the position it always had. Rhodesia became an example of the ineffectiveness of sanctions as long as there were countries willing to work with the sanctioned. This did not make Ian Smith a genius it is only in the mind of the slow thinkers that Rhodesia survived.
Both Mozambique, which was under Portuguese rule, and apartheid South Africa played a role in ensuring that Rhodesia did not suffer. This extra help is lacking in Zimbabwe’s situation today. Instead of crippling the ‘errant’ Rhodesia, the white minority rule continued thriving while the black majority suffered.
This is what those in the opposition embrace and always want you to go back to that situation. The ineffective sanctions can be blamed for the bloody liberation struggle that claimed thousands of blacks who died in Rhodesian genocidal attacks such as the Chimoio and Nyadonia massacres. Had the sanctions been effective, Africans would not have taken up arms to free themselves. Sanctions imposed on Rhodesia did nothing to change the mindset of the Ian Smith regime, instead it gave it the false belief that minority rule would go on for a thousand years as announced by smith in 1977. It is common knowledge that the effectiveness of sanctions is dependent upon relations of nations and sincerity in their imposition of the same.
Clearly the sanctions were a sham and the Rhodesians cannot boast they survived sanctions because in reality, the embargo did not exist. They were merely sanctions on paper. Sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and the US under ZDERA are a typical example of real sanctions meant to suffocate and totally destroy a nation, unjustified as they are.
The Rhodesian period resulted in the creation of the best educated white people on the continent. But Mugabe and ZANU PF Should take the credit for this.
What has Zimbabwe achieved? Mugabe inherited nothing that is there today. Even though Zimbabwe is The Jewel of Africa.’"
Part 2 of 2
This is just the usual confused diatribe people have learned to expect from you Dr Mavaza.
Most of the article is devoted to proving the case that many countries did not enforce the 1966 UN sanctions impose on Rhodesia. What you failed to say is how much more Rhodesia paid by having to trade through the backdoor?
You concluded that Smith thrived regardless of the UN sanctions because the sanctions were not rigorously enforced. Well Zanu PF should have thrived too regardless of the western nation sanctions because other than the western country that had imposed the sanction Zimbabwe was free to trade openly with the rest of the world!
Indeed, Mugabe boasted that the sanctions would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience when he announced his “Look East” policy. There has not been much trade with the “all weather friend” China because later quickly learned corruption and mismanagement has made Zimbabwe a black hole - whatever loans or investments you make, you get nothing back.
“What has Zimbabwe achieved?” you asked.
“Mugabe inherited nothing that is there today. Even though Zimbabwe is The Jewel of Africa,” you answered yourself.
And true enough, the country lost its cherished “bread basket of SADC” status to become the basket case failed state. Everything we inherited in 1980 is in varying stages of rot and decay. Basic services like education and health care have all but collapsed after decades of under funding. 50% of our people are living in abject poverty. And as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state the economic meltdown is set to get worse and so will the political oppression, as Zanu PF tries to hang on to power at all costs.
Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections and CCC will participate regardless out of greed, they are after the few gravy train seats on offer. The whole elections is a farce. ZEC has failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, yet again. How can a flawed, illegal and farcical election produce a legitimate government?
Part 1 of 2
When Mnangagwa was catapulted to office in 2017 through a military coup before consolidating power through the disputed 2018 elections, he expressed lofty ambitions to re-engage the international community, amid optimism that Harare would turn a new leaf.
With the international community willing to forgive the coup which ousted long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, who presided over dark years marked by repression, Mnangagwa set an agenda to end decades-long isolation by the community of nations, especially Britain and the United Sates.
State spin-doctors coined the term "new dispensation" and "second republic" soon after the coup to show that his regime was keen on breaking with the past. That has not happened.
During his inauguration in August 2018, Mnangagwa said re-engagement would be one of the thrusts of his administration.
"Through the engagement and re-engagement policy, we are opening a new chapter in our relations with the world, underpinned by mutual respect, shared principles and common values. We look forward to playing a positive and constructive role as a free, democratic, transparent and responsible member of the family of nations," Mnangagwa said.
In 2019, it emerged that Harare had entered into a US$500 000 deal with a United States-based lobby firm to canvass for the removal of targeted sanctions imposed on top Zanu-PF officials to be removed by Washington.
