Friday 15 March 2024

Scourge of empty shelves is back as inflation soars, not yet 2008 heights. Still, juvenile mamba is just as deadly! W Mukori



A full grown black mamba, rovambira, five or more metres long has enough venom to kill 400 men! It is cold comfort to hear that a juvenile black mamba has enough poison to kill just a handful of men, especially if you are the one facing those beady eyes! 


Under this Mnangagwa Second Republic inflation has been creeping up and up it is Mount Everest 500 billion percent high of 2008 still it is already Mount Inyangeni high to cause serious economic hardships.

 

“ZIMBABWEAN retailers are struggling to restock locally produced goods using the local unit as manufacturers and wholesalers are turning them away in favour of those that pay in the United States dollar,” reported NewsDay.


“The failure by retailers to procure in local currency comes as the Zimdollar has experienced a sharp depreciation against the US$ amid calls for the full redollarisation of the economy.


“Retailers told NewsDay that they had gone for weeks without the supply of locally produced basic commodities and warned of critical shortages of some products such as sugar.”


We all know where this is going! Those is a position to demand payment for their goods or services in US$ and/or insist on payment is local currency, at the exchange rate of most favourable to them, will do so. And those without the economic muscle will find themselves being short changed at every turn. 


“As of yesterday, the Zimdollar was trading at 1:17 830 against the United States dollar at the interbank market and 1:18 500 in supermarkets, while it stood at 1:20 000 on the parallel market,” continued the report.


“American economics professor Steve Hanke on Wednesday said Zimbabwe's year-on-year inflation stood at 1 630%, the world's highest.


“Yet authorities claim that they have ticked all the boxes to contain annual inflation, which according to official statistics was 47,62% in February.”


Some one in my social media WhatsApp group asked me: Why do you always talk about implementing democratic reforms, free and fair elections, Zanu PF rigging the elections and many other political issues but hardly ever comment on the bread and butter economic matters?


Simple, as long as Zanu PF is able to rig elections and stay in power nothing will change. By blatantly rigging the elections Zanu PF confirmed that Zimbabwe is a pariah state ruled by corrupt and incompetent thugs; there is criminal waste of human and material resources, as we can see, and it is naive to expect the economy survive much less thrive. 


President Mnangagwa and his cronies keep wittering about Zimbabwe becoming an upper middle income nation by 2030, Vision 2030. This just propaganda, Zimbabwe’s economy is sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss, as the soaring inflation shows. 


Even if we accept the regime’s own very conservative inflation rate of 47%, how many countries in human history have enjoyed economic growth whilst inflation remained high? 


Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 2023 elections; SADC, AU and even our own ZHRC election observers all condemned the election as flawed and illegal. The regime got away with it because the country’s sellouts in main opposition party leaders, CCC led by Nelson Chamisa, conned the people into participating in the flawed elections to give the regime legitimacy. And once back in power the corruption and mismanagement have continued whilst selling us the vision 2030 mirage! 


Like it or not we cannot stop the gross mismanagement and rampant corruption, the cancers killing the Zimbabwe economy without first addressing the issue of good governance. We must cure ourselves of the double curse of rigged elections and bad governance. 


The present system gives ruling elite carte blanche powers to rig elections and after that, they do as they please. They completely ignore our suffering and pleas for meaningful change, we, the people, as helpless as a kitten chasing its own tail.


“Seek ye first the political kingdom and all other things shall be added unto you.” advised Independent Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah.


Simply put; We in Zimbabwe must seek a political system in which those in power are democratically accountable to the people only then can we hope for any meaningful economic recovery. 


There cannot be meaningful economic change in Zimbabwe without meaningful political change. There cannot be economic recovery without political reforms to underwrite and guarantee free, fair and credible elections.  

Wednesday 13 March 2024

"Mnangagwa is corrupt because he is still in liberation war mode." True but shaming him will not end kleptocracy. W Mukori

 There is an audio of “Retired Army officer speaks” pouring his heart out complaining about Zanu PF’s corrupt leaders and how their insatiable greed is the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic melt down. Corruption started soon after independence, he argues, and it is nonsense to blame the meltdown on sanctions. 


“Zanu PF leaders are still in the liberation war mode!” argues the speaker. “They left the bush and went into office without a proper demobilisation.”


This is just a feeble excuse for Zanu PF leaders’ insatiable  greed for power and wealth. The truth is Zimbabwe is not the only country in history that earned its independence after a bitter armed struggle, whilst many have emerged with a healthy and functioning democratic system of government we got this murderous kleptocracy. 


