One of the distinguishing features of democracy as contrast to autocracy, totalitarian or fascism is the strict adherence to the law and rule of law. Democratic elections must be free, fair and credible or they are a mockery.
As much as President Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies would like to claim that Zimbabwe is a healthy and functioning democracy in which elections are free, fair and credible; this is just a lie. Zimbabwe has failed to produce a verified voters’ roll one of the most basic requirements for free and fair elections.
“Thousands of people found their names missing from the voters' roll upon verifying via mobile phone platforms,” reported News24.
“Others noticed their names were moved from the polling stations in which they registered in.
“For a country with a history of suspicion of electoral fraud, some saw the glitches as part of structural vote rigging.”
Of course, the glitches ARE part of the structural vote rigging!
It should be noted that the thousands of these voters’ roll anomalies were picked up after only a six or so days of the voters’ roll being made available for each individual to check his/her details. So even more people would have found their names missing, etc. if more time had been allocated.
There is no doubt that a full blooded audit of the voters’ roll would have found even more worrisome flaws and illegalities such as multiple entries. The social media has been awash with videos of Zanu PF supporters bused in from rural areas like Domboshava and Goromonzi into Harare urban to register to vote. Come voting day the individuals will vote in their rural areas and bused in to vote again in the urban area.
“Nothing must be spared to ensure the environment is right and conducive for free, fair and peaceful elections in which the right to vote is available to all those eligible, in terms of our laws and laid-down procedures,” wrote President Mnangagwa is his regular Sunday Mail column.
“Secondly, we must ensure that the ballot is secure; that every vote is counted and respected; and that the overall outcome expresses the will and choice of the sovereign people of Zimbabwe. This requires that the whole plebiscite attains levels of integrity which the people of Zimbabwe can vouch and attest to.
“Above all, this requires that our whole electoral process is fool-proof and insulated against undue influence and manipulation by outsiders and foreigners. No foreign power is a stakeholder in Zimbabwe’s electoral processes; this is why foreigners come in by invitation, and participate as observers, and not as monitors.”
How cynical! It is not outsiders who have consistently denied the ordinary Zimbabweans their fundamental right to a meaningful say in the governance these last 43 years. It is you Mr President Mnangagwa and your Zanu PF cronies who have done that by failing to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll.
43 years and counting, and we cannot hold free, fair and credible elections. The very thing the nation fought and thousands died for, we are now denying our own people. It is most ironic that even here the ruling elite are blaming foreigners for their own failures!
What makes Zimbabwe’s political mess a hopeless cause is that the nation wasted many opportunities to implement the democratic reforms and thus end the Zanu PF dictatorships, with the golden chances coming during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. MDC/CCC leaders, who were entrusted the task of implemented the reforms during the GNU sold out. Worse still, ever since the GNU debacle they have participated in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the same reasons they failed to implement reforms - greed and breath-taking incompetence.
Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends hell bent on participating in these 2023 elections even with no verified voters’ roll, wanton violence, etc. They are after the few gravy train seats and the POLAD freebies Zanu PF is offering as bait and they do not care the price to the nation is perpetuating the dictatorship and with it the economic meltdown.
Zimbabwe is a failed state, a pariah state, ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous Zanu PF thugs who are still in power because they rig elections. MDC/CCC have played their part in allowing Zanu PF get away with rigged elections.
Everyone, especially SADC leaders, must be reminded these 2023 elections are flawed and illegal and election process. CCC leaders must be denounced for insisting on participating in these flawed elections out of greed. The regional body has used the opposition’s participation in these flawed elections as an excuse for granting Zanu PF legitimacy. SADC cannot keep punishing the whole nation just because CCC leaders are corrupt and utterly useless!
We, the long suffering ordinary Zimbabwe cannot stop Zanu PF or CCC holding these flawed 2023 elections, even without some thing as basic as a verified voters’ roll. What we can and must do is make sure Zanu PF does not get political legitimacy. Not this time!
