"Zimbabwe has always been violating those (election) principles
and guidelines as far as elections are concerned," acknowledged SADC
Electoral Advisor, Likhwa Dlamini said after meeting Nelson Chamisa and his CCC
team. CCC have the usual catalogue of issues to complain about.
"SADC is there to assess the likelihood of such incidents recurring, but
our report does not address such issues and if they keep on recurring, there
are other senior structures that deal with such issues.
"But SADC will not sit down and watch this continuing.
"We are not going to use force or push through the throat everything that
we think of.
"We are going to do it in a way that would make us remain brothers and
sisters."
"Our presence here is to do an assessment and detect issues, which I think
are of concern and then assist."
It must be noted that SADC facilitated the implementation of
the democratic reforms, the only sure way to end Zimbabwe’s culture of
political violence and vote rigging, during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Nelson
Chamisa and his MDC friends wasted that golden opportunity by failing to
implement even one reform in five years.
Worse still, SADC leaders wanted the 2013 elections postponed
until reforms were implemented, in a last-minute attempt to get the reform
implemented. “If you go into the election next month,” SADC leaders told Morgan
Tsvangirai and his MDC friends to their faces. “You will lose. The elections are
done!”
Alas! MDC leaders paid no heed and participated in the 2013
elections, which Zanu PF blatantly rigged, as SADC leaders had predicted. Zimbabwe’s
opposition has insisted in participating in these flawed and illegal elections
disregarding the repeated calls for reforms before elections from other
quarters such as the EU and Americans.
There are five key points that must be said here:
1)
SADC election observer teams endorsed the Zanu
PF rigged 2013 and 2018 elections as being “substantially free and fair”. Of
course, it is disappointing that this was ever allowed to happen. One hopes the
commitment “SADC will not sit down and watch this continuing” will be honoured
from now on!
2)
Not even one meaningful reform has been
implemented since the June 2013 SADC meeting when the leaders called for the
elections to be postponed. The 2023 elections are four months away, no
meaningful reforms can be implemented now. SADC must reiterate its 2013 demand
for elections to be postponed until reforms are implemented!
3)
The MDC leaders did not implement any reforms during
the GNU and squandered the chance to boycott the 2013 and 2018 elections and redeem
themselves because of greed. CCC are hell bent on participating in these 2023
elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process get, Chamisa and
company are just paying lip service to reforms.
4)
Indeed, it is this assurance that MDC/CCC will
not implement reforms nor boycott elections no matter how flawed the process
gets that have given Zanu PF the confidence to ignore demands for meaningful
reforms and holding free elections. If we are serious about ending Zimbabwe’s
curse of rigged elections and bad governance then we must apply pressure on
both Zanu PF and CCC to accept democratic changes.
5)
If SADC will not condemn the 2023 elections in
advance, then SADC election observers must judge the process on the evidence gathered
on the ground. Whether or not the country should have another GNU if the
election fail to produce a legitimate government as happened in 2008; is not
for SADC to say. The regional body must allow the people of Zimbabwe and the
rest of the international community deal with that. This is not too much to
ask!
11 comments:
Zanu PF is rigging 2023 elections and CCC is hell bent on participating regardless. SADC promise to stop endorsing Zanu PF rigged elections - especially given ANC's dubious "Will not allow regime change in Zimbabwe!"
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-opinion-sc-columnist-byo-229726.html
@ Leonard Koni
The harmonised elections are likely going to be held between 31st of July and 31 August 2023. That means we are only left with about three months to go to the polls.
The most worrisome thing is the refusal of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the voters roll.
The Chairperson is quoted stating that the Electoral Commission is unable to publish the voters' roll as it has the responsibility to protect the data of voters in accordance with the Data Protection.
However Section 21 (3) of the Electoral Act legally authorises the Commission to within a reasonable period of time provide any person who requests it, and who pays the prescribed fee a copy of any voters' roll either in printed or in electronic form as the person may request.