Many Zimbabweans did join the armed struggle because they genuinely believed in freedom, liberty and justice for all regardless of race, tribe or gender. Yes there were others who motives for taking up arms were not so benign and generous. There were many who jointed the armed struggle with mercenary goal of being richly rewarded.


“Our sacrifice will be fully rewarded or compensated after the war,” Jabulani Ngoma had said as he kissed her goodbye outside his parents’ home at Dendenyore. “those of us taking this calculated risk in the national interest, will be richly rewarded in Zimbabwe.” Wrote Geoffrey Nyarota in his book The Honourable Minister An Anatomy of Endemic Corruption.


In the book, Jabulani Ngoma is the fictional character who joins the liberation war in a huff, running away from justice who then becomes one of the pot-bellied minister in independent Zimbabwe living in a mansion, with fleet of posh cars, farms, small house, etc. etc. The epitome of corruption!


In the real Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe was Prime Minister of independent Zimbabwe and within a few weeks of being in power he replaced the Peugeot 406 Ian Smith had given his ministers with E-Class Mercedes Benz limos kicking off the patronage and chef culture behind rampant corruption. 


The audio retired Army officer waxed on and on about Zanu PF corruption, mismanagement, propaganda, rigged elections, etc., etc. We all know or should know all these things by now after 43 years of the regime’s tyrannical rule. What, in my humble opinion, we should be talking about is why have we, the people of Zimbabwe allowed this tyrannical Zanu PF kleptocracy rule for 43 years dragging the whole nation deep into this economic and political mess. 


Of course, there were many opportunities in the 43 years to end the Zanu PF dictatorship, with the best of those chances coming during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when SADC leaders forced Mugabe to accept the need for democratic reforms. 


The primary purpose of the GNU was to implement the democratic reforms and stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. Not even one token reform was implemented in 5, FIVE, years! 


Robert Mugabe bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends with the trappings of high office; the E-Class Mercedes Benz, generous salary and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai himself, etc., - the same honey trap used to buy the blind loyalty of his own Zanu PF leaders. It worked, Tsvangirai and company kicked the reforms out of the window; not even SADC leaders’s constant nagging could get MDC leaders to implement even one token reform in five years.


Indeed, ever since the GNU MDC/CCC leaders have abandoned implementing the reforms content with participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy for a few gravy train seats, a share of the spoils of power.


It is all very well our Army officer blubbering on and on about Zanu PF being a party of corrupt, incompetent and murderous crooks; it is true, Mnangagwa and company are indeed corrupt and murderous thugs. The material point is denouncing the regime alone will not end the dictatorship especially now that Mnangagwa has corrupted the nation’s institutions including the opposition -  men and women the public had entrusted the task to implement the reforms and dismantle Zanu PF. 


When Chamisa resigned from CCC claiming that Zanu PF had infiltrated the party, he was telling the truth but not the whole truth. He left out his own role in this infiltration! He was one of the NMDC -T ministers in the 2008 to 2013 GNU  why is it that he just like everyone else, did not lift a finger to implement even one token reform? 


“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” boasted Zanu PF cronies when ask why MDC leaders had forgotten about implementing the reforms!


Like everyone else he was the recipient of Mugabe’s generosity, the ministerial limo, generous salary and allowances and, after such an ostentatious start (he was barely out of college and already he was a minister) he did not want to rock the boat. 


Zimbabwe is a failed state and after 43 years in power Zanu PF has definitely a lot to answer for but as long as the regime continues to enjoy carte blanche powers to rig the elections it will ignore us completely and continue will the looting and plunder and rigging of elections. 


MDC/CCC leaders were elected to implement the reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. After 23 years, including 5 in the GNU, and not even one token reform implemented Chamisa and company have a lot to answer for. But whilst they continue to enjoy a few gravy train seats, a share of the spoils of power it is clear they ignore our demands for an explanation why they have not implemented even token reform. 


The A number One priority for the people of Zimbabwe must be stopping Zanu PF rigging elections and after 23 years with not even one reform in place we should be asking ourselves why have we continued to entrust MDC/CCC leaders with this key task of implementing the reforms. 23 years is a long time especially when there is nothing to show for it!


The very fact that Zimbabweans are sitting there wringing their fingers, lot and confused what to do; after 43 years of Zanu PF blatantly rigging the elections with MDC/CCC selling out on reforms the last 23 years; speaks volumes of our own ignorance and breathtaking incompetence. 


There is a time and season for everything; a time to sow and a time to reap. The Zanu PF dictatorship is not going to be stopped by denouncing the regime, naming and shaming its leaders as corrupt. They know that and they are beyond caring. What is required to implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections. MDC/CCC leaders have failed to get even one reform implemented in 23 years, we must find other leaders who will! Simple!