19 comments:
@ Academia
“Tell us VaMukori todii senzeni, senzenjani? You can't bring a problem to us for a time immemorial without now bringing a lasting solution. Right now we don't want debate. We want solutions and strategies. We want a clear Zimbabwe with a clear win. Let's not waste each other's time debating peripheral issues. We want to deal with hard core issues with hard talks. Tell us Wilbert. Answers and Strategies only Mzala wami.”
Do not participate is a flawed electoral process, so flawed and so illegal the outcome is already predetermined and all you do by participating is give SADC leaders the excuse to grant Zanu PF legitimacy. Only a village idiot would give up the fight for reforms and free elections in favour of something idiotic as Winning In Rigged Elections strategies. Only a village idiot would trade in gold for fool’s gold especially after 43 years of the Zanu PF Mafiosi rigging the elections! Why is this so hard to understand!
@ Rushhour
“Asi ndozvega zvaunazvo!”
If MDC leaders had not sold out and instead implemented the democratic reforms Zimbabwe, will not still be in this mess. Even an idiot can see that and thus understand this IS relevant.
But then there are some really first class village idiots out there who have no clue what the reforms are about much less that MDC leaders sold out. The idiots hold Chamisa and company as demigods who are infallible and therefore must not be blamed for anything. To accuse CCC of selling out winds the idiots like the old fashions winding clock - they can’t stand it.
CCC are participating in these elections under the pretext they have devised Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. Some one has to point out this i a foolish lie and I am the man to do it. You don’t wanted it to be said and I will say it again and again from the roof top because IT is the truth, relevant and it must be said. I am not here to massage your idiotic and misplaced ego!
Kasukuwere is a thug and only those who are thugs themselves or have very short memory would well come him!
@ S
“I have watched the panic in ZANUPF circles around Savior Kasukuwere’s announcement that he will run for office of the President with a bit of laughter.
There is panic because they know that Kasukuwere will eat into the ZANUPF vote that doesn’t see President Mnangagwa as a viable option.
Secondly, there is further panic because Kasukuwere will energize the ZANUPF supporters who exclusively supported Mugabe, and not necessarily ZANUPF.
Thirdly, Kasukuwere recruited the majority of the mid-level secret service officers when he was at the Ministry of Youth in the early 2000s.
Unlike the other former ZANUPF disillusioned members, he has money and networks.
So the panic in ZANUPF is genuine and legitimate.
So this tweet by the ZANUPF twitter handle @zanupf_patriots points towards their nuclear option, stopping Kasukuwere from running by creating bogus cases for him.
This chaos benefits others because his arrest it it were to happen, it will disillusion a big chunk of the ZANUPF youth vote.
The untalked about issue is ethnicity, President Mnangagwa has spent the past 5 years packing government with his clansmen who have performed dismally because they were either incompetent or crooked or both.
Kasukuwere comes from Mashonaland where the ZANUPF supporters feel very neglected and a presidential candidate from their homeland would get them out.
So Mnangagwa will probably be thinking how to stop him, and that might involve his usual tactics of using a captured judiciary to do that!
I have also seen opposition supporters celebrating Kasukuwere’s entry, they probably haven’t done scenario planning.
Kasukuwere will eat into the vote for Chamisa at Mugabe’s instigation in 2018.
This vote would have voted for Chamisa again this year because Mnangagwa has done very little to win them over due to his failures.
Part of why Chamisa got a bigger vote than his party can be traced to Mugabe’s endorsement which resulted in ZANUPF supporters voting for him but for a ZANUPF MP.
He will also mop up rural youth who see value in his patronage politics which resulted in a lot of rural youths in civil service and secret service.
On this day that we lost the great Dr Alex Magaisa, his departure is felt because he would have delivered a BSR on these issues.
So in my view Kasukuwere will eat onto everyone’s vote, although Mnangagwa will suffer the most.”
