Belling The Cat
by Aesop
The Mice once called a meeting to decide on a plan to free themselves of their enemy, the Cat. At least they wished to find some way of knowing when she was coming, so they might have time to run away. Indeed, something had to be done, for they lived in such constant fear of her claws that they hardly dared stir from their dens by night or day.
Many plans were discussed, but none of them was thought good enough. At last a very young Mouse got up and said:
"I have a plan that seems very simple, but I know it will be successful. All we have to do is to hang a bell about the Cat's neck. When we hear the bell ringing we will know immediately that our enemy is coming."
All the Mice were much surprised that they had not thought of such a plan before. But in the midst of the rejoicing over their good fortune, an old Mouse arose and said:
"I will say that the plan of the young Mouse is very good. But let me ask one question: Who will bell the Cat?"
It is one thing to say that something should be done, but quite a different matter to do it.
This tale is so simple and yet speaks volumes of the dilemma the nation is facing - how will the nation wrestle power from this Zanu PF regime that is now so powerful and the people so helpless the equivalence of cat and mice is not at all off the mark.
The first correction one must make here is to explain the masses must not be fooled by the thugs’ posturing and bravado; the thugs are no more human beings than anyone of the masses. Mnangagwa has the Army, Police, ZEC, Judiciary and even the opposition members in his deep pockets. Yes he has used the nation’s looted wealth to bribe the various players to do his dirty bidding of looting the nation blind, rigging elections and terrorising the people thugs to give himself and Zanu PF this aura of invincibility.
Still, he is human and NOT the all power cat before us powerless mice.
In a healthy and functioning democracy the leaders are accountable to the people and yet here we have a situation in which the ruling elite are calling all the shots and we, the people, tremble in fear before them. The tail is wagging the dog!
Zanu PF thugs have usurped the people’s democratic right to free, fair and credible elections, the only sure way the people can fulfil their sacred duty as citizen of holding leaders to account.
The only sure way to end the Zanu PF dictatorship by wrestling back the right to free, fair and credible elections that Zanu PF has systematically denied the people all these last 45 years. There have been many opportunities to wrestle this right back, notably during the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
The way forward for Zimbabwe entails understand why the 2008 to 2013 GNU offered the best chance ever to end the Zanu PF dictatorship and why nothing was accomplish. If people who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat the same foolish mistakes over and over again.
The NTA being proposed by Dr Ibbo Mandaza is but a variation of the 2008 to 2013 GNU and its primary task will be to implement the democratic reforms Morgan Tsvangirai & Co. failed to implement. Indeed one of the demands for the NTA to work is that all those involved in the 2008 GNU cannot play any major part in the new arrangement; if they failed to implement even one token reform in 5 years it will be naive to expect them to do any better now.
35 comments:
https://www.facebook.com/4415858595176450/videos/1120743723414982
SYBETH MUSENGEZI APOLOGISES TO MNANGAGWA FOR EMBARRASSING HIM BY CHALLENGING HIS LEGITIMACY POST 2017 MILITARY COUP.
MUSENGEZI LEFT POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND LAUNCHED AN ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT MOVEMENT AND IS ASKING TO BE LEFT ALONE! A NOVEL IDEA BUT NAIVE AND UNWORKABLE. ZANU PF KNOWS THAT ANY MEANINGFUL SUCCESS IN CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES WILL BE USED AS THE BASIS FOR POLITICAL CHALLENGE ON ZANU PF IRON GRIP ON POWER.
THE RIGHT TO A MEANINGFUL SAY IN THE GOVERNANCE OF ONE'S COUNTRY IS MORE THAN JUST A RIGHT; IT IS THE ESSENCE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE. AND IT MUST NEVER BE BARGAINED AWAY LIKE MANGOES AT THE MARKET! NEVER!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qp151-noaC0
In a healthy and functioning democracy power rests with the people. Zimbabwe is a ruthless autocracy, the Zanu PF ruling elite have absolute power, they are the cats and the people are the hunted and helpless mice. The people have shot themselves in the foot by repeatedly participating in flawed elections only to give Zanu PF legitimacy. The people were conned into participating because they believe the idiotic lies of the opposition had strategies to win RIGGED elections.