Why such a simple, obvious and rational step has remained an incomprehensible mystery and mission impossible to many Zimbabweans out there, beggars belief.  


Until we start thinking in a rational manner, Zimbabwe will remain a failed state.


People get government they deserve, we in Zimbabwe certainly deserve this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF kleptocracy complete with its equally corrupt and utterly useless CCC side-kick!

Sunday 10 March 2024

"Strong minds discuss ideas, weak ones discuss people." Chamisa followers have condescended to worshiping him. W Mukori

 Former MDC Alliance and the Citizens Coalition for Change Organizing Secretary Amos Chibaya has claimed that Zimbabweans do not follow political parties but people,” reported Bulawayo 24.


"Look at the 2023 elections, there is no MP or Councillor who had more votes than Chamisa that tells you what, people in Zimbabwe do not follow a party name but the one who was anointed by God, whether the party is called Mandebvu, Mberikunashe or Mberihakunashe, they follow their leader.


"The reason why Chamisa got more votes than yours, it's because people want Chamisa and they would simply vote for you because they would have been given three ballot papers and could ignore the MP and Councilor. The evidence is there, let's go for by-election without him and see," said Chibaya.


He went on to say Chamisa had managed to stop Zanu-PF from getting a majority in parliament but some renegades were reaping what they didn't sow and gave Zanu-PF two-thirds in parliament.


Of course, Chibaya is right people are blindly following wherever Chamisa lead them. This is typical where the followers have no clue what is going on and so give up their right to think for themselves and to hold the leaders to account. This is what has undermined the nation’s hopes of building a healthy and functioning democratic nation. 


The ancient Greek were right democracy - government of the people, by the people and for the people - is impossible unless the said people are educated, knowledgeable and are diligent in the duty of holding those in power to account. The Chamisa followers have none of these qualities. None!


Chamisa and company have failed to implement even one token reforms and hence the reason why Zanu PF has continued to blatantly rigged elections. Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders during the GNU and the forgot about the reforms. The Chamisa followers has failed to realise the blatant betrayal even now with the benefit of hindsight. 


Chamisa conned his wildebeest herd followers to participate in last year’s elections, promising CCC would win big because he had “plugged all the Zanu PF vote rigging loop hopes.” Of course, he was lying. 


The herd was warned repeatedly that Chamisa and company were hell bent on participating in the flawed elections out of greed and that participating would give Zanu PF legitimacy. The herd did not heed the warning because their minds are impermeable to reason and incapable of thinking for themselves. 


'Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people,’ observed the great Greek Philosopher Socrates.


Amos Chibaya is right the average Zimbabwean is still stuck on hero worshiping mortal and not just an mortal but one who has already proven that he is corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless. The electorate should focus on ideas, policies and hold the leaders to account for failing to deliver of their promises.


No wonder Zimbabwe is a failed state and, with such a hopeless electorate and no change in the horizon, we are doomed to remain a failed state for generations!

Friday 8 March 2024

"EXPECT NOTHING NEW!" warned Chamisa. For once, he is brutally honest; "takagarira guyo sembwa!" W Mukori

 EXPECT NOTHING NEW EXCEPT AND UNTIL THE OLD DIES..And it’s a painful process. The old must cease to exist for the new to kick in and subsist. It may look impossible but we will make it because #Godisinit Have a blessed Friday and a great weekend!!” said Nelson Chamisa on his X page.


Many people were left confused and angry in equal measure when they read this and for good reasons the nation has pinned its hope for democratic change on Chamisa for decades. Of course, they are angry to hear that they have been waiting in vain. “Kugarira guyo sembwa!” as one would say in Shona. 


But if the truth be said, Chamisa is, for once, tell the people the truth. Many cannot bear to hear the truth but hear it they must.


Nelson Chamisa and his MDC/CCC friends have failed to implement the necessary democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections, the prerequisite for any meaningful democratic change. After 23 years including the 5 in the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the golden opportunity to do so, the opposition have not implemented even one token reform because they have been waiting for the old guard to die!


Whilst they wait, the MDC/CCC leaders have come to an amicable arrangement with the Zanu PF old guard, they are letting Zanu PF keep all its dictatorial powers including the carte blanche powers to rig elections, they will con the public to participate in the flawed elections to give vote rigging Zanu PF political legitimacy. Chamisa and company would get a few gravy train seats as their reward. 


Whilst it is true that in another 50 years, by 2070, the last of the generation that fought in the war of independence will be died and buried. Still that will be no grantee of political change and renewal.


