A very interesting article Farai Maguwu, thank
you. See “After Chamisa Defeats Mnangagwa A 2nd Coup Is Likely” Zimeye
Just a few pointers:
“Chamisa made the right observation when he
outlined the MDC Alliance demands, which included electoral reforms,” you said.
What reforms can be implemented this late in
the day?
In any case, all the MDC factions have all
boycotted by-elections since the 2013 elections on pretext of “No reform, no
elections!” The parties have all since said they will contest this year’s
elections regardless of the fact that not even one reform was implemented. The
Alliance can demand reforms all it wants but as long as Zanu PF knows they will
contest the election with no reforms, they will ignore the demands.
“The party is fully appraised, from what I
heard yesterday, that this election is grossly tilted in favour of ZANU PF by
virtue of the military interference in politics. Its even worse than 2013 when
the military was operating behind the scenes. The 2018 election is clearly
between the MDC Alliance and the Zimbabwe National Army. In the very unlikely
event that Chamisa defeats Mnangawa, the military will move in to restore
legacy,” you say.
Zanu PF made a big mistake in 2008 of allowing
election process to go ahead when the party was not 100% certain it has the
numbers to win the elections outright. In 2013 the party went to the elections
knowing it had the numbers be in in the form of the hundreds of thousands of
rural voters who were frog marched to vote for Zanu PF, the hooded party youths
bussed around casting multiple votes, etc. The party is going to rig the vote
so Mnangagwa defeated all his challengers, there will be no need to stage
another mess coup.
“What was possibly the most fascinating thing
yesterday, more than all the speeches combined, was a military helicopter that
was flying around the rally venue for several hours during the rally. The helicopter
was hovering very few meters above ground that many people went out of their
homes to try and understand what was going on. One would expect a serious
opposition to lodge a complaint with parliament, Ministry of Defence, Head of
State and Government and SADC and the African Union about this blatant and
irresponsible show of force by the military against the opposition. They should
also brief all the diplomatic missions in Zimbabwe about this. But this is
Zimbabwe where the abnormal is now very normal,” you argued.
Well, I am very disappointed in you my brother;
I never pegged you as politically naïve!
No MDC Alliance leader, with any sense of
shame, would dare complain to SADC leaders about Zanu PF’s vote rigging
shenanigans! It is a matter of public record that SADC leaders have advised MDC
leaders, by extension all the country’s opposition politicians and Zimbabwe
public, not to contest in country’s flawed and illegal election process until
democratic reforms are implemented.
“If you go into elections next month, you are
going to lose; the elections are done,” SADC leaders warned Morgan Tsvangirai
and the other MDC leaders in June 2013.
As we all know MDC leaders ignored the advice
back then and they ignoring it today! What else do you, Farai Maguwu, want
SADC, AU or anyone else to do?
He urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to call the military personnel into order.
ReplyDeleteHow naive can one be! Does Mr Mhlanga seriously expect the country's culture of political violence and vote rigging to end because President Mnangagwa called it off? SADC leaders have already said the opposition should not contest in elections until reforms are implemented. The only reason people like Mhlanga are not listening is because they are after the few seats Zanu PF gives away during such elections.
Chamisa said: "When we met with President Trump in America alongside Biti, he asked us how much we needed to move the country forward and we told him that we needed $15 billion."
ReplyDelete"He assured us that the money will be disbursed soon after winning the elections. He told us that he had faith in us because we don't behave like Zanu PF crooks."
Of course, the Americans have no confidence in the Zanu PF thugs, look not even their "all weather friends" the Chinese would trust the Zanu PF crooks. Zanu PF begged the Chinese for cash to bankroll the party's US$27 billion ZimAsset, the Chinese only gave then President Mugabe a few million dollars' worth of post-dated cheques.
Still the Americans are not that naïve to consider MDC a competent lot either - certainly not to be trusted with $15 billions! It was former USA ambassador to Zimbabwe, Chris Dell, who said Tsvangirai was a "flawed and indecisive character" back in 2007. Events have proven the ambassador was right. Only a fool would trust a flawed and indecisive character with $15k much less $15 billion!
Chamisa is trying to impress his naïve and gullible MDC supporters, that is all.
