In a recent radio chat show, Thomas
Mapfumo took Nick Mangwana to task for denying that no Zimbabweans elected
Robert Mugabe because the latter has the knack to rig elections. To fully
appreciate the significance of the put down, one must first understand the
historic context of the story.
Countries like Germany have laws
making it a criminal offence to deny the Nazi holocaust. At first sight this
may appear to be totally at odds for a nation that, since WW2, has embraced
democracy and all the individual freedoms and rights it confers to all its
citizens including freedom of expression. There are three basic reasons why the
German government has found it necessary to resort to such dramatic measures:
1) The holocaust happened, there is
irrefutable evidence that it happened and no one must try to rewrite history to
suit their selfish interest. Freedom of expression does not include freedom to
deny well established facts.
2) The Nazi era is a dark chapter in
German’s history, there is no question about that, and after the collapse of
the regime the nation embraced democratic values with the view to put the
nightmare behind them are move on. Those denying the holocaust were falsifying
history and thus dragging the whole nation back into the dark past. For today
they are denying the holocaust events ever happened; tomorrow they will be
prosecuting those who say otherwise and before long it will be Kristallnacht or
the Night of Broken Glass all over again.
Those who fail to learn from history will be forced
to relive the worst of the past for it is only those who learn from the past
can cherry pick the good and, by improving on it, make their lives even better.
Freedom of expression does not mean freedom to drag
others down into the gutter and hold them there against their will.
3) Last but by no means least, the
holocaust is not a victimless crime and therefore to deny the crime is to deny
the wrong done to its victims, that is adding insult to injury. Those denying
the holocaust have more sympathy for the criminals, there is no honour in being
a convicted criminal of whatever crime much less of mass murder, than the
criminal’s innocent and helpless victims.
As noted above, to allow those denying the crime to get away with
it is to encourage a repeat of the same crime and thus more future victims.
Freedom of expression is not about distorting and twisting the very
essence of our humanity to seek justice and never allow our selfish ego, pride
and prejudice cloud our judgement.
Zimbabwe has just observed its 37th
year of independence, I am not suggesting that the last 37 years are anything
near what happened in German under Nazi rule but, let’s face it they have not
been anything for us to be proud of either. Unemployment has soared to 90% and
millions today now live in abject poverty. Basic services like health and
education have all but collapsed.
After decades of deny there was no
corruption, Mugabe has since admitted $15 billions of diamond revenue was
“swindled”. For a country whose GDP is $10 billion, corruption is today
crashing the nation like the earth crashing a enfeebled Atlas! Only a lunatic
would be proud to see depths of hell-on-earth this great nation has been
dragged into, how much the people have suffered and will continue to suffer
unless something is done to end this madness.
It is important that the nation must
have a serious dialogue in our search for a way out of this hell-hole and end
the suffering of our people and secure a better future for ourselves and
posterity. It is infuriating that our serious dialogue and search for a way out
of this hell-hole should be constantly undermined or worse by those Zanu PF
apologists denying the historic events of the last 37 years.
If we are ever to make any meaningful
progress in digging ourselves out of the economic and political mess Mugabe’s
37 years of corrupt and tyrannical rule has landed us then we must first accept
historic facts. And we must be prepared to censor those who are refusing to
accept the past because they are holding us all back. It is in this contest
that I salute Zimbabwe’s music legend, Thomas Mapfumo for publicly censoring
the Mugabe apologists, Nick Mangwana, and putting the political upstart in his
place.
For those of you who do not know what
happened here is an extract of what happened, Studio 7 Voice of America.
Mapfumo asked why Mugabe was contesting next year’s elections?
“President Mugabe has been chosen by
his party to represent it, so I think the question should be directed at the
whole party, why the party is choosing President Mugabe to represent it,” Nick
Mangwana, UK Zanu PF chairman, replied.