Even if the proposed National Transition Authority, new GNU, was to deliver a perfect democratic system it will not last long as long as the political power play remain that of the mice vs cats! The people must be educated, knowledgeable and objective if they are to carry out their sacred duty of holding the leaders to account!
@ Geza
“Chinhu chedu!” Iwe naani? Ordinary Zimbabweans have not enjoyed their basic freedoms and rights these last 45 years. Until you fell out with Mnangagwa and the others, you never saw anything wrong done by the regime.
The idea that Zimbabweans should support your revolution only to replace Mnangagwa with Chiwenga is foolish! Period!
Was the 2017 military coup constitutional? Were the post 2017 elections free, fair and credible? Who threatened to crash opposition like lice just days after an opposition supporter was murdered by Zanu PF thugs in cold blood?
Only a village idiot would pretend Chiwenga is anything else but just another corrupt, incompetent and murderous Zanu PF thug!
@ Tachiova
“He too must take the lead and get the crown
If NC is a coward..let him also enter the ring and fight!
Chamisa leave him alone.”
Read again what Chin’ono said. “If Zimbabweans were clever they would indeed know by now that the “best thing that has ever happened to Zanu PF” is to have opposition leaders the likes of Chamisa, he said.
Of course, he is right, We cannot pretend that MDC/CCC are Zanu PF team B in all but name and Zimbabweans have been slow to realise this. And you are responding just like the nincompoop Chin’ono was talking about. Instead of holding Chamisa to account for betraying the nation all you can think of is defending him!
Chamisa was in the ring, the people of Zimbabwe risked livelihoods, limbs and even their lives to elect him and his fellow MDC/CCC banded mongoose in to power for the express purpose of delivering democratic changes. After 25 years, including 5 in the GNU not even one token change has been implement. Of course, the banded mongooses must be held to account.
“Leave Chamisa alone!” Why did he ever held public office if he did not want to be held to account? Chamisa is a mere mortal and not some untouchable a demigod, for Pete’s sake.
No wonder we are a failed state! We are stuck with corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless leaders because we, the people, have have placed them on pedestals and worship them as demigods and hence cannot hold them to account.
“Leave Chamisa alone!” Only a nincompoop would say that. Alas! Zimbabwe has 2 millions of them and they have the vote. Of course, we are doomed!
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OyJALblDPzGb
ZANU PF HAS ALL BUT ABANDONED GOVERNMENT'S PRIMARY TASK ON CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE IS PEACE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE NATION TO PROSPER. GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE BUILDING ROADS AND SCHOOLS NOT BUILD HOUSES, BUY BICYCLES, ANYTHING THE INDIVIDUAL CAN DO FOR HIM/HERSELF.
ZANU PF IS WHOLY FOCUSED ON BUILDING A POLICE STATE TO SILENCE DISSENT AND ON ENDLESS VOTE BUYING SCHEMES. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE ZIMBABWE WE WANT AND AFTER 45 YEARS OF RIGGED ELECTIONS WE MUST ADDRESS THIS CURSE IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS HELL-HOLE.
THE PRIMARY TASK OF GOVERNMENT IS TO BUILD PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS AND SCHOOL AND NOT DO WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL CAN DO FOR HIM/HERSELF. WHY IS ZANU PF BUILDING HOUSES FOR WAR VETERANS, BUYING TWIN CAB TRUCKS FOR CHIEFS AND GUNS AND BULLETS WHEN THERE ARE NO ROADS AND AMBULANCES?
ZANU PF IS OBSESSED WITH BUYING VOTES AND USING BRUTE FORCE TO SILENCE DISSENT!
@ General
You have always supported Chamisa; was it because you believed he had all the solutions? Name one solutions he offered, I have asked you on countless occasions? You have failed to name one.
So why are you asking me for solutions when you clearly do not have the intellect to comprehend anything of substance. You have followed blindly in the past and I know that is not going to change.
I have always explained what the nation must do but you do not have the intellect to comprehend any of it. You are a nincompoop and it is not my fault that you are a nincompoop!