@Noble Ngara
ReplyDelete"Chidembo chidembo, hachibvunzi!" (The skunk is the skunk, you do not need to ask (who fouled the air)!) You, Ngara, are the skunk of freedom of expression and free speech.
Of course, Zimvigil have made an important point here; we can pretend that Zimbabwe has moved on but as long as Mugabe is protected from facing justice and the same corrupt and murderous regime remains in power this country will remain stuck in this hell-hole.
If you believe someone is wrong, ZimVigil in this case, then say why you say so and none of this nonsense of telling others what to do.
"A time must come for every pressure group to get away from the dust-bins of politics and open a fresh page of new and bright ideas--but some are always reactive(critics) rather than proactive (pioneers of new ideas) and right now Zimbabwe is in desperate need of the proactive. Its time to ask yourself if you are part of the solution?" you say.
If you are as clever as you always claim to be then why is Zimbabwe is such a mess; after all you had the ears of the country's leaders.
You have the right to speak but that does not include the right to tell others to shut up, what to say, when, etc.! You are always trying to stifle debate wherever you go just like Chidembo fouling the air!
@ Virgil
ReplyDeleteThe lie that Zimbabwe has changed just because Zanu PF got rid of its old tyrant Mugabe was never going to stand the test of time. Zanu PF is a party of ruthless, corrupt and vote rigging thugs. The trip to Davos has left no one in any doubt that Zimbabwe's still a lawless nation ruled by thugs - no place to do business.
"He (Mugabe) is the god of Zanu-PF not of Zimbabweans as a whole and, if Zimbabwe is to emerge as a new and free country, he will have to be disowned and dispatched into exile - perhaps to one of the African countries described so colourfully by President Trump," you said. Sadly, Zimbabwe is one such colourful country!
"No MDC Alliance leader, with any sense of shame, would dare complain to SADC leaders about Zanu-PF's vote rigging shenanigans! It is a matter of public record that SADC leaders have advised MDC leaders, by extension all the country's opposition politicians and Zimbabwe public, not to contest in country's flawed and illegal election process until democratic reforms are implemented," you said
ReplyDelete"If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done," SADC leaders warned Morgan Tsvangirai and the other MDC leaders in June 2013."
You are spot on there; there is not even one opposition politician out there who can claim that they did not know that Zanu PF has not implemented any reforms, that without reforms the regime will once again rig the vote and, most significantly, that it is futile to contest in flawed elections. None of our opportunistic and sell-out politicians will ever admit that they are contesting the flawed elections out of greed for those few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away. So, the only reason they have for contesting flawed elections is that they hope to win regardless of the rigging; we back to Obert Gutu's infamous "Winning In Rigged Elections (WIRE) strategies!"
Zimbabwe's opposition parties have lost all political credibility and the people of Zimbabwe must show this to the whole world and what better way that forcing those contesting the flawed elections to publicly admit they that it is out of greed or they subscribe to Gutu's WIRE strategies!
These elections are a contest between Zanu PF, a party that has refused to implement democratic reforms and thus set to rig the vote, vs opposition who are after the scraps Zanu PF throws are away as bait. There is not even a shred of evidence either side even care that the ordinary people are nothing more than pawns for either to dispose of as they please. The elections are a sham and must be declared null and void!
@ Kaitano
ReplyDelete"Answering a question on political violence by his party, he also misled by giving the impression that he does not tolerate violence, but said he has no control over those who perpetuate violence as they do not apply that they want to engage in violent activity first, yet I in particular and many other Zimbabweans have complained that he should have restrained the now late violent youth Magura Charumbira who terrorised Bulawayo residents, assaulting opposition supporters and extorting money from vendors in broad daylight," you argued.
"He turned a blind to such pre-election atrocities, but instead honoured the thug by conferring hero status on him when he passed on following a car accident."
On the issue of violence, President Mnangagwa was insulting every thinking people out there and spitting in the faces of the millions of the victims of Zanu PF violence and the graves of all those murdered. Of course he was lying that he does neither "controls" the thugs nor does he grant them they clearance to commit their acts of thuggery because they never "apply" for permission in advance.
Everyone knows that Zimbabwe's culture of political violence is institutionalised in that Zanu PF have systematically eroded the independence and professionalism of such bodies as the Police, Judiciary and ZEC turning them into Zanu PF departments in all but name. Soon after independence so Police Office and Judges made the mistake of arresting and punishing Zanu PF thugs involved in politically motivated violence and it was none other than senior Zanu PF leaders including Mugabe himself who would quash the charges and set the thugs free. Today it is normal for the victim complaining of Zanu PF thuggery to get into trouble with the Police!