Already there are unsolicited political messages that are highly targeted being sent on people's mobile phones that a These unsolicited political messages violate the Cyber and Data Protection Act which governs the use of personal biometric data.
Going to this 2023 election without the opposition getting the voters roll is like participating in a football tournament with a makeshift squad.
Has the opposition done enough to push for these electoral reforms as we see the resistance of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission?
MDC had the opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU that would have ended Zanu PF’s control of the state institutions like ZEC. They failed to implement even one reform in five years. SADC leaders did their best to nag MDC leaders to implement the reforms but to no avail.
“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 boasted at the time when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing any reforms.
The fact that MDC/CCC leaders have paid lip service to reforms, demand for verified voters’ roll, and participating in these flawed elections knowing fully well that doing so will only give Zanu PF legitimacy will not come as a surprise to anyone who understands what happened during the GNU. The failure to implement the reforms during the GNU was the real game changer, the sun round which everything else revolve.
It is therefore not surprising that CCC will participate in these elections even if ZEC never produce the verified voters, there is no free public media, etc. These are all serious matters but nothing compared to failing to implement else one reform in five years!
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya says his top priorities are to leave behind a sound financial system, strong central bank, and stable prices as his two terms come to an end.
Mangudya, an economist by training, was chosen by former president Robert Mugabe to serve as governor of the RBZ on May 1, 2014.
He succeeded Gideon Gono, who accelerated the central bank printing press to keep up with hyperinflation.
On May 1, 2019, President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed him to a second and last five-year term as governor, which ends next year.
Two years after Mangudya's term was renewed, in an effort to alleviate serious cash and dollar shortage, the RBZ decided to create the surrogate bond note currency, and some say it tarnished his stint at RBZ.
"We have got triple stability issues that we are dealing with—price stability, financial system stability and institutional stability," Mangudya told directors at a recent business breakfast meeting in Harare.
"Moreso, when this governor is going to leave in 2024, it is my wish to ensure that we leave a very stable institution, we leave stable prices in Zimbabwe, and we leave stable banks in Zimbabwe."
Later, he said in an interview with Standardbusiness that by rescuing the nation from a situation of extreme inflation, he had been able to stabilise prices.
"We have got a tight monetary policy stance, we have got a stable pricing system and the banking system is stable and safe," Mangudya said.
"So, what we think of ourselves is that we have moved from a hyperinflationary environment, we have moved from a currency reforms environment, we are now in a stable environment and we want to maintain that environment.
"Therefore, it means that we are between 6 and 7 out of 10. We are very bullish about it."
The Al Jazeera documentary has show just how serious the problem of corruption is in Zimbabwe. People like Dr John Mangudya, as the RBZ Governor, are at the heart of the gold smuggling and money laundering. In a healthy and functioning democracy Dr Mangudya would have been sacked or worse, charged for his role in letting the rot happen during his watch.
The country is losing a staggering US$ 1.6 billion to gold smugglers and money laundering per year or 80% of the gold trade alone. The leak has been going on for years because it was none other than Mangudya himself who admitted the country was losing US$1.2 billion to gold smugglers per year in 2019.
“We are between 6 and 7 out of 10. We are very bullish about it!” boasted Mangudya. This is much more than bullish, this is the arrogance of thugs who know they will never be held to democratic account! Millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are living in abject poverty because the country’s economy is in ruins all because of the decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption by Dr Muangudya and his fellow Zanu PF cronies. And he does not even care!
Pressure is mounting on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to crack down on the gold mafia, which is reportedly bleeding the country of millions of dollars in revenue.
The gold mafia is a group of individuals and companies that are involved in the illegal mining, smuggling, and sale of gold. They are said to be operating with impunity, with the help of corrupt officials in government and security forces.
The gold mafia's activities are having a devastating impact on the country's economy. They are depriving the government of much-needed revenue, and they are also contributing to the country's high unemployment rate.
