Friday 17 March 2023

"A new great Zimbabwe is possible" says Chamisa Not until stop paying lip service and implement the reforms W Mukori

Nelson Chamisa, President of CCC, Zimbabwe’s main opposition party penned a three pages long article – a departure from his usual two paragraph tweets – affording a very rare glimpse into what’s cooking in the hermetically sealed thus impermeable to reason and logic clay pot!

“A new great Zimbabwe is possible!” proclaimed Chamisa.

“In a few months, Zimbabweans head to the polls to decide on their future.

“There have been many elections before, all of which have not brought the change we desire. So, I understand why, for many of our people, voting may seem like a futile exercise. However, history tells us that nothing lasts forever.”

Stop!

I am short sighted. I have been to the Optician and wear proscription glasses to give all round good vision. Of course, it would foolish of me to have done nothing about it in the hope that if I suffered long enough my eye sight would get better because “nothing lasts forever”!

We know the root causes of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown, political chaos and the tragic and easily avoidable human suffering and deaths of the last 43 years are gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and Mafia style lawlessness fostered on the nation by this Zanu PF dictatorship. The nation has failed to remove these Zanu PF thugs from power because they have rigged elections started with the 1980 elections!

We know the disease – the Zanu PF dictatorship – and have the cure – implement the democratic reforms and stop Zanu PF rigging the elections.

The people of Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect Nelson Chamisa and his MDC friends on the understanding that once in power they would implement the democratic changes necessary to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections; as the party name implied, Movement for Democratic Change. After 23 years, 5 of which in the 2008 to 2013 GNU, there has not been even one meaningful democratic change implemented and hence the reason why we are still stuck with a vote rigging Zanu PF!

If there was ever any doubt that there could be any meaningful elections in Zimbabwe without implementing democratic changes first, the watershed 2008 elections made the doubts disappear like mist under the morning African sun! So, why did MDC leaders fail to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so?

Chamisa and his MDC friends know that it is futile to keep participating in these flawed elections and, worse still, that doing so only serves to give Zanu PF legitimacy.

 “Look, you can't keep on participating in flawed electoral processes that serve to give big benefits to dictators such as Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has perfected the art of winning elections. So it will be very foolish for the opposition to continue legitimizing these sham elections which don't deliver. This country will go through a serious economic crisis in 2020 caused by Zanu PF. And yet, this is the only country where a government doesn't perform, it is encouraged by a super majority in parliament,” said Tendai Biti in a 2015 interview with Isaac Mugabi.

“So, you can't continue subjecting Zimbabweans to processes where their hopes just get crushed.”

In the three page article, Chamisa acknowledges the importance of reforms before the 2023 elections.

“Through our representatives in Parliament, we have crafted an Electoral Amendment Bill, which is now before Parliament. This Bill carries our demands for electoral reforms: respect for the right to vote, including implementation of the diaspora vote; accessible voter registration; a credible voters' roll; the security of polling material; the security of the vote and clear dispute mechanisms; independent and credible polling staff; transitional mechanisms; credible results management system, including allowing parallel voter tabulation; and demand for media reforms,” he wrote.

“These reforms will ensure that our country finally lays to rest the ghost of disputed elections, allowing us to finally move forward.”

Ordinarily, one would be falling off the chair with laughing if this was not such a serious matter, the prospect of Zanu PF rigging and winning these elections and extend the regime’s corrupt and tyrannical rule for another five years is unthinkable!

Chamisa is playing lip service to reform and free and fair elections. He knows that if this Amendment Bill was going to reduce Zanu PF’s carte blanche power to rig elections it would never see the light of day given Zanu PF has 2/3 majority in both chambers. Even if one was able to pressure the Zanu PF MPs and senators to pass the Bill it is naïve to think the 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora, for example, can be added on the voters’ roll in time to for them to vote in August, just four months away!

The truth MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they were in government and had the majority in parliament and senate and had the solid backing of SADC, who was the guarantor of the Global Political Agreement. Ever since the end of the GNU Zanu PF has held all the trump cards including the certainty MDC leaders would participate no matter flawed the process got as long as they were assured of winning a few gravy train seats. As David Coltart confessed in his book MDC and now CCC leaders are participating in these flawed elections out of greed.

“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.”

Chamisa knows that Zanu PF is rigging these elections, knows that CCC’s participation will only give SADC leaders the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the people’s suffering and deaths. Chamisa and company are hell bent on participating in these elections because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF is offering as bait and that is all they care about.