It was none other than President Mnangagwa himself who appointed retired General Engelbert Rugeje Zanu PF National Political Commissar, the latter has been reminding the people of Masvingo the barbaric violence of 2008 and 2013 will return if they did not vote for Zanu PF. Rugeje knows there was a lot of weeping, gnashing of teeth and deaths then, he was the Zanu PF thug who coordinated it all and it is exactly for that reason Mnangagwa appointed him the party's mobilisation Czar.
People have been demanding that the nation must implement the democratic reforms necessary to restore the independence of the Police, ZEC, etc. and Zanu PF has refused to listen. Indeed, it was none other than President Mnangagwa himself who been dismissing those demanding reforms as barking dogs.
"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igotinga! Imi muchigohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you bark! And bark!) He boasted. What chutzpah!
Of course, President Mnangagwa has total control of the Zanu PF thugs and whilst they help secure the party's iron grip on power Zimbabwe's culture of institutionalized political violence will remain!
@ Nomazulu
ReplyDeleteRobert Mugabe and Zanu PF's failure to deal with such problems as corruption and mismanagement have allowed these problems to become life threatening problems. The same can be said about this Gukurahundi issue, the regime has tried to bury it without dealing with it properly and now it is coming back with vengeance. There are some people who are no using the Gukurahundi for grand standing and political posturing. There people with real issues but they are now being used as a political football by the opportunists.
The country will have its work cut out to rebuild the national economy from the ashes Zanu PF has left and the last thing we need is to be dragged into tribal or regional conflict!
@ James Thompson
ReplyDeleteZimbabwe politics has become a dirty game because instead of viewing holding public office as a chance to serve the nation it was become the only sure way to get filthy rich fast at public expense. President Mnangagwa granted his predecessor, Mugabe, a very generous retirement package which include him golden handshake of $10 million (although President Mnangagwa has since denies the sum but would not say how much) all his benefits including travel to Singapore for health reasons. The tyrant is to keeping his $4 billion Blue Roof mansion plus all the other amass wealth looted over the years.
President Mnangagwa has also granted MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai a generous pension after his five years as Prime Minister during the GNU years. He got a pension, a golden handshake, the $4 million Highlands mansion and he too will have his SA medical bill, where he is being treated for cancer, all paid by state.
Mugabe’s Singapore health check trip cost $3 million plus each and in 2012 alone he made 12 such trips. Last time Tsvangirai received $70 000 for his medical bill. Meanwhile we hear there is “a shortage of critical drugs such as anti-retrovirals‚ insulin‚ asthma and diabetes medication. Zimbabwe needs an estimated US$65 million weekly for drugs but treasury can only disburse US$3 million weekly,” as you say.
This is just madness! How can anyone justify spending $36 million a year for an eye check-up for one person when hundreds of thousands a year are dying of treatable diseases like diabetes. If the billions of dollars a years the nation and the filthy rich ruling elite are spending on their health needs outside the country was all spend on Zimbabwe’s health service; how many five-star hospitals will there be in the country?
It is no wonder everyone now wants to be a politician. Since the November coup, the military have literally taken over Zanu PF. The war veterans too want a piece of the actions and civilian politicians are being muscled out of the way.
President Mnangagwa and his coup cabinet have promised free, fair and credible elections although the regime has stubbornly refused to implement any democratic reforms. Indeed Mnangagwa has bribed Chiefs with new trucks, they have frog marched rural voters to vote for Zanu PF in the past, has appointed known Zanu PF thugs like retired General Engelbert Rugeje the party’s Political Commissar, etc. He, clearly, has no intention of holding free and fair elections.
SADC leaders have already said that the opposition should boycott elections to force Zanu PF to implement the reforms. It is insane to keep contesting elections one knows are being blatantly rigged.
Zanu PF has always been smart to dangle a few seat to the opposition and there have always been takers regardless how flawed the elections happened to be.
So there are now 75 political parties registered to contest this year’s election. It will be a waste of time to tell that lot they must boycott the elections!
