The follow report, just before the Christmas break, in The Zimbabwe Independent must have caused a sharp intake of air by all Zanu PF leaders across the land. Former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki’s flying visit was NOT at the pleasure of President Mnangagwa, the paper revealed!
“SADC leaders have been talking among themselves. They are basically admitting that sanctions have an effect on the economy, but problems in Zimbabwe are not limited to sanctions and are largely of a political nature, hence their decision to nudge parties into negotiations,” a well-placed official said.
“They (SADC leaders) realised that after the (25 October) anti-sanctions march, Zimbabwe’s relations with the West had worsened, particularly with the US. During the march, US officials were constantly in touch with the SADC leaders and regional diplomats accredited to Washington telling them that despite the march, they will not lift the sanctions unless human rights violations are stopped.”
The claim that sanctions was the root cause of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown was just a mythical five-legged hare Zanu PF created to draw attention away from the real causes; the gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and the lawlessness coming from the country being a pariah state.
It was a great surprise that Mnangagwa had even managed to talk his fellow SADC leaders into believing into this five legged creature. It is nice to know that the regional leaders have come to their senses and will not waste any more time on the sanctions nonsense!
“They (Americans) encouraged SADC leaders to encourage Harare to implement proper political and economic reforms as necessary preconditions for the removal of sanctions,” continued the SADC official.
“So it is in that context that Mbeki, who is considered an elder statesman, was in the country.”
“Hold free, fair and credible elections and Zimbabwe will be free of the pariah state curse and welcomed in the commune of nations and open to do business!” the American have told Mnangagwa before July 2018 election. They have gone the extra mile to explain what would constitute free, fair and credible elections.
Old habit die hard! Mnangagwa did not even implement one token democratic reform to ensure the July 2018 elections were free, fair and credible. He did not even produce something as basic and fundamental to democratic elections as a verified voters’ roll!
The Americans, EU, Commonwealth and all the other nations, organisation and individuals with democratic credential have all dismissed the July 2018 elections as a farce. The whole process was so flawed and illegal it is nonsense that such a process can produce a legitimate result and therefore legitimate government.
This is not the first time Zimbabwe has found itself without a legitimate government after an election. This happened in 2008 after yet another flawed and illegal election process. President Mbeki and SADC leaders step in then and told Mugabe and Zanu PF the region will not recognise the regime as the legitimate government.
SADC forced Mugabe to agree to the implementation of a raft of democratic designed to stop the blatant cheating and wanton violence that had marred the 2008 elections. It is deeply regrettable that not even one of the reforms were implemented by the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Not one! And hence the reason Zanu PF was able to once again blatantly rig the 2013 and 2018 elections.
SADC leaders know that it was MDC leaders who sold-out during the GNU and failed to get even one reform implemented.
Still, if President Mbeki and SADC are serious about ending Zimbabwe’s curse of rigged elections and pariah state then they must go back to the raft of democratic reforms agreed in 2008 are make sure they are implemented.
And to be absolutely certain the reforms are implemented they have to get Zanu PF to accept that it is illegitimate and that it cannot be in the interim administration that will be tasked to implement the reforms. It was in the 2008 to 2013 GNU that failed to implement even one reform and it is naive to expect the party to do any better this time!
In Zimbabwe unemployment has soared to 90% plus, hyperinflation must be 1 000% by now, the country’s health care has all but collapsed, etc. The WFP has just stepped to feed 8 million Zimbabweans, half the population, facing starvation in a country that used to be the breadbasket of the region.
The Zanu PF government of President Mnangagwa is in denial of the economic meltdown and the tragic human suffering and deaths the country is facing.
“ED’S DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE 1. Budget deficit down 90% 2. Trade deficit down 70% 3. De-dollarisation completed, new currency introduced & stabilized. 4. Ease of doing business – Zim is up 15 positions 5. Mass Public Transport System (More will be shared)” boasted Nick Mangwana, a Zanu PF apologist.
How can Zimbabwe’s trade deficit be down 70% when the few companies still operating have just been hit hard by the country’s six months plus blanket electricity power cuts lasting 18 hours a day, for example!
Preside Thabo Mbeki is expected back in Zimbabwe before the end of January 2020. One only hopes that he now fully appreciates the seriousness of Zimbabwe’s economic situation and therefore the urgency of coming up with clear roadmap out of the mess. The economic and political stability of Zimbabwe and that of SADC is on the line. There is no time to be wasted messaging misplaced egos and appeasing vote rigging parties and their sell-out opposition acolytes!
The primary purpose of 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms to stop the blatant cheating and wanton violence that had marred the 2008 elections. Not even one reform was implemented in five years. Not one.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the blame for the failure will be placed on MDC and Zanu PF's doors, there is no doubt that SADC leaders have nothing to be proud of in the outcome.
President Mbeki was a key player in the setting up of the GNU and handed over to President Jacob Zuma. Still President Mbeki is rightly criticised for his lack of foresight in allowing Mugabe and Zanu PF so much rope knowing how feeble the MDC leaders were!
Can President Mbeki redeem himself and help solve the Zimbabwe crisis? I, for one, doubt it!