@ Traore
You have the cheeky of coming here day after day pontificating about how the masses are suffering and it is the fault of this Zanu PF regime - all correct. Then in the next breath you are singing the praises of VP Chiwenga, Gudo Guru. Why are you insulting us?
Chiwenga is a corrupt, incompetent and murderous thug the same as Mnangagwa and the rest. Your attempt to surgically separate Chiwenga from the evil Zanu PF has visited on the nation is unacceptable particularly when it is being done for the sake of perpetuating the suffering by replacing Mnangagwa with Chiwenga.
Replacing Mnangagwa with Chiwenga will not change anything just as the replacement of Mugabe with Mnangagwa in 2017 changed nothing. And so you should stop preaching nonsense!
Mnangagwa’s vote buying spree are all he can do as he has given up on the primary task of government the world over of providing basic infrastructure such as roads, school and health care. Government should not be doing for the individual what he/she can do for themselves especially when it is failing in its own set task!
The few war veterans who get such house are so poor they will hardly afford the curtain much less the glass window pane if it was broken. They know that if they should ever be suspected of supporting the likes of Geza, they will be booted out of the house!
@ Aka
"Ndati uya upinde iwe uzadze zvima stadiums chete since u're better than them, or ndibvunze ipapo iwe wawunoona arinani ndiyani then we backup him or her apinde?"
So if I do not come back to Zimbabwe it is ok for the nation to replace one dictator with another, as it has done in the past? As I saids, the sheer stupidity of the argument speaks volumes of you!
@ Mutsvangwa
This is a regime that has never ever held free, fair and credible elections and is per se not accountable to the people and therefore can afford to say and do as it damn well pleases. Zimbabwe is a failed state, it is not surprising that the regime is in complete denial of that reality.
A university Lecturer earning $230 monthly???? Really
UZ lecturers Arrested Over Salaries Strike
Police have arrested three University of Zimbabwe (UZ) academics - Obvious Vengeyi,
This is a city where the local rates alone is US$200 per month!
Is it any wonder that there is no quality education in Zimbabwe any more, decades of poor salaries and funding have force many teachers and lecturers to leave.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIYj152Ingc
Zimbabwe is a failed state. Forgot the propaganda lies from Zanu PF that the nation is a sounding economic success; we are a failed state.
On 18 April 2025, in two days time, the nation will be observing 45 years after independence, there is really nothing to celebrate. We should all hang our heads in shame that after 45 years of independence, in this day and age, we are still to figure out why we are a failed state.
Indeed, if we have failed to figure it out why we are a failed state by now; what is there to suggest we will ever figure it out. Were our detractors right after all that we are incapable of self government!
@ Fungai Zirabada
"A failed state that attained its Independence and Sovereignity from colonial rule via a protracted armed struggle and later sanctioned because of its move of taking back its land? Nonsense."
It is not everyone who comprehends what is going on here and you are clearly one of those who do not comprehend and, in all probability, never will!
Many people have been booted out of their houses in Ruwa.
Zanu PF has failed to deliver economic prosperity and the only way the party can retain its iron grip on power is by fear. The party does not have the carrot and is wielding a big stick and no one is safe!
Recently Mnangagwa has been building houses for the lucky few war veterans to buy their support. Even if these few were to get title deeds for these houses they all know that they will be firebombed out of the houses if the regime was to know they support Geza or the opposition. Geza was firebombed out of the farm just as many of the G40 leaders.
Zimbabwe is a lawless nation and the only law that matters is the whim of the dictator. So whilst Mnangagwa is the top dog everything must be for the glory of Caesar, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa; the good of Rome, Zimbabwe has all but forgotten.
@ Cosma Mufandaedza
"Carcuos, wasting data for nothing as long you there I will never listen to your idiotic chapters,I simply peruse."
You not only listened to Chamisa’s idiotic lies of plugging all the vote rigging loop holes but believed the lies and participated in the flawed 2023 elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate the nation’s suffering. You do not even have the common sense to admit that was indeed foolish!
