"If you look at the Zimbabwean crisis in the last 20 years, the
Central Bank has been at the epicentre of the distortions. Some of you might
not know that during the GNU we didn't have the central bank. Yes, it was there
at number 180 Samora Machel (RBZ building) but in reality was not operational,”
boasted MDC VP, Tendai Biti.
"Government accounts were kept at the CBZ who treated us like a
commercial client. So, I couldn't run an overdraft facility because John
Mangudya (now RBZ Governor) would say 'Minister you can't do that’.
"Government accounts were only moved to Central Bank in April of
2014, but we survived, and we ran the economy well. The figures speak for
themselves.”
The truth is the Zimbabwe economy had ground to a halt because of the
hyper inflation, political chaos and other reasons. Scrapping the Z$ brought
down the hyperinflation from 500 billion % to single digit. Sadly no meaningful
political reforms were implemented in five years and hence the reason the
economy never really recovered, companies did not reopen, for example.
The primary task of the GNU was to implement the democratic reforms and
thus dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship, the root cause of the political chaos.
Tendai Biti and company failed to get even one meaningful reform implemented in
five years and the only reason for it was that MDC leaders sold-out.
It is no secret that Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of
high office, the ministerial limos, the generous salaries and allowances, a $4
million Highlands mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. And in return, MDC leaders
kicked the reforms out of the window.
If MDC leaders had implemented the reforms during the GNU the 2013
elections and last year’s elections would have been free, fair and credible.
Indeed, MDC leaders have continued to participate in elections even when they
knew Zanu PF was rigging the elections.
“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that
both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,”
wrote Senator David Coltart, in his book.
“The 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.”
It was a feeble excuse because four of the main MDC factions did merge
before last year’s elections and they still participated in these elections
knowing fully well Zanu PF was rigging the elections. Zanu PF did not even
produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll and still MDC
participated regardless.
"Legitimacy is an issue - last year's elections were illegal, and
not free and fair. All reasonable observers concede that," admitted
David Coltart last week.
Nelson Chamisa, Tendai Biti, David Coltart and the rest of the MDC
leadership have been calling for the holding of a political dialogue with
Mnangagwa which culminate in power sharing transition authority, comparable to
the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Just another foolish idea from MDC for three reasons:
1.
If we agree that last year’s elections
were “illegal, and not free and fair”, which is a historic fact, then an
illegal process cannot produce a legitimate result. Neither Mnangagwa and his
Zanu PF nor Chamisa and his MDC can claim to be legitimate ruling party or
opposition party respectively. It is laughable that the two political parties
can now be so presumptuous and arrogant as to believe they can declare
themselves legitimate and share the spoils of political office, especial when
it was them who had conspired to rig the elections and deny the people the
vote.
Political legitimacy
is derived from winning the popular vote in a free, fair and credible
elections. This is a principle at the very heart of democratic elections and
one that must never ever be compromised particularly by those with the
propensity to rig elections.
2
Whilst there were significant
short-term improvements in the economic situation following the formation of
the 2008 GNU, there will be no such improvements this time because economic
realities are different. There were no medium and long term economic recovery
last time because the underlying political problems were never addressed; the
same will happen again this time.
3
Whilst MDC leaders have said one of the
tasks of the TA will be implement the reforms; it must be noted that the two
political parties were in the 2008 GNU and they failed to get even one reform
implemented; there is nothing to suggest this will happen this time.
Zimbabwe is in this
economic and political mess because the country has been stuck with a corrupt,
incompetent and vote rigging Zanu PF complete with an equally corrupt and
useless MDC. The only sure way to get out of the mess is by making sure the
country has a competent, accountable and legitimate government. Zanu PF must
step down to allow the implementation of the reforms, the pre-requisite for
free, fair and credible elections.
“We ran the economy well, the figures speak for themselves!” For the
umpteenth time Tendai Biti; Zimbabwe’s political and economic mess will never
be resolved by addressing the economic problems alone whilst ignoring the
underlying political problems of bad governance! You need to look at the bigger
picture, it tells a totally different reality - a nation stuck in a vicious
cycle and sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss. The economic mess and
political paralysis speak volumes for themselves!
It is easy to see why we in Africa have fallen into the trap of yesterday’s liberators have become today’s oppressors and today’s liberators will be tomorrow’s oppressors! Even when the set objective has been crystal clear to all – freedom, liberty and justice for all – as soon as the leaders get into power, they switch the set objective for worthless one.
ReplyDeleteRobert Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs have ridden roughshod over the people’s freedoms and basic human rights including denying them a meaningful say in the governance of the country and even the right to life. The tyrant and his thugs have never tired of reminding the populous that they are the ones who fought the liberation war to end white colonial exploitation and oppression. From nowhere, Mugabe would launch into a tirade attacking the “British imperialists and their allies” and blaming them for all Zimbabwe’s ill and how he will stand solid as a rock to defend the nation’s independence and sovereignty. All hogwash to hide his regime’s blatant denial of the people’s freedom and human rights whilst he and his cronies robbed them blind!
MDC leaders’ set task was crystal clear from the time the party was launched in 1999 – to bring about the democratic changes the nation was dying for as the party’s name stated. MDC has failed to bring about even one democratic change in the party’s 20 years on the political stage. “We ran the economy well. The figures speak for themselves!” MDC leaders have said again and again with the same blind fixation of Zanu PF thugs.
Zimbabwe is stuck in this economic and political mess because it has failed to deliver free, fair and credible elections, a basic human right but also a key requirement for good and accountable governance. Both Zanu PF and MDC leaders will never deliver free, fair and credible elections because each for their own selfish reasons have airbrushed free, fair and credible elections out of their must do list. The two have become yesterday and today’s oppressors respectively. Zimbabwe needs today’s liberators but must be on the lookout they too do not turn the next oppressors.
If MDC leaders are true democrats who respect and cherish the right of the people to free, fair and credible elections and believe such elections are the basis and only basis of political legitimacy. Then they must know that the political dialogue and the transition authority they are calling for undermines all that democracy stand for.
ReplyDelete“The 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,” admitted David Coltart following the 2013 elections.
In other words, Coltart and his MDC friends admit to giving democratic credibility to a process they KNEW was illegal and denied the people the fundamental right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. They participated for selfish reasons – to win the few seats they knew Zanu PF would let the opposition win.
They not only sold-out on their democratic beliefs in 2013 but did so yet again last year!
“Legitimacy is an issue – last year’s elections were illegal, and not free and fair. All reasonable observers concede that,” Coltart has admitted.
Just to leave no one in any doubt that MDC leaders are lost all pretence to being democrats: they accept Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF friends are ILLEGITIMATE and MDC are proposing to grant them legitimacy in return for a share of the political spoils of power! MDC leaders are selling political legitimacy for thirty pieces of silver!
MDC leaders have crossed the double red lines no democrat would never ever cross and to allow them to get away with it would be a betrayal of the millions of ordinary Zimbabweans who have been denied their freedoms and human rights and dignity these last 39 years.