Yes, the wholesale looting of the country’s resources have deprived the government of the much needed revenue and contributed to the economic meltdown. The greatest problem that the rampant corruption has brought is that it has made those involved in the corruption filthy rich and they have used some of their ill-gotten wealth to corrupt every segment of society from the traditional leaders right up to top brass in the security services, the judiciary and CEO in commerce and industry. Even the country’s opposition politicians are in the Zanu PF ruling elite deep pockets.
It is futile to call for a thorough investigation to stamp out corruption because those with the power and authority to investigate are themselves are the heart of the corrupt political ruling elite. They will never investigate themselves. To stamp out corruption we need meaningful political change and the ruling elite will never allow any meaningful democratic reforms to be implemented. Never!
We really are stuck and need to think outside the box.
We need to condemn the flawed election process, condemn the opposition for selling out on reforms and participating in flawed elections. We need Zanu PF denied political legitimacy so that we can have a new GNU. The new GNU will implement the democratic reforms and this end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
@ Professor Jonathan Moyo
“If the former Zambian foreign minister wants to confess that he used to dabble in money laundering with criminals under diplomatic cover for personal gain, or to benefit his political boss then, he should come and clean and say so; without using the shameful cover of the irredeemably disgraced Uebert Angel!”
All level minded Zambians out there must hand their heads in shame that the country had such a nincompoop as Harry Kalaba as Foreign Minister for four years! Only a nincompoop would argue that looting the nation’s resource for the benefit of the few criminals in the ruling elite and their Mafiosi partners is in the national interest!
Chamisa has written to the bloc three times before, begging for intervention in the political crisis.
SADC’s Electoral Advisory Council is in the country ahead of crucial elections later this year.
It also met the governing Zanu-PF, other political parties, civil society and the media.
Chamisa says he was able to pour his heart out on the dire political situation.
The delegation is expected to meet UN resident coordinators and ambassadors from SADC countries in Zimbabwe next week.
This is just nonsense! Even with the best will in the world, what can SADC do now, four months before the voting day, to stop Zanu PF rigging these elections.
All along Chamisa has claimed the party has “winning in rigged elections strategies” including the mass voter registration followed by mass voting and protecting the vote. As of 30 May 2022, four years into the voter registration exercise, ZEC announce that only ¼ of a million had registered to vote.
This is 4% of CCC’s own set target of registering 6 million. So mass voter registration, mass voting and protecting the vote was dead in the water. Back to the drawing board!
So Chamisa is now admitting Zanu PF is rigging these elections, “pouring his heart out on the dire political situation!” He does not say what he wants SADC to do.
In 2013 SADC leaders advised MDC leaders not to participate in these elections without first implementing reforms. Tsvangirai and company ignored the advice. MDC leaders like David Coltart have confessed boycott the flawed 2013 elections was (and still is) the “obvious thing to do!” MDC leaders have failed to do the obvious thing because of greed.
They knew Zanu PF was offering a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate. They found the bribe irresistible then in 2013 and even more so now! Chamisa is shedding buckets of crocodile tears about Zanu PF rigging the 2023 elections but will participate no matter how flawed, violent and illegal the process gets.
What SADC must do is accept the election process is flawed and illegal and condemn the process and deny Zanu PF legitimacy.
COUNCIL for Churches in Africa (CCA) president Rocky Moyo says the country's ruling party Zanu-PF will only win the forthcoming general elections through the help of the country's churches.
Moyo's congregation is among some of the most influential churches in Bulawayo.
Speaking on Saturday in Bulawayo at the ordination ceremony of Apostle Pesly Jeremiah of Joshua Generation Ministries held in Mpopoma, Moyo said: "A country will not succeed without spiritual people. For instance, when you go to England the next person to the king is the archbishop, a spiritual person and then comes the Prime Minister.
"Right now in this country we are proposing that we have a minister of religion. As long as the President continues to visit churches, this is going to happen," Moyo said.