“Aiwa imi chimboita tichipindururana
navo ava, tichitaura navo, vaka chuzwa nani? (No, we (the people) must be given
a chance to ask him (Mugabe); who elected him?” fired back Mapfumo interrupting
Mangwana.
“Is that an interference or its somebody talking
over me?” answered back Mangwana with the usual dismissive “I am, Zanu PF and I
know best” arrogance the nation has had from Mugabe and his minions all these
decades!
“Vaka chuzwa nani? Tirikuda kunzwa
kuti ndiani akavachuza. Haikona kutaura zve mangamanga mhani iwe!” (Who elected
him? We want to know who elected him. Do not talk nonsense!) Mapfumo refused to
be cowed down and fired straight back.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and
political mess precisely because for 37 years the country has been stuck with
this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe regime. Mugabe has yet to hold free, fair
and credible elections in his 37 years in power hence the reason the nation is
stuck with him.
So, the question of who elected
Mugabe is at the very heart of our problem and therefore the way out. Those
denying that Mugabe has been rigging elections are therefore stopping the nation
dealing with the problem and thus finding the solution and way out.
Even SADC and AU, known for
turning a blind eye to dodgy election processes could not do so following the
blatant vote rigging and wanton violence in 2008. SADC forced Mugabe to sign an
agreement to implement a raft of democratic reforms to stop the vote rigging.
The fact that not even one reform was
implemented during the GNU allowing Mugabe to once again rig the 2013 elections
was deeply regrettable and SADC leaders did not mince their words in expressing
their disappointment. They accused Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, who were
tasked to implement the reforms, of “enjoying themselves whilst in the GNU and
forgetting why they were there.”
“Kana tichiita conversation, handiti mabvunza
mubvunzo….” (If we are having a conversation; you asked me a question …)
Mangwana tried to say.
“Aiwa conversation uchitaura zvinhu zvemangamanga,
marubbish iwayo, ndo conversation yacho iyo iyo! (Conversation, when you keep
talking nonsense, rubbish; what conversation is that!) Mapfumo interrupted the
upstart. He repeated the question again; who elected Mugabe?
“I am not going to get into this….”
Stammer the Mugabe apologist! When he was interrupted yet again, the minion cut
the call, in sheer exasperation; he did not expect this, used as he is to be
treated like loyalty on ZBC TV and Radio and all the country’s print media and
beyond.
“Aiwa pfutseki iwe! Hauna ne musoro!” (Fcuk off!
You, brainless moron!) were Mapfumo’s parting words.
Zimbabwe is in serious trouble and
those who say there was no need for Thomas Mapfumo to get upset and use such
aggressive language; these people do not understand the seriousness and urgency
of Zimbabwe’s situation. If they did then they would know that when the very lives
of hundred thousands of innocent people and the very future of the whole nation
are at stake, there is no room for the niceties of diplomatic deco!
Even Jesus Christ Himself is said to
have violently thrown out the money changers and charlatans for turning the
Temple into “den of robbers”! Thomas Mapfumo is one of the few Zimbabwe who
have understood the problems of our time and with such deep understanding comes
anger.
What Thomas Mapfumo has done with the
Mugabe apologist Nick Mangwana is drawn the line in the sand which he and his
fellow apologists now know they will not dare cross. No one can deny that
Mugabe has been rigging elections just as no one can deny Gukurahundi massacre
or the Nazi holocaust!
It is not surprising that The Herald
has jumped to Nick’s defence, doing what they have done all these years,
defending the indefensible. The article went to town about everything the
writer could think of to tannish Mapfumo’s name but said nothing to answer the
central question; who elected Mugabe?
Even the seasoned apologists and
propagandists in Herald House are lost for words when it comes to Mugabe
rigging elections; many have make it their lifetime career of burying the
regime’s dirty political machinations and yet the truth keeps coming out.
Everyone in Chibuku House (Zanu PF HQ) knows the regime’s strangle hold on
power is waning and denying historic facts such as Mugabe’s repeated failure hold
free and fair elections is not going to be tolerated.
