“What
was accomplished by the bullet cannot be undone by the ballot!” boasted
President Mugabe as he unleashed his thugs and henchmen in the infamous 2008 operation
“Mavhotera papi!” (Whom did you vote for!) Here was a graphic case when Zanu PF
used wanton violence to hold on to power.
President
Mugabe had lost the March 2008 vote to Morgan Tsvangirai by a warping 73%, by
his own inadvertent admission later, but ordered ZEC to recount the votes.
After six weeks of tampering with the figures, the 73% was whittled down to 47%
- enough to force a run-off. Zanu PF used its party youths and war veterans as
its storm troopers backed by Army, Police and CIO to harass, beat, rape and
even murder innocent civilians in the run-off. Operation Mavhotera papi was to
punish the electorate for rejecting Mugabe in the March vote and to force them
to vote for the tyrant in the run-off and in future.
“Zanu
PF has declared war on the people,” complained Tsvangirai as he announced his
withdrawal from the run-off. The violence was so intense most of his supporters
had gone into hiding and it was impossible for him to hold any rallies.
President
Mugabe overturned his 27% defeat in March to a landslide 84% victory in June. This
time ZEC announced the result within 12 hours of polling stations closing.
The
one message President Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs have said; but not always as
explicitly as they did during the 2008 operation Mavhotera papi, to justify
their autocratic rule and blatant denial of the people their freedoms and basic
human rights; is that they fought in the liberation war and thus have the divine
right to rule. This is nonsense argument for two reasons:
1) The liberation war was not won
by those carrying the guns alone, everyone including the young and old played
their part and sacrificed someone or something.
2) The struggle to end white
colonial oppression and exploitation was about the freedom, liberty and justice
for all and not about removing the white oppressors only to replace them with
black oppressors. The one thing we did not want as a nation is to have
struggles in perpetuate as each generation fights the one before it for their
freedoms and basic human rights.
For
the last 37 years the people of Zimbabwe have been fighting President Mugabe
and his Zanu PF thugs for the full restoration of their freedoms and basic
human rights including the right to free, fair and credible elections and the
right to life itself. It has been a bitter struggle and over 30 000 innocent
Zimbabweans have lost their lives along the way. Zanu PF is imploding and there
is reason to hope that meaningful political change is around the corner.
The
last thing the nation wants is to find itself removing one lot of oppressors,
Zanu PF, but only to replace them with yet another lot in the name of the MDC
opposition! Obert Gutu, MDC spokesman has over reached himself and must be
silenced.
"This
is a candid and very frank message to my fellow Zimbabweans who live in the
Diaspora. Some of you have this rather unhelpful habit of always bashing the
opposition in Zimbabwe for failing to resolutely confront the Zanu-PF regime by
engaging in peaceful mass protests and demonstrations. Yet, these very people
were the first to flee from home when the political and economic situation
began to deteriorate rapidly at the turn of the century. These are the very
same people who are very vociferous and rabid in their criticism of the
democratic opposition to the Zanu-PF dictatorship," said the outspoken MDC
spokesman.
Here
are the six political realities for MDC leaders to take home:
a) It is not only MDC or
opposition politicians who have suffered and sacrificed in the struggle to end
this de facto Zanu PF dictatorship; everyone, be there in Zimbabwe or outside,
have contributed.
b) Every Zimbabwean, regardless of
their past history, has the right to enjoy all the freedoms and basic human
rights accorded to the UN Human Rights Declarations and Zimbabwe’s constitution.
This historic tendency by those in power and authority to abuse their positions
to grant themselves extra dictatorial rights to deny other people their
freedoms and rights is a nonsense which cannot be tolerated.
c) Anyone who aspires to or has
held public office must accept public scrutiny and to be held to democratic account
for what they do or fail to do. If MDC leaders do not want to be held to account
then they should have never held public office; if you cannot stand the heat,
do not go into the kitchen.
d) People of Zimbabwe risked life
and limp, over 500 people were murdered during operation Mavhotera papi alone,
to elect Obert Gutu and his MDC friends into power on a ticket they will
deliver democratic changes. MDC have been in politics for 17 years now but have
failed to bring about even one reforms. Of course, MDC leaders are not just
corrupt and incompetent they are sell-outs. The notion that MDC leaders are
doing us all a great favour by being in politics is therefore an insult to the nation.
e) MDC leaders not only sold-out
by failing to get even one reform implemented during the GNU they compounded
their betrayal by contesting the July 2013 elections with no reforms in place.
MDC leaders forgot the reforms because they were bribed with the trapping of
the gravy train lifestyles and it is the promise of a few seats on the gravy
train that is attracting the opposition to contest flawed elections. By
contesting the flawed elections opposition are giving credibility to the flawed
and illegal process and forfeiting the nation’s chance to force the
implementation of the reforms before elections.
f) MDC is at the front of the
opportunistic opposition politicians queuing to contest next year’s elections regardless
of all the evidence that Zanu PF is already rigging the elections. In other
words, MDC leaders are demanding the same undemocratic privileges Zanu PF are enjoying
on pretext they are the heroes fighting Zanu PF regardless of their track
record of refusing or obstructing democratic change.