The consequences of failing to implement even one meaningful democratic reform is that Zanu PF retains all its carte blanche powers to rig these elections. As a Zanu PF Minister and National Political Commissar Kasukuwere will know how the party's vote rigging machinery works and therefore have some influence.
A Kasukuwere vs Mnangagwa contest is no different from the 2017 Mugabe vs Mnangagwa in that it is another Zanu PF in house fight to replace one dictator with another. We the ordinary people have nothing to gain from this since what we want is to end the dictatorship and NOT remove one dictator only to replace him with another.
Kasukuwere is a season Zanu PF thug and all he would do if he was elected president is pick up on the looting and tyrannical oppression from where he left off when he was booted out of power in 2017.
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections and it is insane for any ordinary Zimbabwean to participate in any way in these flawed elections because all they will do is give SADC the excuse to once again grant Zanu PF legitimacy. CCC are participating out of greed. The rational thing to do is to denounce the flawed process, the sellout CCC and make sure SADC does not grant Zanu PF legitimacy!
@ Rushhour
You do acknowledge that MDC/CCC sold out by failing to implement even one democratic reform during the GNU when the had the opportunity to do so. Coming from some one like you, that is a quantum leap.
You are as keen as mustard to move on - MDC’s failure to implement the reforms is spilt water, “Mvura heguchu haiorerwi!” you argue. Not so fast! Why did MDC leaders fail to implement even one token reform in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU?
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. And one of the reason why people are seemingly sane repeat the same mistake over and over again expecting a different outcome is because they are quick to accept they did not get the result they expected but will not stop to ask why. They are always in a hurry to try again, repeating the same mistakes.
MDC leaders failed to implement even one token reform these last 23 years because they are corrupt and hopelessly incompetent. CCC are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy because they are corrupt and hopelessly incompetent. They were corrupt and hopelessly incompetent during the GNU and they are still corrupt and hopelessly incompetent today.
If you understand that these elections are flawed, “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”, as David Coltart aptly put it.
If participating will only give Zanu PF legitimacy, then there is surely no question that the right thing to do is to boycott. Coltart admitted MDC/CCC leaders are participating out of greed - the very thing Zanu PF is counting on!
To argue that CCC must participate because 20 other parties will do so is the idiotic argument Coltart gave above. Of course, it is idiotic, you do not do the wrong thing just because others are doing it especially when the consequences of your greed is catastrophic to millions of others.
You should be asking yourself, what has MDC/CCC accomplished by failing to implement even one token reform and by participating in these flawed elections? Nothing other than give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship. Of course, only some one who is insane would argue that CCC should participate in these 2023 elections to once again give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate the tragic human suffering in the country!
@ Mliswa
This is just nonsense. People are frogmarched to vote for Zanu PF and the increase in polling station from 2 000 in 2008 to over 11 000 in 2018 meaning Zanu PF knows how people have voted. To claim that one's vote is a secret is just nonsense. Mliswa ,as a former senior ZANU PF leader himself, knows that Zanu PF is rigging these elections and, without reforms, the people will continue to be denied a meaningful say in the governance of the country.
The very idea that there will be political change if we try hard enough, suffer long enough, is idiotic. SADC leaders gave us a way out of this mess in the form of the 2008 to 2013 GNU and all we must do is implement the bloody reforms! This notion of Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) is truly idiotic!
No one in his/her right mind should participate in the 2023 elections because they will only give Zanu PF legitimacy. No one! It is insane that after 43 years of the Mafiosi Zanu PF rigging elections anyone would still participate in flawed elections because they believe in WIRE! Fcuk me!
@ Taona
In the March 2008 elections people had the chance to vote in numbers and they did so giving Tsvangirai 73% of the votes but vote rigging juggernaut was switched back on just in time to stop the result being announced. With the juggernaut back on, 73% was NOT good enough to get Tsvangirai the keys to State House.
