Zimbabwe is a failed state. What is a failed state?

 Zimbabwe is a failed state.

 Wikipedia

A failed state is a state that has lost its ability to fulfill fundamental security and development functions, lacking effective control over its territory and borders. Common characteristics of a failed state include a government incapable of tax collection, law enforcement, security assurance, territorial control, political or civil office staffing, and infrastructure maintenance. When this happens, widespread corruption and criminality, the intervention of state and non-state actors, the appearance of refugees and the involuntary movement of populations, sharp economic decline, and military intervention from both within and outside the state are much more likely to occur. 

"Politics should be rooted in accountability and the contestation of ideas," We chosen Mozambique syndrome at our peril. W Mukori

 @ Chin'ono

“Prominent Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin'ono has dismissed suggestions that he is embroiled in a personal feud with former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa, insisting that his differences with the opposition figure are purely political and centred on leadership style.

Responding to a message from an X follower who urged him to reconcile with Chamisa, Chin'ono said he has no personal issues with the politician.

"I have no personal problem with Nelson Chamisa, why should I settle anything with him when we don't have a personal quarrel?" he wrote. "I simply do not agree with his style of leadership, and that can only change if that style changes. I follow ideas, not personalities."

The award-winning journalist drew a distinction between his disagreements with Chamisa and his past exchanges with former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa, with whom he clashed publicly before eventually reconciling.

"Mliswa attacked me, I responded, and he apologised and withdrew the attack," Chin'ono explained. "How is that in any way similar to a journalist not agreeing with political ideas? There are millions who also do not agree with Chamisa's style of leadership, should they also be expected to make peace with him, and if so, how?"

Chin'ono stressed that politics should be rooted in accountability and the contestation of ideas, rather than in manufacturing personal quarrels and reconciliations where none exist.

His comments come amid ongoing debates within Zimbabwe's opposition about Chamisa's leadership record and the direction of the democratic movement following his surprise resignation from the CCC earlier this year.”

I have not always agreed with Hopewell Chin’ono but because I was not convinced he was right or whatever and that is as it should be. We must agree to differ as long as each of as give the evidence to support their position and we do not waste time disputing facts and reality. We cannot disagree on facts, truth and reality.

Here I have to say, I totally agree with him. All our interactions, not just political, “should be rooted in accountability and the contestation of ideas, rather than in manufacturing personal quarrels and reconciliations where none exist.”

Alas Zimbabweans have a knack for stifling debate and democratic discourse manufacturing falsehoods just to draw attention from the substantive issues. The late Edson Zvobgo called this the Mozambique syndrome from his liberation days in that country. 

"Whenever they (his fellow nationalists) lost an argument when we were in Mozambique, they would accuse you of being CIA to avoid the substantive issues," he explained.

“Today they call you an American puppet to avoid responsibility.” 

The copy-cat opposition accuse all those who dares hold Chamisa to account of hating Chamisa, of being jealous of him, of being a Zanu PF agent, etc., etc. Just to avoid having to admit that Chamisa lied to the nation about plugging vote rigging loop holes just to con the nation into participating in flawed elections, for example. The consequences of participating was giving Zanu PF legitimacy  and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and the nation’s suffering. 

The Chamisa chete chete brigade do not care about the tragic consequences of Chamisa failed leadership, lies, incompetence and downright treasonous sell out. They do not care that he is gearing to drag the nation into yet another flawed 2028 elections on the basis of the same idiotic lies. All they care about is Chamisa must not be questioned much less called a liar because he is their demigod. 

How anyone, let alone millions, can consider a mere mortal a demigod in this day and age beggars belief! But then it explains why we are a failed state! What is more, the nation will never escape from this hell-hole until we cure ourselves of the Mozambique syndrome!

New "prestigious" status means China will pull all stops to keep Zanu PF in power and it gets no holds-barred licence to loot! W Mukori

 "Earlier today, Deputy Chief Secretary for Presidential Communications George Charamba posted an insightful thread on X detailing the pivotal meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This business-like encounter marked a monumental upgrade in Zimbabwe-China bilateral relations—from a "comprehensive strategic partnership" to an "all-weather community with a shared future," a prestigious status akin to China's ties with Russia.

Rooted in shared political ideologies dating back to Zimbabwe's heroic liberation struggle and triumphant independence in 1980, this elevation underscores decades of unbreakable solidarity and promises transformative economic collaboration with potentially huge benefits for Zimbabwe.

Amid the ongoing storm of disgraceful, misogynistic and even barbaric attacks on Attorney General Virginia Mabiza, Charamba's thread culminates in a post that powerfully underscores her indispensable role in "giving legal effect to the agreements between the two countries, and between Zimbabwean public corporate entities and their Chinese equivalents." commented Professor Jonathan Moyo.

