Ever since Zimbabwe gained her independence in 1980, the country has been in decline socially, politically and most notable of all economically. Throughout these years, the country has had the great misfortune to be ruled by men and women who are corrupt and incompetent and, worst of all, with no common sense. They cannot be sweared by reason, reality, truth and/or facts. They are incapable of change and hence the reasons the nation has regressed!
“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything,” said George Bernard Shaw Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist.
Some people thought that the November 2017 military coup was the epoch of hope, common sense and real change. They were egged on by none other than Emmerson Mnangagwa himself with the promise to hold free, fair and credible elections, stamp out the scourge of corruption, etc. He was so cocksure of the positive change he announce to the world that “Zimbabwe was open for business!” And christened the era “Second Republic!”
Sadly, two years down the line, 15 November is the second anniversary of the November 2017 coup, it is now clear that Zimbabwe is still a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent, vote rigging and murderous thugs. The country still on its dangerous trajectory of political, social and economic decline. Nothing has changed because Mnangagwa, forget all his empty rhetoric, has not changed!
“President Mnangagwa has hailed political parties that have joined the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD) for bringing sound Governance ideas, saying those who shun dialogue should wait for the next election in 2023. He said unity of purpose among Zimbabweans and political parties was central to the development of the country,” reported The Chronicle.
For the umpteenth time Mr Mnangagwa; the primary purpose of the opposition in a healthy and functioning democracy is to hold the ruling party to account. Zanu PF has 2/3 majority in parliament and senate, more than enough to allow the party to implement its policies.
Mnangagwa’s own “Zimbabwe is open for business!” mantra is long died in the water.
Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, came up with his Transitional Stabilisation Programme super confident IMF, WB and other international institutions will bankroll the programme. He has failed to get even one dollar from any of them.
Zanu PF rigged last year’s elections and was confident the party would go on to rig economic recovery too. Well, that has not happed.
Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies must accept they have run out of ideas as to what to do to revive the country’s economy. And stop rigging elections to impose themselves on a nation desperate for regime change.
Mnangagwa is calling on everyone to join POLAD not because he is interested in any of the “sound governance ideas”. If that was so then why has refused to listen to voices of those who have been calling for democratic change all these last 40 years!
"We said all parties should come on the table for dialogue," said President Mnangagwa.
"Takati vose huyai. There are some who did not come on the table for the dialogue. Most parties have come on board and we discuss with them on how we can move forward.”
Rubbish! Other than Nelson Chamisa and one or two others, most of the other 23 presidential candidates have joined POLAD. What sound governance ideas have been proposed?
It is now nearly a year since POLAD was launched with the usual fanfare, glitz and ‘epoch moment” promises. The opposition leaders who joined POLAD have received their ruling elite membership cards and been enjoying the spoils of power. They have all been singing songs of praise of Mnangagwa.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe’s economic decline has taken a turn for the worse; the government has just fired doctors, the coup de grace to the country’s health care; and not even one of the POLAD participant said a word. “Vara muromo!” (Mnangagwa bribed them into stone silence!)
With unemployment a nauseating 90%, country’s health care dead, 3/4 living on US$30 or less a month, etc. it is clear Zimbabwe is a failed state and is now standing at the very edge of the precipitous abyss. If the country does not change course immediate it is certain to become another Libya or Syria.
It is clear Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF junta are incapable of bring about any meaningful change because they lack common sense much less the more luminary wisdom and vision. Mnangagwa et al must step down to allow the country to implement the democratic reforms and allow the nation to finally hold free, fair and credible elections and open the flood gates for democratic change, real change.
Police yesterday banned an MDC rally that was set to be held in Mabvuku, Harare, resulting in the opposition party vowing not to notify the law enforcement agency of future activities.
ReplyDeleteThis is on the backdrop of a series of MDC political activities that have been banned across the country by the police amid concerns that President Emmerson Mnangagwa's so-called Second republic is becoming more repressive at it totters under the weight of an imploding economy.
MDC is totally ineffective because this is a dysfunctional government. MDC should have never participated in flawed elections and they did so out of greed. The nation should not be punished for MDC greed.
Zanu PF has proven beyond all reasonable doubt that the party has no clue what it is doing, the only reason the party has remained in power all these last 39 years is because it rigs elections. Zimbabweans have been very slow off the mark in stopping Zanu PF rigging elections.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 2008 to 2013 GNU the country had its best chance ever to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. All MDC had to do then was implement the democratic reforms agreed in the Global Political Agreement. Again, Zimbabweans have been slow off the mark is realising that MDC is now running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.