All Nick Mangwana and his fellow
Mugabe apologists can do now to vent their anger and frustration at their
demise is bin Thomas Mapfumo’s music. Mukanya’s music will never be heard again
on ZBC until the day there is regime change. But that will not deter those who
have suffered all these years and change cannot come soon enough from playing
his music; as a matter of fact, I am listening to “Pidigori waenda” right now.
For Zimbabwe to get out of the
economic and political hell-hole Mugabe landed us in we need free, fair and
credible elections; how can we have such elections if we keep denying past
elections were not rigged?
@Whitlaw
ReplyDeleteYes "united we stand and divided we fall" makes sense but not in every situation. We have failed to bring about any meaningful political change not because we were divided but because Zanu PF rigged the elections. in the March 2008 vote Tsvangirai got 73% of the vote by Mugabe's own admission and yet still that was not good enough because ZEC, after six weeks of recounting 5 million votes, reduced Tsvangirai's vote to 47%.
SADC told the 2008 to 2013 GNU to implement the reforms to stop the vote rigging and sadly MDC did not pay any attention. SADC literally begged MDC not to contest the 2013 elections with no reforms in place but they paid no heed. We know why MDC politicians contested the 2013 even when it was evident Zanu PF was going to rig the vote, David Coltart spelt it out even for those without the intellect to figure it out!
“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,” explained Senator Coltart.
“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 political situation in Zimbabwe has not changed one bit since 2013, not even one reform has been implemented and therefore SADC’s advice is as valid today as it was back then.
Political change will come as a result of implementing the reforms and with no reforms Zanu PF will rig the vote regardless of whether the opposition are united or not.
The political situation in Zimbabwe has not change one bit in that not even one reform was implemented since the rigged July 2013 elections. It is therefore obvious that SADC will still stand by their advice not to contest the elections without reforms.
ReplyDeleteAs for the US, EU and all the Western countries that have imposed sanctions on Mugabe and his cronies for failing to hold free and fair elections; it would be totally illogical for them to expect the opposition to contest elections they know Zanu PF will rig.
There is nothing SADC, the West or anyone else outside Zimbabwe can do to stop us going ahead and holding elections with not even one reform in place just as we did in 2013. We ignore SADC and everyone's warning not to contest the elections with no reforms and we can do it again. What we must accept however is that SADC and everyone will be helpless to push for change after the elections!
Of course, SADC and the rest of the world know MDC and the opposition sold-out during the GNU and in contesting the 2013 elections and that they will sell-out again next year. It is for the people of Zimbabwe themselves;ves to reject the sell-outs. By choosing to follow corrupt and incompetent people like Tsvangirai, Mujuru, etc. we have per se accepting paying the price for our stupidity.
“I don’t think she’d [Mujuru] be in government for 34 years and fail to get one or two significant pieces of information on how elections are rigged. I think she will be significant [as a political ally],” said Pedzisai Ruhanya.
ReplyDeleteThis is just wishful think based on nothing else crossed fingers! Mai Mujuru was asked how Zanu PF rigged elections by a UK based News paper a year ago and she admitted Zanu PF rigged the elections but she did not have the details because the rigging was done by a “clique” in the party. She was, for once, telling the truth.
Mai Mujuru is corrupt, incompetent and naïve but even she must have realised the importance of a good showing in the Bikita West by-election. If she knew anything to counter Zanu PF that was the time to put all know-how into practice. Zanu PF deployed its usual dirty tactics of buying votes by giving food aid and using the stick by threatening the people and frog marching them to the polling stations.
Even if Mai Mujuru has indeed learned the dirty vote rigging tricks from Zanu PF; are we not going to perpetuate the vote rigging culture by encouraging her to form her own vigilant thugs to tough it out with the Zanu PF thugs? If she and her thugs get back into power, is Ruhanya going to disarm them? This is just a stupid argument going round and round in circles!
