The EU calls on the
Zimbabwe government to implement the EU 2018 election recommendation but to no
avail because they are ignoring Zanu PF’s political partner – it takes two to
tango!
“The EU follows closely the electoral
agenda in Zimbabwe and stands ready to continue its support to electoral
reforms – an important pillar to strengthen democracy – based on the
recommendations of the 2018 EU Election Observation Mission. The EU is
preparing for a follow-up mission,” reads the EU’s recent statement.
“Moreover, the EU welcomes the
reassurances given by the authorities of Zimbabwe that they will be inviting
international electoral observers for the 2023 elections including an EU
Election Observation Mission.”
The recommendations
of the 2018 EU Election Observer Mission are absolutely necessary if Zimbabwe
is to hold free, fair and credible elections. Not even token reforms have been
implemented.
On the other hand, it
is no secret that Zanu PF will be risking losing the elections if the regime
was to implement these recommendations. The EU pressure on Zanu PF to implement
the recommendations is reduced if not totally neutralized by Zimbabwe’s
opposition’s determination to participate in these elections knowing fully well
not only that Zanu PF was rigging but more significantly that by participating
they were giving Zanu PF legitimacy.
Zimbabwe’s
opposition has been participating in these flawed elections for selfish reasons.
“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 elections,” confessed
David Coltart in his book The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in
Zimbabwe. Coltart is a former MDC – Ncube Senator and Minister of
Education in the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
“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.”
EU’s call for
election reforms and free and fair elections is falling on deaf Zanu PF and
MDC/CCC ears; as long as Chamisa and company continue participating to give
Zanu PF legitimacy there will never be free, fair and credible elections. It is
high time that EU acknowledged for there to be meaningful political change in
Zimbabwe pressure must be brought to bear on both Zanu PF and the MDC/CCC because
there is a symbiotic relationship between the two.
Zimbabwe is
standing on the edge of the precipitous abyss and another rigged election may
well send the nation tumbling over the edge. Both Zanu PF and MDC/CCC must now
be told in no uncertain terms that they each have a role to play in making sure
2023 elections are free, fair and credible.
The EU, the British, the Americans and most other Western nations have always treated the MDC with kid gloves ever since its formation in 1999. Of course, they have all known the party’s leadership was utterly useless as revealed by the leaked cable from US ambassador to Zimbabwe 2004 to 2007, Chris Dell. He said Morgan Tsvangirai “is a flawed, indecisive and poor judge of character. If he gets into power, he will be an albatross round the nation’s neck!”
ReplyDeleteTime has proven that Ambassador Dell was right; MDC have been on the political stage for 22 years, 5 of which in the GNU, and have been the proverbial milestone round the nation’s neck dragging us down into the crashing abyss!
Chamisa and company are the ones insisting on participating in these flawed elections with not even one of the EU recommended reforms implemented. The MDC/CCC strategy is to mount street protests if the elections are rigged; this is just a reckless move given this is a ruthless regime that has killed with impunity. It is ironic that EU is demanding the justice and accountability for the August 2018 political murders and yet Chamisa and company, calling for new street protests, do care!
“The EU is concerned about these developments Perpetrators of human rights violations should be swiftly brought to justice to end impunity. The recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry have not been followed substantially and need to be implemented as a matter of priority and urgency,” said the EU statement.
The EU, the British, etc. cannot continue to pretend MDC/CCC leaders are not as much the problem in Zimbabwe as the Zanu PF thugs. They are the “albatross round the nation’s neck”, as Ambassador Dell rightly pointed out, and must be treated accordingly.
The West’s turning a blind eye to MDC/CCC leaders’ selling out and treasonous indifference to all efforts to get the democratic reforms implemented and to giving Zanu PF legitimacy by participating in flawed elections is exceeding patronising to say the least!
@ Dr Mavaza
ReplyDelete“Chamisa shocked everybody when he said he has no ideology.
He confirmed that he is leading people nowhere and he has no ideology. He tried to explain his party's worldview, and after an extended tribute to the efficacy of economy he inevitably started to lecture people about the pitfalls of political ideology.”
Each time you see Dr Mavaza’s name as the author, you immediately ask yourself; “What is he wittering about now?”
In a country where there is no rule of law and chaos rules supreme it is nonsense to talk of ideology! On paper Zanu PF’s, Dr Mavaza’s party, ideology is “Scientific Socialism”, at least that is what Robert Mugabe said. There was a man who loved to be seen as very learned, sophisticated and as wise as King Solomon!
In reality, he was just a corrupt, incompetent and murderous tyrant obsessed about absolute power and the influence and wealth it brought. Within a few years of getting into power Mugabe was 100% focused on securing and retaining absolute power he only paid lip service to his Scientific Socialism ideology, at best.
Still, Mugabe’s pretentions at sophistication and wisdom have left an indelible impression on his followers who now pretend Zanu PF has always had healthy and functioning ideology. Dr Mavaza considers party ideology to be so essential he is “shocked” anyone can launch a political party without one! What a buffoon!
@ VAA
ReplyDelete“Thirdly, we demand to know what happened to all those who registered in 2021 considering ZEC chose to acknowledge only 2000+ new voters throwing under the bus tens of thousands of other registered voters.
Fourthly, we demand to know why ZEC pulled down its portal after the Citizens’ outcry. Is it an admission of its guiltiness or an attempt to keep the Citizens in the dark on ZEC’s incongruent management of electoral processes?”
How do you know tens of thousands registered to vote in 2021?
ZEC has never ever produced a verified voters’ roll as far as I know although this is a legal and common-sense requirement. Why the opposition have participated in these flawed and illegal elections time and time again is not a mystery.
“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 elections,” confessed David Coltart in his book The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe. Coltart is a former MDC – Ncube Senator and Minister of Education in the 2008 to 2013 GNU.
“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.”
The ordinary people have participated in the flawed elections because they have believed MDC/CCC’s claim to having “winning in rigged elections strategies!” Why anyone would believe such oxymoronic nonsense, especially after 42 years of rigged elections, is the mystery.