Brian Ballard, the man who was regarded as the most powerful lobbyist in Washington at that time due to his links to the then US President Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign and the 2020 re-election bid, was paid by Harare and given the mission to re-engage Washington on behalf of Mnangagwa.
The mission failed because of continued human rights abuses by Harare, including the 1 August 2018 killing of six unarmed civilians and the January 2019 murder of civilians by members of the security forces.
"Under the presidency of Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's foreign policy is characterised by the desire to ‘re-engage' with the West with a view to securing the removal of sanctions and encouraging investment."
"In this, it has received the backing of the African Union and Southern African Development Community states. Simultaneously, the violence of the Mnangagwa regime has reinforced the reluctance of the West to remove sanctions, and Zimbabwe has even begun to test the patience of its neighbours," wrote the academics, adding: "The government has placed renewed faith in the ‘Look East Policy', but China is seeking to match its investments with tighter control.”
Part 2 of 2
The Declaration was issued in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 20 October 1991, during the 12th Commonwealth Heads of States and Government Meeting.
The Harare Declaration reaffirmed in principle that member countries must: "believe in the liberty of the individual under the law, in equal rights for all citizens regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief, and in the individual's inalienable right to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which he or she lives; "recognise racial prejudice and intolerance as a dangerous sickness and a threat to healthy development, and racial discrimination as an unmitigated evil; "oppose all forms of racial oppression, and we are committed to the principles of human dignity and equality; "recognise the importance and urgency of economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the vast majority of the peoples of the world, and seek the progressive removal of the wide disparities in living standards amongst our members."
In the last visit by the Commonwealth delegation, led by assistant secretary-general Professor Luis Franceschi, it was made clear that assessment of Zimbabwe's fitness to rejoin the bloc will be based on how far the country has upheld these principles.
Crisis Coalition of Zimbabwe chairperson Peter Mutasa said it would be dangerous for the Commonwealth to re-admit Zimbabwe into the bloc in its current state of repression.
He cited violence against citizens as Mnangagwa's biggest downfall pedal.
Many SADC leaders must be regretting the day they endorsed the adopting of 25 October as the region’s “Anti-sanctions day”. They must have known that mismanagement and corruption are the root causes of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown and not sanctions. They must have felt stupid each time they stood up in public repeating the Zanu PF propaganda blaming sanctions for Zimbabwe’s ill.
The Commonwealth will be seriously damaged if Zimbabwe was readmitted and just a few months down the line Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2023 elections - the very reasons the country was booted out for and it 2018 application to be readmitted was rejected. The question the Commonwealth will have to answer is: so why was Zimbabwe hurriedly readmitted without due consideration?
The late Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends were elected into power on the promise the party would implement the democratic changes to end the Zanu PF dictatorship the nation was literally dying for as the party name implied – Movement for Democratic Change. After 23 years, 5 of which in the 2008 to 2013 GNU when the MDC had the golden opportunity implement the democratic changes, they have failed to implement even one reform.
“Why are so violent, so heartless against citizens even the elderly? Why should bases and vigilante groups be allowed around the country? Are we now worse than animals? What leadership is this that invests in violence?” Chamisa asked.
Of course, these are stupid questions specially coming from the party elected to end implement the reforms to end all this barbarism. The truth is Chamisa and company have given up the fight to implement the reforms and guarantee freedom and human rights including the right to free elections and even the right to life!
MDC failed to implement even one reform during the GNU when they had the golden chance to do so. It really is foolish to think that asking Zanu PF these rhetorical questions will somehow embarrass the regime and deliver the democratic government we are all dying for.
The truth is MDC failed to implement even one reform during the GNU because Mugabe bribed Tsvangirai and company and ever since they have participated in these flawed elections for a share of the spoils of power.
After 23 years of MDC on the political stage with not even one reform to show for it, it is for the Zimbabweans themselves to now wake up to the political reality that it is MDC/CCC that is now helping to keep the Zanu PF dictatorship in power. Zimbabweans must disown the MDC/CCC sell outs and deny them political credibility to deny Zanu PF political legitimacy. Think!
@ Chitando
“One of the Ten Commandments is "Don't kill !! " ZanuPF under ED has killed many people.Does it mean that Pastors4ED have replaced the commandment with "Don't kill except for ED"
Pastors4ED must not remain dead silent against the evil which ED's supporters did in Murehwa."Kudza baba namai vako kuti mazuva aunopihwa naMwari wako agowedzerwa pano pasi nokudenga" Beating the elderly was the worst ED supporters could have done but the silence of Pastors4ED is diabolic.”