The real tragedy here is that nincompoops like you number in there millions and, worst of all, you have the vote. No wonder we are a failed state!
@ Benjamin
There is overwhelming evidence that Chiwenga is a corrupt, incompetent and murderous thug just like Mnangagwa. People like Kraidos do not need evidence to know Chiwenga is a thug. What they need is the intellect to comprehend what the see.
It is not all who see that perceive; hear and understand. Blessed are those see and perceive, who hear and understand.
The tragedy for Zimbabwe is that there are millions of Zimbabweans out there, as the election result showed, who are blind dumb and stupid just like Kraidos. And, worst of all, they have the vote. The nincompoops learned nothing from celebrating the 2017 military coup when all it did was replace one dictator with another and so now they want to repeat the same foolishness because they believe Chiwenga is squeaky clean!
https://www.facebook.com/4415858595176450/videos/9462865270506138
Let us be very clear here: the 2001 Western sanctions were imposed to force Zanu PF to up hold human rights including holding free elections, the same reasons UN sanctions were imposed on Smith's Rhodesia and SADC forced Zanu PF to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement. It is therefore nonsense to suggest the sanctions were imposed to help MDC leaders secure gravy train seats.
It is laughable but not surprising that MDC leaders were calling for sanctions to the lifted when the GNU had not implemented even one token reform. In the end they failed to implement even one reform in 25 years including 5 GNU years proving beyond all reasonable doubt that they are breathtakingly corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless.
It is a great tragedy that millions of Zimbabweans have failed to see MDC/CCC leaders for the sell-outs they really are, even now with the benefit of hindsight. Chamisa & Co. have conned the people to participate in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy, opposition leaders a few gravy train seats and perpetuate the nation's suffering.
@ Dr Gee
Sure! Were you one of those who supported the 2017 coup? What did it accomplish? The Geza uprising was just a repeat of the 2017 you flatulent nincompoop! We need to find solutions to our failed political system and not to be repeating the same foolish mistakes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvrZu3N3OCg
Zimbabwe is a failed state and has been in economic, social and political declined for 45 years and counting. Are we going to allow this madness to continue!!!
ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW THIS NATION DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS, THIS MADNESS, TO CONTINUE!!!!!!!!
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OyKALbeqjNxb
"Don't rain on my parade!" Well it has rained cats and dogs on Mnangagwa's Nyembudziya, Gokwe Independence Day Fiesta. The rain has washed away the loose gravel used to fill the potholes in the roads and the venue is a field of mud. The false image of a prosperous Zimbabwe has been washed off to reveal the cold reality of a failed state!
For the last 45 years Zimbabwe has blundered from pillar to post, stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship that has rigged elections to stay in power. How many more years are we going to allow this madness to continue?
The country has yet to hold free and fair elections, it is stuck with the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. Millions are living in abject poverty. But what the hell, they will have a piece of chicken and chips!
It pays to have rock bottom expectations; it is a pleasure to watch grown up men and women marching in the mud and have a piece of chicken. It is a break from one’s miserable existence!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOms_DYBXHQ
Zimbabwe is a failed state, the consequences 45 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. The question, pressing question, is has the penny finally dropped? Have Zimbabweans finally learned the folly of allowing Zanu PF thugs ride roughshod over them, denying them their freedoms and rights including the right to free and fair elections?
Free, fair and credible elections are more than a right, they are the essence of good governance. Have Zimbabweans learned that and will now the earn the right to good governance?
@ Academic General
"How do you define and confirm one as an idiot? Only a medical doctor can confirm that. You are a Dr of fallacy. Mukorera kumuromo sepinjisi. All the rhetorics you shared since time immemorial were rubbish and are a total insult to your intelligence. Your political analysis is so myopic that you don't deserve to propose anything valuable. Actually, I didn't learn anything from all your submissions. For your won info. I am an expert of good governance and let it sink in your thick skull that corporate governance is not sentimental or subjective. It is impartial and objective looking at the reality of the matter on the ground, whether it's Chamisa (Godisinit) or Chiwenga (Gudo Guru peta muswe) You are a disgrace to intellectual property. Ndimwi moda murambatsvina imwe. The City Coucil must come and re - Engineer you skewed mindset."
