What is in a name? Everything,
especially in Shona culture!
“Chakandibata!” (What madness seized
me!) My late mother called the dog. Whatever other name she had given the dog
earlier, it was quickly forgotten in place of this more expressive one. The
dog, even as a little puppy, was as mischievous as monkey and as stubborn and
stupid as a mule! The dog’s name was an expression of her exasperation and regret
at getting the little brute in the first place!
Just as well many Zimbabweans do not
understand what is going on in the country because if they did they would have
started call one Richard Morgan Tsvangirai “Chakandibata” in exasperation and
regret at having voted him into power in the first place. The man has blundered
from pillar to post ever since his elevation as MDC leader in 1999!
The people of Zimbabwe risked life
and limp to elected Richard Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends on the ticket
of bringing democratic changes, as the party name implies. After 17 years and
multiple opportunities to deliver on their promise, MDC has failed to bring
about even one change. Worse still, MDC leaders have abused electoral mandate
the people had given them to pursue their own selfish interests and dragged the
nation deeper and deeper in the hell-hole the people had hoped MDC will take
the out of.
Electoral mandate, once given, cannot
be so easily and quickly taken back and a lot of mischief can be done in that
time. Tsvangirai and his MDC friends’ treasonous betrayal of the nation has been
one of the worst curse to befall the nation, second only to the curse of Mugabe
and his corrupt and murderous regime.
History will know that MDC had the
golden opportunity during the GNU to implement the democratic reforms that
would have end the Zanu PF dictatorship once and once for all. They failed to
get even one reform implemented in five years. Not one!
It is a matter of historic fact too
that SADC leaders, literally begged, Tsvangirai &co. not to contest the
2013 elections with no reforms in place. Tsvangirai ignored the warning and
contested the elections. By contesting the flawed elections MDC not only
allowed Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs back into power but worse still costed the
nation the opportunity to implement the reforms and end the dictatorship, as
David Coltart acknowledged in his book.
“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.”
When the election results of the July
2013 came out showing, as expected, that Zanu PF had blatantly rigged the vote;
SADC leaders were disappointed. They denounced MDC leaders for “enjoying themselves
during the GNU and forgetting why they were there!”
The people of Zimbabwe were very
disappointed the “election had been stolen,” as Tsvangirai was quick to admit.
Those who understood that this was a self-inflicted injury; the elections would
have been free and fair if only MDC had implemented the reforms; cursed
Tsvangirai & co.
After the rigged July 2013 elections
Tsvangirai and his MDC friends announced that they will not contest any future
elections until meaningful reforms are implement to ensure they are free, fair
and credible. “No reform, no elections!” they said.
“We will force Zanu PF to implement
the reforms, kicking and screaming, by the end of the year!” Douglas Mwonzora,
MDC-T secretary general, told New Zimbabwe. That was back in 2015 and today,
two years later, not even one reform has been implemented. With one year to go
before the next elections there is no chance any reforms will be implemented
now.
Zanu PF had called the MDC bluff on
their “No reform, no elections!” promise and won. It is clear MDC leaders are
going to contest the 2018 elections regardless that no reforms have been
implemented and thus will be a repeat of the rigged 2013 elections. Worse
still, MDC are upping the ante by beating up the war drums!
"If you are afraid to die, do
not come again to any MDC rally," he said. "We will not allow you to
be part of us if you cannot defend your vote. We were robbed in 2008. We then
failed to protect the people's votes by allowing (President) Mugabe to rule,” said
Chinoputsa, MDC-T youth leader.
"But in 2018, as soon as results are announced and Tsvangirai is not declared the winner, we will make this country ungovernable."
"But in 2018, as soon as results are announced and Tsvangirai is not declared the winner, we will make this country ungovernable."
The youth leader had got his cue from
Tsvangirai himself who told a Workers’ Day crowd he would not accept anything
else other than an MDC victory.
The whole world that Mugabe is a man
of violence; he has harassed, beaten, raped and even murdered many defenceless
Zimbabweans to create and retain his de facto one party dictatorship. Over 30
000 innocent Zimbabweans have been murdered by his henchmen in his 37 years in
power.
“I have several degrees in violence!”
Mugabe has boasted, with no sense of shame or regret!
It is all very well for Tsvangirai
and his upstarts boasting of “defending the voters and the vote” now but when
the chips are down, they will run. Zanu PF does not only have its own militant
youth and war veterans but better still they have the full backing the Police,
CIO, Army and State machinery.
It is all very well for Tsvangirai do
his All Black Haka routine at his rallies, last time he turned tail and made
the dash for the Netherlands Embassy. MDC leaders always disappear like a mist
leaving their helpless supporters to face the music alone!
Tsvangirai & co. can still force
Zanu PF to accept the implementation of the democratic reforms by refusing to
contest in the elections until reforms are implemented.
If this was the obvious choice in
2013 it is the obvious and only choice now! Instead of doing the logical thing
the opposition is not just giving vote rigging the credibility Zanu PF wants
but worse still they are provoking the political violence as a smoke screen for
their own past failures!
It is a stupid argument to contest
the elections; without first empowering the Police, ZEC and all the other State
Institutions tasked to ensure free and fair elections; and boast of defending
the vote and voter as the macho challenge. Only to cry foul after the election.
The people risked life and limp to
elect MDC to implement the reforms and not put the whole nation at mortal risk,
stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical dictatorship whilst Tsvangirai tries out
his mojo tomfoolery!
Without doubt, Morgan “Chakandita”
Tsvangirai is one of the most corrupt and incompetent opposition leader the country
has ever had! Instead of ending the Zanu PF dictatorship he is the one who helped
Mugabe’s political comeback after the GNU and providing Zanu PF cover to
continued rigging the vote. The last ten years the nation has spent deeply
regretting the madness that seized us all to vote for someone so corrupt,
incompetent and downright stupid as him!
MDC have not given one valid reason why awarding the contract to the Chinese was the wrong decision. This is just typical of MDC, complaining on trivial matters.
ReplyDeleteThe BVR kits alone were not going to deliver free and fair elections not with a corupt ZEC and we know ZEC is corrupt.
Zimbabwe cannot afford another rig elections but with MDC that is exactly where we are heading!
MDC have had many chances to implement democratic reforms to end Zimbabwe's culture of violence and yet they have wasted every chance. MDC have a choice not to contest next year's elections and thus save the nation from yet another meaningless process.
ReplyDeleteMDC leaders have elected to contest this flawed elections for purely selfish reasons. It is fair that if anyone is a victim of political violence that they seek compensation from those who caaried out the elections after being warned this could happen.