These pastors are just as greed as you and your MDC/CCC friends. They are supporting ED even though they know Zanu PF is rigging these elections and using wanton violence to win. You and your friends failed to implement even one reform to stop Zanu PF rigging and violence and are participating in these elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the same reason - greed.
It does not matter how flawed and illegal these elections, how many people are beaten, raped or killed, CCC is hell bent on participating in these elections as long as you lot know Zanu PF is still offering the few gravy train seats as bait. Zanu PF knows all about your greed and hence the reason why the party has ignored all calls for reforms and free elections.
Pastor for ED are selling out their church followers to vote for Zanu PF. CCC has been selling out the nation for the last 23 years by failing to implement reforms and keeping Zanu PF in power for 30 pieces of silver.
You are just paying lip service denouncing the Murewa violence, you lot are participating in these 2023 elections regardless! I dare you to deny that here and now!
@ Mavaza
What I find infuriating with people like Dr Mavaza is their stubborn refusal to accept the truth and reality especially when that involves the suffering and even deaths of others. Zimbabwe is a failed state and has been sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss and VIs like Mavaza continue to pretend there is nothing wrong for the sake of winning a few favours from the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.
Zimbabwe has more than her fair share of citizens who will sell their own mothers for a price and be proud they have a mother to sell. These are the women and men who are working for the buffoons in office and keeping the dictatorship in power.
“Political Violence In Zimbabwe A Mirage in the Mirror!” Yeah right!
@ Mbofana
“If he is so passionate about the miserable plight of ordinary Zimbabweans — as he repeatedly purports — then, why is he always deafeningly quiet in the face of relentless barbaric attacks on the same innocent citizens, at the hands of the ruling Zanu-PF party and its regime?
Are we to assume that Ramaphosa's profound love for us is only limited to sanctions and it is not really a big deal that we are savagely beaten up, abducted or killed by the ruling establishment in Zimbabwe?”
After nearly 30 years in power SA’s ANC government has all but failed to deliver economic prosperity to the nation. The country’s economy has been in decline all these years and all the fat inherited in 1994 is gone.
30 years of under investment and corruption in ESKOM, the country’s power supplier, for example has resulted in sweeping load shedding comparable to what Zimbabwean and Zambians know only too well. SA has caught up!
Ramaphosa has given up on delivering economic prosperity in SA and is now looking at how ANC can still remain in power regardless it’s track record of failure. He is abandoning democracy and free elections - failed regimes do not win free elections - and what better way to achieve that than propping up undemocratic regimes in the region.
ANC has resolved at its party congress that it will not support regime change in Zimbabwe. Sweet music to Mnangagwa who is determined to rig 2023 elections to stop regime change and so knows Zanu PF will get political legitimacy from ANC regardless how flawed and illegal the election process got!
It should be the people of Zimbabwe, in a free, fair and credible election, alone who grants political legitimacy but clearly Ramaphosa thinks ANC has not just a say in the matter but the final and decisive say! We have a fight in our hands, to stop this madness!
In its findings, the committee concluded that there was a lack of justification for changes in the boundaries of specific wards and constituencies.
The report also noted that ZEC may have misinterpreted the minimum and maximum threshold as required by the law.
"In its analysis, the Committee, however, came up with key findings and observations which include the following:
a. Maps do not show old and existing boundaries.
b. Unlabelled wards.
c. Possible misinterpretation of the minimum and maximum threshold", said the report amongst other findings.
The one issue regarding the Zimbabwe election which has been discuss over and over again is the failure by ZEC to produce a verified voters’ roll. It is shocking that the parliamentary committee has not even mentioned the voters’ roll and yet everything hinges on it.
It must be said here and now that ZEC has never ever produced a verified voters’ roll. Never ever, in the country’s post independence era. There is talk of using the 2018 constituency boundaries, on what basis will those be more acceptable than the ones being rejected now since neither is based on a verified voters’ roll.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections, the failure to produce a verified voters’ roll is one of the many tools used to rig elections. It is not a matter of the 2023 elections may be disputed, they ARE disputed already.
These elections are a farce and should not going ahead. The main reason Zanu PF has ignored demands for reforms before elections is because the regime knows the opposition will participate no matter what giving it legitimacy. This time, no stone will be left unturned to deny Zanu PF legitimacy.
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