He said even the colonisers made use of the Bible to advance the colonialism agenda.
"And I also said if he keeps going around churches he is definitely going to get my vote because it means he recognises us as people from the religious sector.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because Zanu PF has repeatedly denied the ordinary people a meaningful say in the governance of the country. This is more than just a basic human right, it is the essence of good governance. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who rig elections to stay in power; there will be no meaningful economic recovery.
The recent Al Jazeera Gold Mafia documentary has shown how Mnangagwa and his fellow Zanu PF ruling elite are now selling the nation’s crown jewels for a song to enrich themselves at the expense of the common good. Worst of all, they are using some of their looted wealth to bribe individuals in every sector of society including traditional leaders, government institutions, private sector, the opposition and even the church leaders have been corrupted.
It is common knowledge that many church leaders are Zanu PF political commissars in all but name. The party has rewarded them with farms, cars and other benefits. Rocky Moyo and his fellow church leaders will vote for Zanu PF regardless how corrupt and tyrannical the regime is and how much suffering it has cause to millions of ordinary Zimbabweans. They don’t care, as long as the regime gives them a share of the spoils of power!
@ Godfrey
“By reporting flaws to SADC he is condemning the system
Participation he MIGHT but he hopes SADC will not give legitimacy to the riggers.
Chamisa has not denied that Zanu rigs that’s why he says will try win RIGGED elections.
If SADC has today advised him not to participate - I’m sure he will not go against their advice this time.”
What makes you so cocksure Chamisa would listen today when he did not listen in the past?
As much as SADC and the rest of the world would like to help Zimbabwe get out of the political mess we are in; it is important that we, Zimbabweans are seen to be serious about wanting to get out of the mess. By failing to implement even one democratic reform when they had the golden opportunity to do so MDC leaders showed that they were not serious about ending the Zanu PF dictatorship. By insisting on participating in flawed elections knowing doing so will give Zanu PF legitimacy, but do so regardless out of greed, again MDC/CCC leaders showed they really are not serious about ending the curse of rigged elections.
The rest of the world has been disappointed by the failure by ordinary Zimbabweans to hold MDC/CCC leaders to account for selling out during the GNU and now. It only shows Zimbabweans are not ready for a health and functioning democracy, we are a naïve and gullible lot and not an informed and diligent electorate!
Chamisa met SADC electoral body for 3 hours and poured his heart out on flawed elections. Yeah, but to what end and purpose! Zimbabweans must denounce these buckets of crocodile tears!
https://streamyard.com/pal/c/5640103594557440
Chamisa met SADC electoral body for 3 hours and poured his heart out on flawed elections. Yeah, but to what end and purpose! Zimbabweans must denounce these buckets of crocodile tears!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhBW5yY0dKI
@ Silungisani Ndlovu
Little Rascal Wilbert Mukori...You are a Little British Bulldog Puppy..Your Mission in Zimbabwe is to Liquidated Communist ZANU-PF Government you sent to do by your CIA Pay Masters and Install MDC/CCC little British Bulldog Puppies...
ZIMBABWE WILL NEVER BE A COLONY AGAIN..
ZIMBABWE IS FOR ZIMBABWEANS AND ZIMBABWEANS NEVER OWN A SINGLE INCH OF THAT TERRITORY IN EUROPE...
Zanu PF has denied millions of ordinary Zimbabweans their basic right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country, the right to free, fair and credible elections. This is more than just a right, it is the essence of good governance.
Zimbabwe is a failed state that cannot provide even the most basic needs to millions of its people who are living in abject poverty precisely because Zanu PF has rigged elections to impose its corrupt and tyrannical rule. 43 years of corrupt and tyrannical misrule have left the nation in economic ruins and political paralysis.
The failed Zanu PF dictatorship must go and it will go. Only an idiot would buy this nonsense “Zimbabwe will never be a colony again!” to justify the continued existence of this failed regime!
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