Of course, it is an outrage that the nation’s chances to cure itself of the curse of rigged elections and bad governance continue to be wasted, traded off for 30 pieces of silver by the men and women povo risked all to elect into power entrusted the responsibility to deliver change.

MDC/CCC will never ever implement any democratic reforms and deliver free elections. Never! The sooner the people realise this new political reality the sooner the nation can go back to demanding reforms before elections, the prerequisite to ending vote rigging and good governance.

“The sun will rise and shine in Zimbabwe. Change is in the air, hope is coming back, and citizens are ready to take back their country.

“Come let us reason together. We are one people! It's possible. God is in it!” signed off Nelson Chamisa, with his usual self-righteous arrogance.

MDC/CCC sold out during the GNU by failing to implement even one democratic reform and they are selling out now by participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the tragic human suffering in the country. And this because of greed. How can God have any party in  such treasonous betrayal the long suffering povo and rational thinking! 

12 comments:

Zimbabwe Light said...

#BREAKING Zanu PF political commissar Mike Bimha announces that Zanu PF primary elections slated for tomorrow have been indefinitely postponed "due to the overwhelming response." Zanu PF politburo to meet on Monday and decide next course.
People should want to hold public office out of a sense to serve the public in Zimbabwe many want to hold public office because it is the only sure way to earn a quick buck and survive. As an MP one gets the US$60 000 for a new car, very generous salary and allowances plus US$40 000 for housing loan. How many other jobs out there will guarantee all these goodies!!!!!
The Zanu PF members will fight each other like wild cats, for the honour of holding public office. The Zanu PF member vs Zanu PF fight will be fierce but nothing compared with the Zanu PF vs opposition it will be no-hold barred. The fighting in opposition camp will be equally dirty but not as fierce, they know the state machinery will descend on them like a tonne of bricks if they crossed the line even if it is the same line Zanu PF members have just crossed!
The tragedy is the political environment has become so dirty only the dirty thugs survive and so politics is now truly a dirty game! We can expect thugs to rule the roost!

Zimbabwe Light said...

Speaking to journalists after paying a courtesy call on the Zimbabwean leader Thursday, EU ambassador Kirchmann said the need for free and fair elections topped the agenda.

"The first topic was the importance of free, fair and peaceful elections," he said.

"And the President has said multiple times and underlined the importance of fair and peaceful elections.

"And we also discussed what the EU could do to support those elections, notably with an election observation mission which depends on the limitation of the President.
Late last year, the bloc gave the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission US$5.9 million to strengthen its operations so as to deliver credible polls.

Zimbabwe civil society has warned the country's polls could once again slide into chaos amid early signs of a violent campaign period.

Rights groups have often accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of visiting brutalities against opposition supporters in the country's previous elections.
The EU have done what it can to push for free and fair elections but what else can it do if both the ruling party and the opposition ignore its call for the 23 recommendations from the last elections to be implemented before the 2023 elections. Zanu PF for its part know they can afford to ignore the EU’s demands because the opposition will participate no matter what.
These elections cannot possibly be free and fair given ZEC has refused to produce a verified voters’ roll, 3m in the diaspora or 37% of the potential voters have been denied the vote, the party has turned traditional leaders into Zanu PF political commissars to frogmarch the rural voters, etc., etc. The idea Zimbabwe can ever hold free elections without first implementing the reforms is just nonsensical.
The problem here is not just Zanu PF but MDC/CCC intransigence and indifference to how lawless the election process and the tragic human suffering brought about by yet another rigged election gets as long as they are assured of the share of the spoils of power!

Zimbabwe Light said...

EU gets assurance From Mnangagwa that 2023 elections will be free and fair. Fat chance, given not even one of 23 EU recommendations from 2018 elections were implemented. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kSdDV_J24

Zimbabwe Light said...

@ Godfrey
If the EU recommendation were fully implemented the independence of ZEC and other bodies would be assured and so I would say the process would be clean from start to finish.
The EU report is available on the following website: https://zsdemocrats.blogspot.com/2018/10/eu-election-observer-mission-final.html

Zimbabwe Light said...

MDC/CCC leaders have not only betrayed the nation by failing to implement even one reform in 23 years, including 5 in the GNU; but worst of all they are the ones who have kept Zanu PF in power since 2013 by participating in rigged elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy out of selfish greed. They are at it again this year 2023, they are insisting they will win big! They better because they will be held to account if they fail! Mark my word!

The days of selling out and getting away with it are over!

https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-opinion-sc-columnist-byo-228757.html

Zimbabwe Light said...