SADC leaders realised that without reforms Zimbabwe would never ever have free and fair elections and hence the reason they proposed the 2008 Global Political Agreement, forcing Zanu PF to agree on the need for democratic reforms. Sadly the chance to implement the reforms was wasted because Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders to forget the reforms.
Ever since the GNU debacle MDC/CCC have participated in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for the same reasons they had failed to implement reforms during the GNU - greed and incompetence. And to hide his greed, Chamisa has been telling his naive and gullible followers he has Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies. Sadly the idiots believe him even now after 43 years of Mafiosi Zanu PF rigging elections!
“Zanu PF will not rig if we vote in numbers!” How naive! Mass voter registration was announced as CCC’s flagship WIRE strategy in 2018. As of 30 May 2022 only 1/4 m had registered to vote or 4% of the party’s own 6 m target!
Many of the people who have since discovered their names are missing on the voters’ roll or have been posted to a different Polling Station would be opposition supporters. Meanwhile Zanu PF supporters will cast multiple votes.
Zanu PF is rigging these elections. CCC’s mass voter registration and mass voting WIRE strategy is dead in the water! You can bury your head in the sand all you want that will not change the reality.
It is insane that anyone would give up reforms and free elections for something as idiotic as WIRE! No wonder the country is in a mess, we have some really stupid people out there!
I have asked you a simple question; What has MDC accomplished by participating in 2013 and 2018 and what will CCC accomplish by participating in these 2023 elections? I have not held public office nor am I aspiring to do so. Are you suggesting that I cannot hold MDC/CCC leaders to account because I have not accomplished anything myself?
Those who have held or aspire to hold public office are accountable to the public and the that public means you, who have accomplished many, many things, and me who has accomplished nothing. This is a concept you clearly have a problem swallowing, that is your problem not mine.
The ordinary Zimbabweans have risked life and limb to elect MDC/CCC leaders into power and after 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU I ask:
Why MDC/CCC leaders have failed to implement even one token reform?
Why MDC/CCC leaders are participating in elections so flawed they cannot win and knowing that participating will only give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the suffering of the ordinary people?
Do they really think all Zimbabwe are naive and stupid, we all don’t know they are lying about these idiotic Winning In Rigged Elections strategies are to hide the real reason they are participating in these elections - greed?
People like you, Bachipeneti, are either some of the CCC leaders who have and/or hope to benefit from this circus or are some of the blind supporters too stupid to know what is going on and are determined to silence all criticism of the party leaders. Well, task of ending the madness of participating in these flawed elections is urgent and it would be irresponsible for me to be silent. Indeed, I am here to silence nincompoops like you and will do it!
This is just kiya kiya! Zimbabwe is a failed state, a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who rig elections to remain in power. Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections confirming the country is very much a pariah state. And as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state there will be no meaningful economic recovery!
@ Charles
Why would I want to participate in a flawed elections "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,” as David Coltart aptly put it?
@ Chris
The tragedy here is that Zimbabwe is a failed state, a pariah state, ruled by corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who have routinely rigged elections to stay in power. The country had the golden opportunity to end the dictatorship but wasted it because MDC/CCC leaders sold out. The country is in a real serious economic and political mess and millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are paying dearly for it.
There are some who will not accept the truth and historic facts that Zimbabwe is indeed a failed state because they will not accept that respective party leaders failed. And so the nation is stuck because some people do not have the common sense to accept that their political party leaders are, like all mortals, fallible or worse still corrupt and incompetent.
We should not be arguing about Zanu PF is rigging the elections, there is a mountain of evidence Zanu PF is rigging these elections. We should not be arguing on the sheer futility of participating in these flawed elections, there is another mountain of evidence on that too. And yet that is exactly what we are doing!
Zimbabwe will still be a failed state that cannot even hold free, fair and credible elections regardless of the 2023 result. Elections are judged on the basis of the process being free, transparent, traceable, etc., etc. and not on who is declared the winner and, if it is my party then the election MUST be judged free, fair and credible!
