The MDC Alliance’s sheer incompetence is breath-taking; they cannot even
admit that the rigged Cowdray Park Council by-elections were rigged!
“As flawed as our electoral system is this loss cannot be blamed on
rigging. Until everyone in the MDC rekindles the original vision of the party
established on 11/9/99 we will allow ZANU-PF to rule in places where they are
actually detested by the majority,” said David Coltart, MDC A Senator.
Zanu PF has reportedly distributed 60 tonnes of maize meal and 30 tonnes
of rice in this local constituency since the by-election campaign started but
not even one grain rice in any of the adjoining constituencies. If this is not
blatant vote-buying then I do not know what is!
The problem of vote buying and other coercive means is a very serious
problem especially in the rural areas were the electorate have been reduced to
grovelling serfs by the Zanu PF operatives and traditional leaders.
The EU Election Observer Mission condemned last year’s elections as
having “failed to meet international standards.” One of the reasons for
condemning the elections was that the process could not be verified. ZEC had
failed to produce a verified voters’ roll although this is a legal and common
sense requirement.
The Cowdray Park Council by-election went ahead and still there was no
verified voters’ roll!
Even those in the MDC A who accept that the by-election was rigged, one
only has to listen to them to know they are talking at cross purpose!
“Look, we blinked and the rigging machine took advantage. This is
primarily because the President (Chamisa) focused on the Cyclone and
humanitarian situation. Be rest assured, President Chamisa will look into
this,” said Nkululeko Sibanda, Chamisa’s spokesperson.
Blinked, is that what happened! MDC A participated in last year’s
elections with no verified voters’ roll, no free public media, etc. and so Zanu
PF was able to blatantly rig the elections. The opposition was warned that
without first implementing the democratic reforms, Zanu PF will rig the
elections but, of course, they ignore the warning.
“MDC has stringent measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!”
Nelson Chamisa had boasted.
Indeed, last year’s rigged elections were a repeat of the 2013
elections. MDC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic
reforms during the GNU and failed to get even one reforms implemented. Not one!
And we are to believe Sibanda that the MDC leaders blinked and their eyes were
shut for five years!
The truth is as plan to see as the mole on the nose. Mugabe bribed the
MDC leaders with the trappings of high office, the ministerial limos, generous
salaries and allowances, a former white-owned farm for Welshman Ncube, a $4
million Highlands mansion for Morgan Tsvangirai, etc., etc. And with their
snouts in the feeding trough, the MDC leaders forgot they were in the GNU to
implement the democratic reforms.
Even when it dawned on the MDC leaders that Zanu PF was going to rig the
2013 elections; Coltart and his friends could not boycott the elections for
fear the other would win the few gravy train seats Zanu PF offered to entice
the opposition, as he rightly admitted 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,” confessed
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.”
A number of the MDC factions did unite to form the MDC A before the 2018
elections and still they participated in the elections, knowing fully well that
Zanu PF would blatantly rig the election, for the same reason as in 2013 -
greed.
Zimbabwe’s politicians on both sides of the political divide have one
thing in common, they are greedy and incompetent.
“ZANU-PF will continue winning as long the opposition party remained at
sixes-and-sevens when it comes to ideology!” said Coltart. As much as MDC
leaders may wish they have an ideological foundation; the reality is that they
do not have any ideology, never had one and never will.
MDC leaders are intellectually incapable of grasping an ideology as pigs
are physically incapable of growing wings!
Zimbabwe have risked life and limb to elect MDC leaders in to power on
the understanding they will deliver the democratic changes and free and fair
elections the nation has been dying for. After 19 years of strutting around on
the political stage without even one implemented reform to show for it; now
Coltart before we have free and fair elections, first pigs must fly!
Yes, Chamisa just as you donated the presidency to Mnangagwa by participating in last year's elections knowing the elections will be rigged!
ReplyDeleteMDC had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms necessary to stop Zanu PF rigging elections during the GNU, you sold-out and failed to get even one reform implemented in five years. Ever since MDC has abandoned all efforts to implement reforms and concentrated on winning the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away as bait to the opposition.
Talk of reforms, what reforms have your ever implemented in all your 19 years on the political stage?
Last year's elections were rigged and instead of the nation uniting in calling for Zanu PF to step down you are calling for "dialogue" with the regime for the single purpose of asking for a gravy train seat in the regime for selfish gain. The country will gain nothing in keeping the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship in power MDC will not mind that happening as long as Chamisa is given a seat on the gravy train!
At least 20,000 refugees in Zimbabwe were affected by the deadly Tropical Cyclone Idai, UN officials said on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteCountry representative for the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Robert Tibagwa spoke in the capital Harare, during the handover of 80 metric tons of goods donated to the Zimbabwean government.
There are thousands if not hundreds of thousands of cyclone Idai victims who have not yet received any food, clean water to drink, shelter and medical help. Government did not have these essential to give away. These people will not be amused to know that meanwhile the same government distributed 60 tonnes of maize meal and 30 tonnes of rice in a by-election in Bulawayo in a blatant vote-buying move.
Reserve Bank Governor Dr John Mangudya poured cold water on the claims by industry players that there was confusion and challenges around access to foreign currency by the cooking oil producers saying the companies know what to do, which they had always done in the past.
ReplyDeleteIf it is not cooking oil it is medicine, fuel, wheat, everything! As long as Zimbabwe remains a nation of consumers who produce a lot less than they import the problems of shortage of foreign currency and imported goods and services will not go away! Governor Mangudya is burying his head in the sand by denying Zimbabwe’s economic problems are set to get worse. It is a pity that he has been entrusted with power and authority which if wisely used will help end our problems and if abused, as is the case here, will drag the nation deeper into this nightmare!