In November 2008 SADC Tribunal ruled against one of President
Mugabe signature lawless policy of seizing white-owned farms. The Tribunal
ruled the seizures were unlawful in that the practice was racially motivated,
among other things. The Zimbabwe government was ordered to stop the seizures,
allow the dispossessed back on their farms and/or pay them compensation for
their property. Sadly, the Zimbabwe government continues to disregard the
Tribunal judgement.
A UK based lawyer, Sir Jeffrey Jowell KCMG QC, has written not
only questioning why the Zimbabwe government continues to defy the SADC
Tribunal judgement but, more significantly, why the international community
continues to turn a blind eye to this.
“In the interests of the rule of law and human rights it is
important that questions be asked by the International Community regarding the
Zimbabwe Government’s continued contempt; and that concern be expressed that
the rule of law is not being adhered to,” wrote Sir Jeffrey Jowell.
Could not agree with
him more! The contemptuous disregard of the rule of law is at the very heart of
why Zimbabwe is in this political and economic mess today.
In 1980 Zimbabwe had
the potential to become a free, just and prosperous nation; the South Korea of
Africa; but after 37 years of lawless, corrupt and tyranny has become the impoverished
Police state instead; the North Korea of Africa. As a black Zimbabwean, I
readily admit, that we, the people of Zimbabwe, have allowed the country to go
to the dogs.
We were foolish in electing
a corrupt and murderous tyrant like President Mugabe in the first place and compounded
our folly be allowing him to stay in power for the last 37 years! his thugs
into power and allowing the regime to destroy the nation all these last 37
years. When elected Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends to end the Mugabe
dictatorship we clearly had learned nothing from the past blunders. Tsvangirai
& co. have turned out to be just as corrupt and incompetent as Mugabe and
his Zanu PF cronies.
During the 2008 to
2013 GNU, MDC leaders are the golden opportunity to implement the democratic
reforms and draft a new democratic constitution designed to end the Zanu PF
dictatorship and replace it with a healthy and functional democracy. They
failed to get even one democratic reform implemented and sold the nation a weak
and feeble new constitution.
President Mugabe “dictated”
the new constitution, boasted the Zanu PF MP Paul Mangwana, who was the
co-chairperson of the parliamentary committee that drafted the constitution. It
is no surprising then that racist clause on the land issue found its way into
the new constitution!
“The (racist) clause
was reproduced in the new 2013 Constitution of Zimbabwe and continues to be
used in defiance of the SADC Treaty and all the human rights charters that
Zimbabwe is signed up to,” note the learned lawyer.
Many Zimbabweans now
realise our folly in allowing a tyrant like President Mugabe place himself and
his henchmen above the law. We are now fighting hard to end the dictatorship,
it is not easy to do so especially when keep shooting ourselves in the leg by doing
such stupid things as adopting a weak and feeble constitution! We are not too
proud to admit we made mistakes and to seek help!
Zimbabweans
therefore readily join Sir Jeffrey Jowell KCMG QC in asking SADC and the international
community not continue to turn a blind eye to the lawlessness in Zimbabwe. The
only logical way to end the corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe rule is for the
country to implemented the democratic reforms and thus ensure free, fair and credible
elections.
President Mugabe
agreed to these reforms in the agreement leading to the GNU, he has never
denied that none of the reforms were implemented. The international community
must now remind the regime to implement the reforms BEFORE the next elections.
Zimbabwe’s continue political and economic
chaos has caused untold suffering to the people of Zimbabwe; unemployment has
soared to 90% plus, millions now live in abject poverty, etc. The economic
meltdown in Zimbabwe has slowed down economic development of the whole of
Southern Africa region and, if nothing is done to end the crisis, it is going
to will threaten peace and stability the region!
Ben Freeth, you bulldog mentality in pursuit of justice is an inspiration to the whole nation! If Zimbabweans can only be even half as diligent in their demand for democratic accountability Zimbabwe would not be in this economic and political hell-hole.
ReplyDeletePresident Mugabe admitted that $15 billion in diamonds was swindled and to date, no one has been arrested and not one dollar recovered. The looting has continued of course and some of the loot is being used to bankroll Zanu PF's vote rigging schemes.
The news of rampant corruption washed over the people like water off a duck's back; many people did not even hear it, it in one ear and straight out the other. Is it any wonder the country is drowning in in its own excrement! Zimbabweans are now the poorest people in Africa.
This is excellent!
ReplyDeleteBy the way what is Zimbabwe Peace Project's position on elections? Should elections go ahead with no meaningful political reforms implemented?
Last time SADC was the only one calling for the reforms to be implemented before the elections. Most Zimbabweans NGO and civic society seemed to cheer MDC every step of the way until the elections. What good was it to write volumes of reports detailing vote rigging which every one KNEW was going to happen?
Zimbabweans must do something to stop this madness of contesting flawed elections knowing the vote will be rigged!
MDC-T calling for a massive demo against government for its failure to tame Bulawayo’s de-industrialisation.
ReplyDelete“The provincial executive, structure and Bulawayo citizenry are apprehensive and surviving in despondency due to the high level of poverty. The generality of the population, in Bulawayo in particular and the country in general, are living on or less than a dollar a day,” said Felix Magalela Sibanda.
Zimbabwe’s economic decline has been going on for decades, has MDC-T only noticed it now! It was going on before the GNU and continued during the GNU itself when MDC-T leaders were at the heart of government. It is sickening political opportunism when people promise to do something about a problem if they are elected into office only to do nothing when they are in office. Now that they are selecting power again, they suddenly notice the same problem is there!
Mr Sibanda, the heart of Zimbabwe’s problem right now is MDC-T’s decision contest elections next year in violation of the party’s own resolution of “No reform, no election!” What the hell is going on here?
Many Zimbabweans are sick and tired of being taken for fools by these politicians. What NERA reforms, for example, is Mai Mujuru going to talk about? And how many of those reforms are going to be implemented before the next elections?
ReplyDeleteIf has become fashionable to talk about reforms without paying attention to what these reforms are. Frankly, I do not think Mai Mujuru has a clue what she is talking about when it comes to reforms. In all her 34 years in Zanu PF, she would have never talked about free and fair elections because she thought nothing of such matters, as long as her continued stay in power was assured very little else mattered!
Mai Mujuru a champion for democratic reforms, and free and fair elections. Yeah right! She is only paying lip service to reforms and is fooling no one!