"Again,
these are the same people who do not want to make any form of contribution,
directly or indirectly, in assisting the democratic opposition. These compatriots
are invariably selfish and self-centred. They want to remain in the comfort zone
with their families in far-away places whilst they continue to angrily
criticise the opposition for not doing enough to topple the Zanu-PF regime.
Come on guys, give us a break!" Continued the self-righteous Gutu.
"The least we deserve is constructive criticism and not this emotionally charged vapid and vacuous demonization that we are not doing enough to confront the Zanu-PF dictatorship. If you have nothing constructive to offer to the democratic struggle, just shut up!”
"The least we deserve is constructive criticism and not this emotionally charged vapid and vacuous demonization that we are not doing enough to confront the Zanu-PF dictatorship. If you have nothing constructive to offer to the democratic struggle, just shut up!”
I
salute all those Zimbabweans in the diaspora who have sacrificed so much to
help their family and friends back in Zimbabwe; there is no doubt that the
diaspora dollar has made the difference between life and death for many, many
Zimbabweans. My only criticism to these in the diaspora is that you should do
more in helping Zimbabwe end the Zanu PF dictatorship and, this time, making
sure we replace it with a healthy and functional democracy.
If
anything, the people in the diaspora have failed the nation by failing to point
out MDC’s serious shortcoming and holding the party to account for its many
blunders. Many people back home, especially those in the rural areas, rely on
those in the diaspora for information and advice and to advise anyone to
sheepish follow MDC all those years has been a great disservice to the nation.
It
is madness to continue contesting flawed and illegal elections and yet the
failure by those in the diaspora to come up with a clearly defined course of
action – to demand the implementation of the reforms and boycott the flawed
election process until then or to blunder on as MDC is advising – has not
helped.
It
is high time we all stepped up and took our responsibility as Zimbabwean
citizens to end the de facto Zanu PF dictatorship and replace it with a healthy
and functional democracy. Mr Gutu and friends must note here and now that the days
of viewing hold public office as a ticket to free lunch at public expense are
over!
Former Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) president Cuthbert Dube is facing eviction from a house in one of Harare’s low-density suburbs after allegedly going for five months without paying rentals.
ReplyDeleteDube, who lost his job as group CEO of the Premier Medical Aid Society in 2014 after revelations that he was earning a basic salary of $230 000 a month, is accused of failing to pay $1 500 a month in rentals for a house in Alexandra Park owned by FBC Bank.
After years of earning $230 000 a month and now he cannot pay $1 500 rent per month. What the devil did he do with all that money? Do not tell me, I do not want to know!
@ Peter Goredema
ReplyDelete“In spite of the calm prior to and during the 1985 Election, the following week saw the then black suburbs of greater Harare sink into a deadly hell of riots which killed six people and injured dozens. Prime Minister Robert Mugabe was blind, deaf and dumb to the pandemonium in the locations for three days while opposition members were being tortured while their houses, cars and property were being stoned, torched or looted. Law enforcement agents such as the police or army were nowhere to be seen for the three days after which they went into action when the Prime Minister announced that there had been “enough violence”. The late Dr Nathan Shamuyarira (Minister of Information and Tourism 1980 – 87) boasted at a private meeting that that violence had been centrally orchestrated specifically as an advance campaign strategy for the 1990 Election. This extended pre-election violence and intimidation is the second electoral corruption currency traded by ZANU PF,” you said.
What you have said here is true. Prime Minister Robert Mugabe even encourage his party supporters to terrorise opposition supporters boasting that the thugs were removing “zvigutsa” (political stump).
The blatant cooking up of the vote count and wanton violence of 2008 have left no one in any doubt of the sheer futility of holding elections without first doing something to stop the vote rigging. SADC spelt out the democratic reforms we needed to implement. Sadly, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends who were tasked to implement the reforms failed to get even one reform implemented. Worse still, MDC leaders are today the ones encouraging the people to continue the madness of contesting flawed and illegal elections on the promise the opposition will win rigged elections!
It is a great pity that there has been too few ordinary Zimbabweans with the common sense to stand up to not only President Mugabe and his Zanu PF thugs but to Morgan Tsvangirai and his corrupt and incompetent friends and demand the implementation of the reforms BEFORE elections!
MDC leaders call themselves democrats and will go to town and back given half a chance to talk about how Zanu PF is a totalitarian dictatorship but when the MDC leaders are themselves held to democratic account they cry foul!
ReplyDelete"This is a candid and very frank message to my fellow Zimbabweans who live in the Diaspora,” said Obert Gutu, MDC spokesman.
