Nelson Chamisa met former South African president Thabo Mbeki and this is what he had to say:
"We want dialogue that is meaningful, where the political will to change for the benefit of Zimbabweans outweighs political expediency. Dialogue must deliver true change and real reforms. When we shake hands let us be agreeing to truly walk in the same direction, a new direction.
"Democracy can't exist without a true commitment to happiness, freedom and peace. Our political impasse cannot continue. We stand firm on the principle that none but ourselves can bring about the true change we need. Real issues affecting us all must be at the heart of any dialogue.”
Former President Mbeki has gone to meet many of the other opposition leaders who have already acknowledge Mnangagwa and the Zanu PF regime as the legitimate winners of last year’s elections; a sign Mbeki is in the country to talk MDC to join POLAD.
There is nothing in Chamisa’s twitter to suggest Mbeki will take the Zanu PF bull by the horns and tell the regime it is illegitimate and must step down. Nothing!
By blatantly rigging last year’s elections, failing to stamp out corruption, shooting innocent protestors, etc. President Mnangagwa confirmed that Zimbabwe was still a pariah state. All his wittering about the November 2017 coup delivering a new democratic dispensation is all just hot air!
As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state there will be no meaningful economic recovery.
The claim by Nelson Chamisa that his proposed dialogue and shaking hands with Mnangagwa will be enough to revive the economy is just another blast of hot air. The inclusion of a few MDC leaders in the Zanu PF cabinet will not change the fact that this regime rigged last year’s elections and hence change the country’s pariah state status.
No one will be fooled by the addition of a few MDC leaders into this Mnangagwa regime; just as no one was fooled by the inclusion of Professor Mthuli Ncube, Kirsty Coventry, etc. into the cabinet. The new administration will be a Zanu PF dictatorship in all but name.
All Chamisa is after is a chance to be minister and get back on the gravy train. MDC had no vision to share during the 2008 GNU and it has no vision now.
It is clear, President Mbeki is pushing for a new Zanu PF and MDC GNU. The two parties failed to get any meaningful democratic reforms implemented during the 2008 GNU they will do no better now.
Zimbabwe’s economic crisis is dire; unemployment has remained at 90% ever since the hyperinflation years of 2004 to 2008; 90% of the population are poor with 34% now classified as extreme poverty according to a recent WB report; country’s health care has all but collapsed; etc. The country needs a working solution to end the crippling economic meltdown and it is so, so disappointing that all we will get is yet another political gimmick.
SADC had the chance to redeem itself for failing to get the Zimbabwe crisis resolved during the 2008 GNU. It is clear President Mbeki’s proposed solution of giving power to Zanu PF will never works and the chance is, once again, being wasted. Thanks for nothing President Mbeki!
Zanu PF is the one that got us into this mess, they undermined and/or destroyed the democratic institutions for the sole and selfish purpose of creating a de facto one party dictatorship. After 39 years of expecting Zanu PF to reform itself, it is insane to continue to hope against hope that it will.
ReplyDelete"If elections fail we will try other means necessary!" declared Matemadanda at the just ended Zanu PF conference to the thunderous approval of the party members.
Allowing Zanu PF to rig elections was foolish enough but letting the regime get away with it time and time again is down right insane. There is no one more blind than he who close their eyes and minds to the truth and reality. What is truly shocking is that even now with the country standing on the very edge of the abyss because of the nation's 40 years of folly, they are still some who still refuse to open their eyes!
Nations get the government they deserve, of course we deserve this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship complete with its entourage of corrupt and utterly useless opposition parties. And we deserve to take the last into the abyss - hundreds are dying everyday of curable diseases!
It is becoming increasingly clear that President Mbeki is pushing a Zanu PF agenda rather than what is good for Zimbabwe. He wants Zanu PF confirmed as the legitimate government and for the party to be in the driving seat going forward. Zimbabwe is in this mess precisely because the country has been stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship that rigged elections to stay in power.
ReplyDeleteWhat is good for Zanu PF is to have its illegitimate status changed to legitimate and its iron grip on power secure not only for now but going into the 2023 elections by leaving the party in charge. The party will see to it that there are no meaningful reforms implemented.
What Zimbabwe needs desperately is to break this cycle of Zanu PF rigging elections and staying in power to make sure no meaningful reforms are implemented and so the party is able to rig the next election to start a new cycle.
Making sure that Zanu PF steps down so the reforms can be implemented and thus finally end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance is THE HOLY GRAIL of Zimbabwe politics. No stone should be left unturned to make sure Zanu PF steps down and the reforms are implemented! Nothing else matters, nothing!