Zimbabwe applying to rejoin Commonwealth - but not as mamba shed off its old coat P Guramatunhu

After 15 years in the cold, Zimbabwe is applying to re-join the Commonwealth.

“Zimbabwe joined the Commonwealth on its independence in 1980 and withdrew from the organisation in 2003,” reported The Zimbabwean.

“To re-join, Zimbabwe must demonstrate that it complies with the fundamental values set out in the Commonwealth Charter, including democracy and rule of law plus protection of human rights such as freedom of expression.

“The membership process requires an informal assessment to be undertaken by representatives of the Secretary-General, followed by consultations with other Commonwealth countries.

“Zimbabwe has also invited the Commonwealth to observe its forthcoming elections in July. The Secretariat is now mobilising a team of observers to do so – and their observations will form part of the Secretary-General’s informal assessment.”

Zimbabwe can be re-admitted to the Commonwealth but on one condition – the prodigal son must prove he has repented, must hold free, fair and credible elections! President Mnangagwa and his junta regime have promised to hold free and fair elections and this is proving a bridge too!

When the Commonwealth election observers arrive in Zimbabwe they will find the country's public media is not free. The voters' roll is what one can call "an organised" state of chaos in that the chaos is deliberate and calculated. The observers will be shocked that Zanu PF candidates, Chiefs and other party operatives are drive brand new vehicles, all paid for by the party, in a country whose hospitals have no ambulances; etc.; etc. It is inconceivable to see how anyone can, in all conscience, say elections are free, fair and credible under such flawed and illegal conditions!

Zimbabwe is in this economic hell-hole, with unemployment soaring to 90%, etc. because, for the last 38 years, the nation was stuck with a corrupt and murderous regime that rigged elections to stay in power against the democratic wishes of the people. It is not surprising therefore that the nation’s number one priority these last three decades has been to implement the democratic reforms to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

One only hopes that in their eagerness to welcome Zimbabwe back into the Commonwealth, the Commonwealth elections observers are NOT going to turn a blind eye to all these blatant vote-rigging Zanu PF shenanigans and endorse the flawed elections. The restoration of the ordinary Zimbabwean’s individual freedoms and rights including the right to free and fair elections must be valued about the junta’s bragging rights claiming the “new dispensation” when nothing has changed.

Welcoming back the repentant prodigal son is one thing and not to be confused with welcome an unrepentant prodigal son hell bend to carry on with his wasteful and downright criminal ways. This Zanu PF regime has stubbornly refused to implement any democratic reforms and has, instead, resolutely held on its carte blanche dictatorial powers to rig elections.

Let’s face it, all the regime has since last November’s coup is remove one dictator but only to replace him with another; the Zanu PF dictatorship itself has not changed, repented much less denounced its corrupt, vote-rigging and tyrannical ways. To readmit Zimbabwe with the Zanu PF dictatorship untouched will be to betray the ordinary Zimbabweans who have suffered under the regime and are desperate to for meaningful political change!

The Zanu PF dictatorship has not been dismantled and to believe otherwise is naïve and dangerous. The party removed the old dictator, Robert Mugabe, but only to get another in much the same way a black mamba sheds its old skin; old skin or new, a black mamba still remains a deadly snake!