If Zimbabwe cannot hold free and fair elections it will remain a failed state.
FIE country's opposition only has Itself to blame for missing an opportunity to push fur more reforms in Parliament over the past five years, presidential spokesperson George Charamba has asserted.
Speaking to the Daily News yesterday amid a clamour for more electoral reforms by the opposition, Charamba said it was now unlikely that any changes to the law would be considered and effected before the country holds this year's national elections.
"What were they doing throughout the past five-year period? They were sleeping on the job. They must wake up.
"We can't be held hostage by the incompetence of the opposition. We have a tight timeline between now and voting day.”
If MDC failed to implement even one token reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the majority in parliament and cabinet and, most important of all had the mandate to implement reforms from the 2008 Global Political Agreement and the backing of SADC as the guarantor; it is naive, to say the least, to expect them to implement any reforms now!
The truth is MDC/CCC know that with no reforms in place Zanu PF will rig the elections and, most important of all, they also know that by participating in these flawed elections they will only give Zanu PF legitimacy. Yet they continue participating out of greed.
“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.”
There is the confession from the horse’s own mouth!
And yet millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate their own suffering. It is not all who see who perceive, all who hear that understand. Zimbabwe has the great misfortune of having a great many of our people who see and hear but comprehend nothing and hence the reason why the country is in this mess. And with no sign of snapping out of our mental stupor, it is clear we are here for the long haul!
@ Arthur
“You are a totally ignorant Gukurawundi. The country has a Constitution. The Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land, which everyone who governs swears by the Bible to uphold, including your Gukurahundi President. Likewise, the opposition and every citizen is called upon to uphold this Supreme law. No one is an exception including your ZANU Gukurahundis party. Therefore, it is the responsibility of every citizen, your Gukurahundis party and government included to ensure all the subservient Laws you the Country, talk to the spirit and intent of the Supreme Law; the Constitution. It's not just the opposition. Your problem is your attitude towards opposition politics. You are primitive and uneducated.”
You are right that Zanu PF does not care about the rule of law. Your greatest weakness is the failure to realise that MDC leaders sold out by failing to implement democratic reforms. They wasted the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU and it is futile participating in these elections without reforms. CCC’s claim to have winning in rigged elections strategies is all hot air! The tragedy is many people believe the nonsense and the nation will pay dearly for this foolishness.
@ Taona
“Why blame opposition only. You should also blame part of citizenry for supporting wrong things done by the ruling party. Educate each other & not allow ZANU PF propaganda.”
The only relevant point you can raise is that I am blaming the opposition for something they did not do. To argue that they are not the only ones to blame is fallacious, to say the least. Are you saying the opposition must not be held to account for what they did because others played a part. If other people were to blame then hold them to account too but the opposition will and must be held to account for their part regardless what we do with the others.
First you denied the opposition did nothing wrong. And having been presented with the evidence of their wrong doing you changed tact, you want the opposition let off the hook because they are others to blame. The real purpose of all this frantic manoeuvring is to make the opposition leaders unaccountable to anyone.
Let me say this again: any one who holds or aspire to hold public office is DEMOCRATICALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC and not just his/her supporters! There is nothing in that statement saying the individual is only accountable is every one else involved is held to account.
By Baba Jukwa | In recent times, Wicknell Chivayo, a controversial businessman, has been making headlines due to his opulent lifestyle, which includes the acquisition of a fleet of expensive cars. However, these ostentatious displays of wealth have raised eyebrows, especially given the accusations that he is associated with the notorious Goldmafia, an alleged group involved in the looting of mineral resources through airports. While Chivayo maintains that his wealth is legitimate, it is important to analyze the source of his millions and his involvement in tender processes across various countries.