Good! Now that you have got that off your chest; can we finally get back to the real task on hand - holding those in power to democratic account!
Let me say this to you once again; Chamisa sold out on reforms and lied about to con people to participate in flawed elections to perpetuate the dictatorship. He will be held to account for it - that is not negotiable and I will not be silence by a nincompoop like you.
Yes you are a nincompoop!
@ Quite Diplomacy
"Madhuku,Linda Masariri and tshabangu were representing opposition in Gokwe do you think these people pakanzi let's boycott elections they will listen?"
So you think Chamisa was doing you a favour by participating in flawed elections all these years? Do you also think MDC leaders were doing you a favour by failing to implement even one token reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU? Even now with the benefit of hindsight you still have no clue what is going on! Your stupidity and sheer naivety beggars belief!
@ Sipho Banana
"Tell us what we don’t know and further offer practical solutions to the issue. No amount of analysis will change the status quo unless is progressed to practical visible outcomes that change our socioeconomic and political realities."
Hah! So you KNOW something! And yet with all your super knowledge you have failed to stop Zimbabwe becoming a failed state.
Please, please! Tell us, oh wise one, what we must do end this Zanu PF dictatorship and make this nation prosperous and free!
As much as ED and his apologist would want to portray the day’s events as a sounding success the reality on the day tells a different and real story. The whole affair is a snapshot of Zimbabwe, the nation is sinking in the abyss and the regime’s propaganda machine is going into overdrive talking of vision 2030, a mirage!
https://www.facebook.com/4415858595176450/videos/1143726794108380
Zimbabwe is a failed state because we have a dysfunctional political system that has allowed a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship to stay in power for 45 years and counting. The regime has blamed the West for all the country's problems, a convenient scapegoat and seductive decoy for the brainwashed followers.
The worst brainwashing to afflict Africans today is to convince them that outsiders have the power to stop them thinking for themselves. No human being can ever stop another thinking for him/herself.
Zimbabwe is a failed state because first and foremost we have let ourselves down. We have allowed Zanu PF thugs deny us our freedoms and rights, including the right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. The right to free and fair elections is more than a right; it is the essence of good governance. And we have denied ourselves the blessing of good governance!
@ Mahere
“Jema neadya!” You want to appear as some one who cares about the people when all you care about is power. You were warned that participating in flawed elections will give Zanu PF legitimacy and still you participated in 2018 and 2023.
Even after both SADC and AU condemned 2023 elections as flawed, you still went ahead and took up your gravy train seat. You are criticising Zanu PF now to impress the voters and to remain relevant. Come 2028 you will, once again, participate in the elections to perpetuate the dictatorship out of greed.
Zimbabwe would have ended this Zanu PF dictatorship a long time ago if it was not for sell-out like you, Mahere, who are conning the brain dead supporters to perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship just for you to get gravy train seats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxf1qrXDsf4
“The hardest lesson of my life came to me late. It is that a nation can win freedom without its people becoming free!” Dr Joshua Nkomo.
Alas! The Zanu PF thugs, the opposition leaders and millions of ordinary Zimbabweans have learned nothing. 45 years after independence Zimbabweans are still not free and worst of all, many do not even know they are not free!
This is not just about here and now but about 10, 100, years , the future! The the trouble with nincompoops like you is you cannot think about past the here and now. This is about making sure we have a thinking electorate!
I am not talking about the stay away but what will happen after it!!!! The 2017 coup changed nothing and we must not repeat that stupid mistake ever again!
Sounds familiar! We have just witnessed a national shindig held knee deep in mud and the nation squandered a cool US$10 million! The buffoons ruling the country don’t even know the value of money.
If Trump did not attend second day of the University course, the buffoons did not make it beyond it grade one!
We have just celebrated 45 years of independence in style - marching in field of mud! The country is in a mess after 45 years of gross mismanagement, corruption and tyrannical oppression. It therefore comes as no surprise the regime squandered US$10 million of the Gokwe binge only to get mud field not worth a spit!
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