What does this "all-weather community with a shared future," a prestigious status akin to China's ties with Russia" mean is layman's language? That China will supply Zanu PF with all the party needs to ensure its iron grip on political power is stronger than ever. In return China's licence to loot Zimbabwe's resources has been upgraded to the highest level possible, to do as it damn well please - the equivalent of James Bond's licence to kill!

If it has been hard to get meaningful political change in Zimbabwe until now, from henceforth it is mission impossible. We had our best chance to dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and Morgan Tsvangirai and his banded MDC mongoose wasted it. Now we deeply regret the wasted opportunity! 

"Simbi inorobwa ichapisa!" 

Ending the Zanu PF dictatorship now is not impossible, I am not saying that, what I am saying is that it will require a cool head, vision and courage!

What lured Mzembi out of his fox hole in SA into Zimbabwe prison? Obvious answer is his slush fund was spend, he was broke! W Mukori

 Why did Walter Mzembi leave his exile fox hole in SA only to be thrown in jail back in Zimbabwe?

One plausible explanation is that Walter Mzembi returned to Zimbabwe because his slush fund was spend. Others like Grace Mugabe, Saviour Kasukuwere and the other G40 leaders had put aside a lot more cash and valuable assets for a raining day from their wholesale looting in Zimbabwe. Poor Walter Mzembi’s hoard was not so well stocked and after 8 years; most of it being frugal living, no doubt; it is gone. 

Mzembi did not want to take up any of the lowly paid jobs many Zimbabweans in SA and beyond have been forced to do. His pride would not allow him. He was, after all, one of Robert Mugabe’s blue-eyed ministers. He could not be seen working as a shop assistant or a chauffeur driving the boss and his family wherever they wanted to go. 

We are all aware of the ill treatment many Zimbabweans have receive in SA. We have seen the video of foreigners haunted out of hospitals and clinics and worse!

I will bet my bottom dollar that Walter Mzembi was as keen as mustard to see Saviour Kasukuwere contest the 2023 presidential elections. He saw it as his ticket back to Zimbabwe and former glory. One can well imagine his disappointment when the attempt fizzled to nothing.

With no money in his pockets and his last throw of the dice for a come-back lost, Walter Mzembi had no choice but to eat humble pie and make peace with Mnangagwa. He had been too close to the Mugabes to been seen as any thing else other than a G40 leader and so the 2017 coup caught him on the hop! 

Mnangagwa is not clever and that has made him insecure and suspicious of all those around him. He is paranoid and dangerous. No doubt, Walter Mzembi knew this and hence the decision why he and other G40 leaders have been living in exile. But now that he is stone broke, he had no choice but to comeback and hope for the best. 

Mnangagwa has allowed him to return but before he had settled down, brewed the traditional beer and sprinkled snuff to thank his ancestors for his return, Mnangagwa throw him in jail. On top of his financial woes he has now added jail time. Life in a Zimbabwe jail is hell on earth and it is reported he now has health problems too. 

Will Mnangagwa finally release now that he is a broken man or will keep him in prison to leave in a box? Time will tell!

Walter Mzembi is having a taste of some of the Zanu PF tyrannical rule and its consequences. What goes round comes round! "Aiva madziva, avamazambuko!"

Do I feel sorry for Mzembi? Frankly, no! Let this be a lesson to all the Zanu PF thugs out there, you have destroyed Zimbabwe with your insatiable greed for power and wealth thinking that your position on the looting table is secure.  Mzembi and other G40 leaders thought so too until 15 November 2017 when their world was turned upside down forever! 

It took 37 years before Mzembi and the other G40 leaders face their day of reckoning. The wheels of justice turn very slowly but turn nonetheless! This Zanu PF dictatorship is doomed to collapse, of that we can be certain!

"Rights are not granted, they are taken and retained by force" Noam Chomsky. Gold mine of wisdom.

 At 96, American philosopher and professor Noam Chomsky has lost his ability to speak and write—the very tools he used throughout his life to challenge power and expose truth. Though his voice is now silent, he leaves behind a legacy of piercing reflections on society , history, and human freedom: 

“There are no poor countries , only failed systems of resource management .”

“No one will place the truth in your mind ; it is something you must discover for yourself .”

“If you want to control a people , create an imaginary enemy that appears more dangerous than you, then present yourself as their savior .”

“One of the clearest lessons of history: rights are not granted; they are taken by force .”

“There is a purpose behind distorting history to make it seem like only great men achieve significant things. It teaches people to believe they are powerless and must wait for a great man to act.”