Zimbabweans are becoming masters at answering the question they wanted asked and NOT the tough question before them and make a big song and dance about their solution.
ReplyDeleteDuring the GNU the tough task before the nation and MDC was to implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections and thus a repeat of the 2008 elections. SADC, who were the guarantor of the agreement that created the GNU tries their best to get Tsvangirai and his MDC friends to focus on the task on hand but failed. Tsvangirai & co. pick the easier task of drafting a new constitution, they were more interested in the generous allowance than doing anything useful.
In the end the new constitution was "dictated" by President Mugabe as Zanu PF MP on the drafting committee later boasted. Tsvangirai boasted that it was an "MDC child" and made a big ado about how it was going to deliver all our freedoms and rights including free and fair elections. That did not happen of course as Zanu PF went on to rig the 2013 elections.
The same reforms are still the task on hand but of course implementing them post 2013 is even tougher than during the GNU, ten times as hard. Instead on putting their backs on the wheel the opposition are once again off at a tangent. They have spent the last four years talking about forming an opposition coalition although it will do nothing to stop the vote rigging. They are once again making a big song and dance about it!
With no reforms in place Zanu PF will once again rig the elections. Implementing the reforms after that will be even tougher that it is now, another ten times as hard.
We have not learned anything from our past mistakes; you hit the iron whilst it is hot; a stitch in time saves ten; etc.!
I am so pleased that Mukanya has put Nick Mangwana in his place; it is a nonsense that even with all the evidence of rigged elections some people should continue to pretend Mugabe has been holding free and fair elections.
ReplyDeleteWhat is worse these Mugabe apologists defend the regime and yet they are the ones who are sending their children out of the country for their education and many of them have themselves left the country. What hypocrites!
So we started with the Zimbabwe Dollar on par with US dollar in 1980. By 2008 the Z$ had fallen in value to the point where inflation was 500 billion percent Z$ 1 trillion, trillion (24 zeros) = 1 US$. We scrapped the Z$ in 2008 and started using a basket of foreign currency including US$ SA Rand and Botswana Pula. Last year we reintroduced the Z$ by the back door calling it Bond Note. Now we are talking of abandoning the Bond Note and introducing the Goats as the new currency.
ReplyDeleteMany nation have suffered the ill effects of bad governance but Zimbabwe must be one of the worst!
The Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators (ZILIWACO) has launched its door-to-door campaign for Zanu-PF with a call for members to solidly rally behind President Robert Mugabe and ensure that the revolutionary party post resounding victory in next year's general election.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great tragedy that those who were the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle have become the enemies of freedom, justice and human dignity by allowing themselves to be used to impose a corrupt and tyrannical dictatorship. Greed has blinded them all these years and even now with the benefit of hindsight they still continue in their foolish ways.
We want a free and democratic Zimbabwe and we must not let these morons deter us from seeking meaningful democratic change!
Thank you very much for saying what Zimbabweans out there need to hear although many cannot hear because they have cotton wool in their ears. Tsvangirai is a corrupt and incompetent leader, he has already proven this beyond doubt during the GNU, and it is naive to except him to be any better as president. He will not be any better than Frederick Chiluba and we must not sleep walk into becoming another Zambia!
ReplyDeleteMugabe and his apologists believe that they are special and have behaved accordingly for decades. After decades of being treated like loyalty and getting away with it, it is going to be real tough for these morons to find that they are actually not just an ordinary person but worse they the scum of the earth.
ReplyDeleteHow can Nick Mangwana still pretend that Mugabe did not rig elections given all the evidence of vote rigging there on public domain. The idiot was pushing his luck by refusing to answer a simple direct question; it may be a taboo subject to him but it is not so to the ordinary Zimbabweans who are the victims of the rigged elections. It the moron did not want to talk about Mugabe's vote rigging then that was his problem.
Thomas Mapfumo did the right thing and put Nick in his place. This is something Zimbabweans have not done in the past and we must do so now without failure!