Mnangagwa is feverishly working on him staying in power for a third five-year term as president. His long term plan is for him impose his successor and who better than one of his own flesh and blood. Mnangagwa may well fail to impose his own North Korea style dynasty, just as Mugabe failed but we can be sure the Zanu PF dictatorship will survive and thrived as long as the cosy Zanu PF CCC relationship is allowed to continue. 


It is for the people of Zimbabwe to wake up to the reality that Chamisa and his opposition friends will never implement any democratic reforms, if they failed to do so during the GNU when they had all the tramp cards, it is naive to expect them to do so now when Zanu PF has all the trump cards! For once, Chamisa is being brutally honest - the nation must expect no change and hence the reason why MDC/CCC has delivered none these last 23 years!


If the people of Zimbabwe are still serious about ending the curse of rigged elections and bad governance then they must start that change by replacing Nelson Chamisa and company with competent opposition leaders who WILL  implement the democratic reforms. 


Opposition leaders like David Coltart have confessed of the opposition leaders’ greed but few have bothered to listen.


“The (2013) 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,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.


EXPECT NOTHING NEW!” Chamisa is warning and after 23 years with not even a token reform implemented and the nation in deep, deep economic and political trouble; it would be very foolish of us to continue to ignore these warnings.

Thursday 7 March 2024

"President Hichilema guided by Zambia interests not those of failed Chamisa." Rightly so too! W Mukori

 It is a historic fact that Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends shot themselves in the foot not once but twice in terms of the vaulting ambition of ever wining ruling Zimbabwe. First it was none other than Chamisa and company who insisted in participating in the 2023 election with no reforms. “I have plugged all the Zanu PF vote rigging loop hole,” Chamisa boasted. “God is in it!”


How can anyone believe Chamisa had plugged the vote rigging loop holes when the country did not have something as basic as a verified voters’ roll. Everyone knew he was lying; everyone i.e. except his ignorant and gullible followers who are easily conned and they participated in the flawed elections with their usual blind zeal.


SADC, AU and even Zimbabwe’s own ZHRC election observers condemned the August 2023 Zimbabwe elections as flawed and illegal. Chamisa and company had the golden opportunity to redeem themselves of the folly of having participated in the flawed elections by refusing to take up the few gravy train seats they had won in the flawed elections. Greed got the better of them again, for it was greed that forced them to participate in the first place; and this was the second time CCC shot themselves in the foot.


Like it or not by taking up their seats CCC were ipso facto endorsing the elections as having been free, fair and credible. The opposition’s argument that the elections were free and fair in those constituencies in which they had won is just nonsense. 


The failure to produce a verified voters roll, for example, affected all the constituencies without exception. Even if there were a selection of constituencies in which the election was free, fair and credible; elections must be judged on the basis of the whole and not selected parts.


As much as SADC would have wanted to deny Zanu PF political legitimacy on the basis of the regional body’s own election observer team’s damning report; CCC pulled the rug from under their feet by accepting the gravy train seats.


Instead of acknowledging their own serious shortcoming Chamisa and company are off at a tangent blaming others for their own failures. 


“Chamisa and his colleagues are furious over President Hakainde Hichilema's increasingly positive posture towards President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Furthermore, President Hichilema is now pushing for the removal of all sanctions,” reported Bulawayo 24.


"Our contacts in Lusaka say ED and HH phone each other every week. This is dangerous for us and all opposition parties in the region. Hichilema must wake up," said the source.


"Despite the apparent setbacks, Chamisa is finding solace in the assurances he received from his friends within the SADC Secretariat, who told him that they would remain solidly behind him," said the source.


“Several Zambian political analysts have dismissed Chamisa's accusations as hogwash. They reminded Chamisa that Hichilema was not guided by failed foreign opposition leaders but by Zambian interests. They stressed that Hichilema was an African statesman not a leader of some fanciful regional opposition grouping.


“Meanwhile diplomats in Gaborone have dismissed claims that the Zimbabwean opposition has spies within the SADC Secretariat.”


Of course President Hichilema is right in talking his Zimbabwe counter part, President Mnangagwa. It is no secret that President Hichilema endorsed the SADC election observer team’s damning report Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections and would have wanted to see the regional body deny Zanu PF political legitimacy. The reality is, SADC has done nothing and he, being a realist, has accept it and moved on. 


Besides what would him stop talking to Mnangagwa accomplish? Nothing! Indeed, it would be very foolish for Zambia to conduct her foreign policy to suit some one as confused, corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless as Nelson Chamisa! Very foolish indeed!