Chivayo’s wealth accumulation has been a subject of speculation and controversy. Critics argue that his riches are connected to his alleged association with the Gokdmafia, a criminal network involved in illegal mineral resource activities. The accusations suggest that Chivayo, leveraging his connections and influence, has benefited from these illicit activities. However, it is crucial to note that these claims remain allegations until proven in a court of law.
Amidst the swirling controversies, Chivayo himself has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has openly defended his wealth. In his statement, he highlights what he terms the hard work and sleepless nights he has endured to prepare tender documents for submission in various countries such as Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya. He attributes his success to his diligence and persistence, asserting that his wealth is the fruit of legitimate business ventures.
It is essential to objectively assess Chivayo’s claims. While his statement appears to justify his wealth through hard work and legitimate business dealings, it is important to conduct a comprehensive investigation into his activities. Scrutinizing the tender processes he has been involved in across multiple countries is crucial to establish the validity of his assertions
One of the worrying realities of most of our filthy rich ruling elite and their cronies is that the squander their ill gotten wealth outside the country and on luxuries or business venture which do not generate any wealth. Chivayo’s impressive fleet of posh cars, like Grace Mugabe’s Gucci shoes and Chiwenga’s many gold watches are dead end investments! Billions of dollars that should be ploughed back in the economy is siphoned out and no wonder the country is facing serious economic ruin!
Zanu PF is loaded; millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are wallowing in abject poverty but not the ruling elite and their cronies. And the party is using some of the ill-gotten wealth to bankroll its many vote rigging schemes and thus retain its irin grip on power.
The opposition know Zanu PF is rigging these elections and still they are hell bent on participating because they are after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait. MDC/CCC leaders had the golden opprtunity to implement the reforms and they wasted and now all they are after to give Zanu PF legitimacy in retain for a share of the spoils of power.
These 2023 elections will accomplish nothing other than perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship. It is insane for any Zimbabwean to participate.
@ Chuma
“You seem to have developed a bit of selective amnesia on the issues and reasons why MDC’s hands were tied down. It wasn’t bribery but ZANU PF. Kept key ministries and gave MDC ministries which can’t function politically to implement all those reforms you are going on about. ZANU kept State security ( home affairs) , Justice and defence knowingly that if MDC had justice minister , arrests would had been made so control of police and military , the key ones for change, Mugabe held on to them.”
You have no idea on what the reforms are much less how they were to the implemented. Any MP, Senator or Minister could submit a reform proposal on anything during the GNU. MDC leaders failed to submit even one reform proposal in the five years. Not even one!
Even if one accepted your argument that Zanu PF stopped reforms in the key ministries the party controlled; why did MDC fail to take this up with SADC who were the guarantor of the 2008 Global Political agreement? The only time MDC crossed swords with Zanu PF during the GNU was when Mugabe would not allow Tsvangirai to use Zimbabwe House. Mugabe resolved this by buying Tsvangirai the US$ 4 million Highlands mansion. After that, MDC cooperated with Zanu PF to the extend of throwing all reforms out of the window.
It is shocking that anyone would still be wittering feeble excuses like MDC leaders had their hands tied down, even now with the benefit of hindsight. MDC leaders sold out - that is a historic fact and the sooner people like you acknowledge the sooner the nation will get out of this mess!
@ Son of Isaac
“Too much repatriation. How many times have you said this. Fresh thinking.”
The problem is Zanu PF rigging the elections and MDC/CCC participating to give the regime legitimacy. After 43 years of rigged elections we must stop this happening again and it is annoying that it is happening again. It is amazing that you are more concerned about the warning of yet another rigged elections but indifferent to the reality of another rigged elections nor the consequences!
Well I would rather repeat the warning of Zanu PF rigging these elections 100 000 times a day than say nothing and suffer the consequence of another rigged elections! You don’t want to hear the warning well that is just too bad because it will be irresponsible for me to risk the suffering of a whole nation for the sake of massaging your idiotic ego!
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