Mzembi, has been holed up in South Africa since the 2017 coup which hounded him and other members of Zanu-PF's G40 faction out of the country.

"… what I see coming (is a) constitutional stalemate which may be predicated by a defaulted Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delimitation report if challenged. It will usher us to the next stage of political engagement and inclusive dialogue," said Mzembi.
The forced political sabbatical has had some positive effect on Walter Mzembi, he is admitting that Zanu PF is rigging these elections and, more significantly, admitting that the party will find it near impossible to get away with it this time!
SADC leaders have turned a blind eye to Zanu PF vote rigging and granted the regime legitimacy in the past. SADC has a growing list of the election flaws and illegalities in this year’s Zimbabwe elections and the spotlight is turned full-blast of them.
SADC will have to admit there is no verified voters’ roll, Zanu PF has cherry-pick the electorate by denying 3 million in the diaspora the vote or 37% of the electorate, etc., etc. How can anyone, anyone with any common sense, still declare such an abomination a free, fair and credible elections?
The folly of keeping Zanu PF in power all these last 43 years is clear for all to see – Zimbabwe is a failed state, whose economy is in ruins and millions of Zimbabweans now live in abject poverty. The political instability in Zimbabwe is now spilling over into the rest of the countries in the region. SADC leaders can help Zimbabwe turn over a new leaf by stopping this foolishness of granting a vote rigging regime legitimacy!

Nomusa Garikai said...

In William Faure's epic series Shaka Zulu, the white doctor remarked on how one can easily make themselves a "demigod in this land" after noticing how easily swayed the blacks were. We are easily swayed alright and even an upstart like Nelson Chamisa has made himself a demigod!

Chamisa's claim that CCC has tabled an Election Amendment Bill would have swayed some people into believing this is the panacea to all the nation's problems of rigged elections and election violence. "These reforms will ensure that our country finally lays to rest the ghost of disputed elections, allowing us to finally move forward," said Chamisa. And the naive and gullible believed it as Gospel truth!

Of course, a less naive and gullible person would ask one hundred and one questions and demand answers before they believed this Bill will change anything. What is in this Bill? When will it be passed? Why has MDC/CCC failed to table the Bill these last 23 years? And each answer will generate its own follow up questions.

I totally agree, Chamisa's Election Amendment Bill is just CCC paying lip service to implementing democratic reforms.

Indeed, the more one listens to people like Chamisa, Morgan Tsvangirai and many others in the MDC/CCC the more it is clear they have no clue what the democratic reforms are much less how to implement them. They do not care that the elections are not free, fair and credible as long as they are declared the winner. Mugabe, Mnangagwa and the rest of the Zanu PF thugs do not mind rigging the elections as long as they win. And so both sides do not care about reforms and free elections, all they want is power!

What Zimbabwe needs is men and women with the common sense to know the importance of rule of law and that the right of every citizen to a meaningful say in the governance of the country is the essence of good governance. Naive and gullible citizens easily swayed by empty promises and meaningless rhetoric are a curse to the nation especially when the said citizens have a vote!

Nomusa Garikai said...

@ Godfrey
“With Zanu banking on the SADC no matter what support card - the Opposition is at a loss. If they participate, they are rigged out. If they boycott, they are kept out.
Zanu legitimacy is granted by SADC it has been revealed.”
You have got the wrong end of the stick! SADC leaders nagged MDC leaders throughout the 2008 to 2013 GNU to implement the democratic reforms so Zimbabwe can have free and fair elections. When it was clear that not even one meaningful reform was in place SADC leaders made one more last minute attempt to have the reforms implemented by asking MDC not to participate in the 2013 elections without reforms. Their advice fell on deaf ears.
It was MDC leaders who chose to participate because they were after the few gravy train seats on offer as bait. What did you want SADC leaders to do? Declare the elections null and void and deny Zanu PF legitimacy? To what end and purpose? To punish Zanu PF and reward MDC for selling out?
SADC could not insist on the 2013 elections being postpone to allow time for reforms to be implemented because Zanu PF argued there were no outstanding reforms for parliament to implement. Patrick Chinamasa, who was the Zanu PF Minister of Justice and Parliamentary affairs, revealed to the world that not even one reform proposal had been submitted by anyone in five years of the GNU. Not even one!
The failure by Zimbabweans to see MDC leaders are sell outs throughout the GNU only encouraged SADC leaders to throw in the towel and give up the fight for reforms and free elections. By denouncing MDC/CCC leaders for being corrupt and incompetent during the GNU and now Zimbabweans are showing they have finally woken up. President Cyril Ramaphosa has been taken to task for endorsing Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections, he knows that doing so again this time will infuriate even more people and that is the last thing he wants as he faces elections.