“The world is a mysterious and confusing place. If you are not willing to be confused, you become a mere replica of someone else’s mind .”

“To control people, make them believe they are responsible for their own misery and present yourself as their savior.”

“The West will one day regret its shallow ideas that alienate people from their true nature . One must seek the right religion and the right belief.”

Chomsky’s words remain a reminder that truth, justice, and freedom must be sought—not granted.”

This is a gold mine!

"Toxicity forces Biti into early political exit." Go! Good riddance to a sell out! W Mukori

 Toxicity forces Biti into early political exit

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Firebrand opposition activist and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti has called it a day in opposition politics marking an end to a dramatic two decades in the trenches fighting for political change in Zimbabwe.

Biti waltzed into opposition politics as a fierce human rights lawyer and became Member of Parliament in 2000 before he assumed the powerful Secretary General of the MDC-T in 2005. 

He was to be a vital cog for the MDC-T led by the late former opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, as the chief negotiator leading the pack to a historic inclusive government dubbed the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2008 to 2013 where he served as the Finance Minister.

Despite holding a colourful record in the "struggle", the toxicity in the opposition camp has finally pushed him into quitting.

“It’s embarrassing,” Biti told a local media outlet. “Particularly for people like me who have been in the trenches for a long time, who bear the scars of fighting.”

He accused some in the opposition camp of joining the feeding trough. 

“All of us, all of them are now waiting to receive vehicles, to get a call to go and see Victor. And that’s not good enough,” Biti said, in apparent reference to  a popular but infamous call by businessman Wicknell Chivayo in his vehicle donation crusade.

MDC leaders lost themselves during the GNU when Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office and the forgot about implementing reforms - the number one task the party was launched to do. As minister in the GNU Biti got a E-Class Mercedes Benz. 

Since the GNU debacle, he has participated in the flawed elections knowing that doing soo will give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate the nation’s suffering. He did not care about that. He knew Zanu PF was giving away a few gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate and that he could not resist!

Of course, Tendai Biti is a sell out. Zanu PF is still in power today because he and his fellow MDC/CCC leaders sold out on reforms and have been participating in flawed elections to perpetuate the dictatorship. History will know him for betraying the nation boy failing to implement any democratic reforms in 25 years including 5 GNU years. He and his fellow MDC/CCC sell outs can fcuk off the political stage. Go and good riddance!  

Why are millions of Zimbabweans refusing to accept Chamisa lied to con them to participate in flawed elections to perpetuate their own suffering? WHY? W Mukori

  Chamisa lied about plugging vote rigging loop hole to con people to participate in the flawed elections. He knew Zanu PF was rigging and that participating would give the regime legitimacy. 

The people themselves have been warned repeatedly of the sheer folly of participating in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuate their own suffering. They heard the warning but clearly did not understanding it. It is not all who hear who understand! 

2 million Zimbabweans heard and believed Chamisa’s idiotic lie and participated in the flawed 2023 elections. Mnangagwa and Zanu PF blatantly rigged the elections and the rest is history.

It is now 2 years since the rigged 2023 elections, the 2028 elections are 3 years away, and we are still failing to get the millions of Chamisa chete chete brigade to accept that Chamisa lied to them and they, in turn, were foolish to believe the idiotic lie! If we cannot get them to accept this simple truth then the warning of the folly of participating in flawed 2028 election will once again be heard but not understood. 

“Chiri muruoko, unorasiswa. Chawadya, unorutsiswa. Chiri mumusoro, unofa nacho!” so goes a Shona adage. 

Meaning: If it (what is wrong with you) is in your hand, you can be forced to throw it away. If it is in your stomach, you can be forced to vomit. If it is in your head, it will kill you!

Zimbabwe is a failed state because the nation is stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and murderous Zanu PF dictatorship for 45 years and counting. Zanu PF has blatantly rigged elections to stay in power although it must be said the regime would not have done so these last 25 years without the connivance of the corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless MDC/CCC. 

What is killing the nation is the millions of Zimbabweans out there who have yet to figure out the sheer folly of participating in flawed elections. They cannot comprehend the simple truth that Chamisa lied about plugging vote rigging loop holes because Zanu PF blatantly rigged 2023 elections - the very thing Chamisa said they would not do! If a simple statement of fact like that is incomprehensible what hope is there these people will comprehend the complexities of democratic reform, that the 2008 to 2013 was the golden opportunity to implement the reforms.

Man is a creature of reason but not all are capable of reasoning. In Zimbabwe millions are incapable of rational thought because a significant portion of their brain has ossified into fat tissue, for whatever reasons. They cannot think. “Chiri mumusoro unofa nacho!”