“If you have nothing constructive to offer to the democratic struggle, just shut up! Your Facebook and Twitter political activism without getting your hands dirty so to speak is hardly helpful. We need selfless sacrifice and determination in order to collapse the deeply entrenched Zanu-PF dictatorship. You cannot just fold your arms and vociferously urge fellow Zimbabweans back home to do the dirty work on your behalf so that you can triumphantly return home when the country has been liberated by other people's blood, sweat and tears," he said.
MDC has been on the political stage for 17 years; they have had many golden opportunities, especially during the five years of the GNU, to implement the democratic reforms necessary to end the “deeply entrenched Zanu PF dictatorship”. And yet the party has failed to get not even one democratic reform implemented. The truth is MDC leaders sold-out during the GNU and that is why they failed to get even one reform implemented.
If Tsvangirai and company do not want to account for their blundering incompetence and betrayal to Zimbabweans in the diaspora then they so account to the millions of ordinary Zimbabweans in the country who risked life and limb to get these MDC politicians in power.
MDC’s support has fallen significantly since the rigged July 2013 elections because Zimbabweans, in the country and outside, were disappointed the elections were rigged contrary to MDC’s repeated promise they will be free, fair and credible. Gutu’s singling out these in the diaspora calling them “selfish and self-centred” is a cheap divide and rule tactic meant to suggest the Zimbabweans back home are happy with MDC’s performance. The Zimbabweans back home are the ones paying dearly for MDC’s blundering incompetence and would be shouting the loudest if they had the political voice.
We want a democratic Zimbabwe and will have one and in a healthy and functional democracy all in public office, in the ruling party and opposition, must be held to democratic account. MDC leaders are accountable to the people of Zimbabwe for their actions including selling-out of reforms. MDC leaders sold-out during the GNU and it is insulting that you should even try to pass it as selfless sacrifice!
Be rest assured Mr Gutu, you and your MDC friends will be asked to account for why not even one reform was implemented during the GNU.
@ Dube
ReplyDeleteI think Zimbabweans in the diaspora who have continued to help economically by sharing the little they are earning with those back home are going a great job. Those who have also helped in the search for a political solution show they care and want to see the suffering masses saved from the nightmare.
MDC is being asked to account for the party's blundering incompetence by Zimbabweans inside and outside the country like never before. Instead of facing up to their failures the party is singling out those in the diaspora for scapegoats. MDC leaders sold-out in failing to get even one democratic reform implemented in five years of the GNU. They must be held to account for this!
@ Tony
ReplyDeleteSADC leaders advised MDC leaders not to contest the 2013 elections without implementing the reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging the vote. Sadly, MDC leaders did not listen and we all know what happened.
From the late start and the chaotic way the regime is registering voters it is clear the regime will not have a verifiable voters’ roll ready before the elections. We know the regime refused to produce a verifiable voters’ roll for the July 2013 elections because it was the smoking gun to many of its vote rigging dirty tricks. Zanu PF is already rigging next year’s elections and it is madness contesting an election knowing the whole process is flawed.
It is high time Zimbabweans common sense prevailed and we heed SADC leaders’ advice and demand the implementation of the reforms BEFORE elections!
MDC leaders are the ones who want the elections to go ahead with no reforms in place and yet they will be the ones complaining that the elections were rigged and worse still they will blame everyone else for it except themselves. Now that MDC have started blaming the people in the diaspora, it will be like Zanu PF blaming the country’s economic meltdown on “British imperialist and the Western Allies!”
MDC support has fallen significantly since the last elections primarily because many people believed Tsvangirai and company that the elections would be free, fair and credible and were very disappointed when Zanu PF blatantly rigged the vote. The new constitution, an “MDC child” said Tsvangirai, was supposed to deliver free and fair elections and it is not surprising that MDC paid a political price when that did not happen.
ReplyDeleteObert Gutu and his opposition friends are finding it impossible to ignore the increasing pressure demanding that the party account for its failure to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU and, worse still, why it is taking part in next year’s elections with no reforms contrary to SADC leaders’ advice and the party’s own “No reform, no election!” congress resolution! Instead of addressing these important concerns MDC leaders, in typical Zanu PF style, are picking a fight with the people in the diaspora to draw attention away from the reforms and the party’s pathetic performance record.
MDC leaders lost all political credibility with SADC leaders and the rest of the world when they failed to get even one democratic reform implemented during the GNU. The opposition’s insistence in contesting the July 2013 and now next year’s elections with no reforms in place is costing them political credibility with ordinary Zimbabweans, who are playing catch-up to SADC leaders. Kicking the people in the diaspora to draw fire from their failures will make matters worse for Tsvangirai and company not better!
Mugabe was able to rig the July 2013 elections because Tendai Biti and company had failed to implement even one reform designed to stop the vote rigging! Biti and company are contesting next year's elections even though not even one reform has been implemented since the rigged July 2013 elections, he and his lot have too learned nothing!
ReplyDelete