Nomusa Garikai said...

@ Munyaradzi
“Zimbos vari parumana nzombe. We have nowhere to run.”
Nonsense! Chamisa and company are participating in these elections out of greed just as they failed to implement even one reforms during the GNU out of greed. They chose to sell out no one forced them to sell out!
You are participating in the flawed elections because you believe in MDC/CCC. You have refused to accept MDC/CCC are corrupt and incompetent even when you were presented with the historic evidence proving it beyond all reasonable doubt. You have been warned that participating in these flawed elections will only give Zanu PF legitimacy. You are expecting to win even after 43 years of Mafiosi Zanu PF rigged elections!
You have done all these things because you are stupid, insane. No one has ever forced you to! So, stop wittering about “we have nowhere to run”!

Nomusa Garikai said...

@ Godfrey
“Zanu has chosen to disregard the determinations of EU and all choosing to align themselves to SADC dictates.”
It is not just Zanu PF that has chosen to ignore the 23 EU recommendations, CCC too has done the same thing! Zanu PF has also ignored the Zimbabwe constitutional dictate to produce a verified voters’ roll but so too has CCC. Zanu PF knows that CCC will participate in these elections no matter how flawed and illegal the process gets as long as Chamisa and company are assured of a few gravy train seats – a small price to pay for carte blanche powers to rig elections and stay in power!
To keep seeing Zanu PF as the problem is to completely miss the important role that MDC/CCC play in maintain the post 2008 GNU Zimbabwe façade of a healthy and functioning multiparty democracy. MDC/CCC will never ever implement any democratic reforms and deliver free elections, the party will make a lot of noise about reforms and holding Zanu PF to account but that is all playing to the gallery.
Zanu PF and CCC are like cats, when the two meet you will hear a lot of growling. Wait a few months and you will see the kittens; the two were not fighting, they were making love!

Zimbabwe Light said...

The "structureless" party Citizens Coalition for Change led by popular and charismatic leader Nelson Chamisa held it's interface meeting yesterday in Manicaland.
President Chamisa is doing interface meetings across all provinces. These are not rallies, but Citizens engagement meetings.
National Organiser Amos Chibaya thundered, "Chamisa wazadza nyika yose"
There is no doubt that Zanu PF would lose the 2023 elections if the process was free and fair. The challenge is not that CCC does not have public support but how to stop Zanu PF rigging elections? The people are so desperate for change, they would vote for a donkey if the choice between a donkey and Mnangagwa!
There has not been any regime change in Zimbabwe nor is 2023 going to be any different because MDC/CCC leaders have again and again ignore the task of making sure the elections are free and fair by implementing the reforms. They are even telling their naïve and gullible followers CCC can win rigged elections, even after 43 years of the Mafiosi Zanu PF rigging and winning the elections.
Yes people can attend CCC rallies but come voting day many of these people will be frogmarched to vote for Zanu PF and with many of the others denied the vote. We have seen all these things before and it is sickening that we are letting it happen yet again. How can we be conned into believing something as foolish as participating in an election without even a verified voters’ roll!
"Chamisa wazadza nyika yese!" Yeah but not enough to win even with 73%!

Zimbabwe Light said...

@ Godfrey
“With benefit of recent revelation through loose talk or slip of the tongue by ANC on the otherwise decades old secret agenda of keeping an ally Zanu in power - SADC was disingenuous in their plea for seeking reforms first is my conclusion. How else would one reconcile the two mutually exclusive positions. Surely, they would not be found trying to clear the ground for MDC to get a fair fighting chance.”
We should not read what we want in a situation; read what is there and nothing more!
It was none other than SA’s Lindiwe Zulu who nagged MDC leaders endlessly to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU. It was SADC leaders who advised MDC leaders not to participate in the 2013 elections without reforms. Both these events are not exactly what one would say is SADC “keeping an ally Zanu PF in power”?
Indeed, I would say it was the exact opposite, this was SADC bending over backwards to get the reforms implemented. In our desperate effort to exonerate MDC of any wrong doing, regardless of the reality they are the ones who failed to implement even one reform in 5 years, Zimbabweans often bended over backwards to only falsify denying historic facts but worst of all to blame SADC for our own incompetence and corruption.
If we want SADC to stop turning a blind eye to Zanu PF rigging we too need to stop blaming SADC for something they did not do!