@ stop-a-thief
ReplyDeleteTrue but the problem of vote rigging, political violence, political murders and coups has not change on bit in the last 38 years so it is not surprising that the solution too has not changed! You seem more concerned that the problem and/or the solution has not changed but are ignoring the consequences of 40 years of rigged elections. If you were one of the 90% unemployed or one of the 72.3% living on US$1.00 or less a day you will not be bored about your hardships after all they hardly changed for years!
Part 1 of 2
ReplyDelete@ Machevio
Since the November coup President Mnangagwa himself has said on numerous occasions that Zimbabwe will be holding "free, fair and credible elections this year!" He has already visited a number of SADC countries to assure them on this particular point. Why has he done all this?
Simple! Of course, Mnangagwa knows that Zimbabwe has a history of failing to hold free, fair and credible elections. He knows that in June 2013 SADC leaders told the then President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party and Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC party that the Zimbabwe elections due that year must be postponed so the democratic reforms necessary for free, fair and credible elections can be implemented. SADC leaders told MDC leaders in no uncertain terms that, with no reforms in place, Zanu PF would rig the elections and that is exactly what happened.
Of course, Mugabe and his Zanu PF government was illegitimate; to be legitimate a party must win free, fair and credible elections.
The November coup reminded everyone of the urgent need for Zimbabwe to hold free and fair elections and finally return to legitimacy. President Mnangagwa knows his regime is illegitimate because coups are illegal regardless whether the target is himself illegitimate as was the case here. He has been trying to assure SADC leaders and the international community that he is going to hold free and fair elections and thus end Zimbabwe's present curse of being ruled by successive illegitimate regimes!
SADC leaders know Mnangagwa was Mugabe's right-hand man and chief enforcer and they know he was heavily involved in all Zanu PF's vote rigging activities. During the GNU, Mnangagwa would have known the reforms that MDC should have been implementing and, like other Zanu PF leaders, would have been overjoyed that not even one reform was implemented. Mnangagwa would have approved Mugabe's decision to defy SADC leaders and hold the July 2013 elections with no reforms. Mnangagwa is on public record boasting that Zanu PF was not going to reform itself out of office.
So, no SADC leader has told Mnangagwa that he needed to implement the democratic reforms to have free and fair elections. If any leader did, good for them, but it was not necessary.
Part 2 of 2
ReplyDelete@ Muchaveso
So, no SADC leader has told Mnangagwa that he needed to implement the democratic reforms to have free and fair elections. If any leader did, good for them, but it was not necessary.
I believe SADC leaders and officials would have reminded everyone, be they opposition politicians, political activists, etc., Zimbabwean or not, of the need to implement the democratic reforms BEFORE elections and the futility of participating without reforms. If the opportunity was to arise and SADC leaders were asked whether the opposition should boycott elections to push for reforms, I believe all the rational SADC leaders would say repeat the advice they gave in June 2013 - postpone the elections.
In 2013 SADC leaders were the guarantors of the Global Political Agreement whose principle promise to the people of Zimbabwe was to deliver free and fair elections. As the supervisors, they therefore had a say in Zimbabwe's preparedness for elections and their position was postpone the elections to implement the reform.
SADC's supervisory role ended after the July 2013 elections but the very fact that Zanu PF rigged those elections confirms that the regional leaders were right to say the elections would not be free and fair without reforms. Since the rigged July 2013 elections not even one reform has been implemented; it is stands to reason that Zanu PF will rig this year's elections too.
"SADC has not advised anyone against participating in elections in Zimbabwe in 2018," you said.
Your comment is as irrelevant and foolish as suggesting mankind must disregard Ten Commandments because God gave them to Moses over 2 500 years ago; He, God, should have send us a revised edition by now if He thought they were important!
If you believe, as SADC leaders did and many of us do, that it is impossible to hold free, fair and credible elections without implementing the democratic reforms; then you must demand the reforms BEFORE elections. What SADC or anyone else say or do not say on the matter is of no consequence!
Morgan Tsvangirai ignored SADC leaders' advice to postpone elections until reforms are implemented in 2013 it will be nonsensical for them to ignore the advice again this year, it is just as valid since no reforms have been implemented; under the pretext SADC did not repeat the advice. Many people have reminded them of the advice just to be absolutely certain no one in the opposition would ever say they did not know the right thing to do!