In
the 2013 harmonized elections Tendai Biti was the MDC-T candidate for Mount
Pleasant, Harare constituency. On voting day, he witnessed youths being bused
in to vote; they were clearly from outside the constituency and failed name even
one Street in Mount Pleasant. The bused in youths can be seen in the video
leaving the polling station in a huff with their faces covered. They clearly
did not want to be identified.
The
video of the Mount Pleasant bused youths went viral; google “Tendai Biti
witnesses vote rigging in Zimbabwe”!
The
Mount Pleasant incident was not an isolated case, there were reports of blatant
vote rigging up and down the country especially in the rural areas. The number
of polling stations in 2013 was 9 000, an increase of 450% from 2 000 in 2008, and
the opposition did not have polling agents at many of them because they did not
even know they were there. Busing in voters and multiple voting was widespread.
Zanu
PF went on to win the usual 2/3 plus majority in parliament and the presidency.
The opposition won the remaining 1/3 or so of the seats and Tendai Biti was one
of the winners.
There
a mountain of evidence of Zanu PF’s blatant vote rigging of the 2013 elections,
many people were disappointed that MDC did not challenge the results. The success
of the court challenge depended on MDC rejecting all the local, parliamentary, and
presidential election results on the basis the whole electoral process was
flawed and illegal.
In
the video above, Tendai Biti was fuming at the blatant cheating and, no doubt,
would have challenged the result if he had lost the seat. When he realised that
he had won the Mount Pleasant seat, he, no doubt, thanked the MDC staff, ZEC
officials and his fellow electoral challengers for their professional contact
throughout the election. He had won the seat and that was all that really
mattered! He was not interested in challenging the bused in voters and other
blatant flaws and illegalities.
Indeed,
MDC leaders knew that with no meaningful reforms implemented first, Zanu PF will
rig the elections and that their participating will give Zanu PF legitimacy.
Still, they participated out of greed. They knew Zanu PF would give away a few
gravy train seats to entice the opposition to participate to maintain the
appearance these are democratic elections.
If
the truth be told and it must be told, MDC leaders had failed to implement even
one meaningful democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had the
golden opportunity to do so for the same reason they are participating in
flawed elections – greed.
The
just ended 26 March 2022 by elections once again produced a mountain of
evidence of Zanu PF blatantly cheat and using wanton violence for selfish
political gain. This was at odds with Chamisa’s claim of having strategies to
either stop Zanu PF rigging the elections and/or to win rigged elections. If
the cheating and wanton violence were repeated in the coming 2023 elections,
there is nothing to stop that happening, then Zanu PF will have yet another
landslide victory.
It
is therefore not surprising that Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends have renewed
their call for the implementation of democratic reforms before elections. Calls
Zanu PF leaders and their apologies have dismissed with contempt.
“The
abiding impression given by Chamisa’s opposition was and is that when his party
loses an electoral context, the electoral system is both unfair and rigged;
that every state organ who has a contrary opinion is captured,” argued Dr
Masimba Mavaza in Zimeye.
“There
is a grave concern about a man and his party who have no respect for state
organs; a leader and a party who are worse than sore losers and who wants the
world to believe that when they lose the whole state system must suffer
denigration. How can such a man and such a party be entrusted to run a country
and civil servants that he will not think twice of demeaning?”
Chamisa
and his MDC/CCC friends are sore losers of the worst kind, they dare not
boycott elections to demand reforms since they are the ones who wasted the
opportunity to implement reforms. So, they are participating in flawed
elections only to give Zanu PF legitimacy and when they dare complain elections
are rigged, they are ignored because everyone knows they participated out of
greed and knowing the process is flawed.
The
worst losers here are the ordinary Zimbabweans who have risked life and limb to
elect MDC leaders on the understanding they will implement the democratic
reforms and cure the nation of the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
MDC leaders got into power but sold-out; they have not only failed to implement
even one token reform but are now the ones giving Zanu PF legitimacy and perpetuating
povo’s suffering!
The
people of Zimbabwe must now wise up and realise MDC/CCC leaders have sold-out,
or the nation will never ever get out of this mess! Never ever!
Part 1of 2
ReplyDelete@ Mbofana
“For instance, in countries as the US and UK - even though, it may be a bit of a bruise on their egos, but when, let us say, the Democratic, or Labour parties lose the popular mandate, they do so relatively gracefully - emboldened by the knowledge that, should they play their campaign cards skilfully and intelligently, they will bounce back in just one or two elections
The ruling ZANU PF only enjoys "tremendous" support due to its incumbency of power!
In other words, the party is fully aware that, all those who appear loyal to its cause - from the very top, to the grassroots - are only there for the immense (or, even mediocre) benefits that accrue due to their hold on power, or proximity to the same.
That is also why, no one in ZANU PF will willingly resign, and establish their own political party to challenge the incumbent - but, would rather fight each other within the system - since being on the outside is truly "cold and lonely", as some (who have been booted out, more than leaving on their own volition) have testified.
What this then means is that, in the event that ZANU PF lost power - there will be no one left standing by the party.
Those who were there for the positions of power would leave.
Those who merely wanted the dubious tenders and business contracts would abandon ship, and try their luck with the new leaders - which is why, some of these "politically-aligned cartels" fear ZANU PF being kicked out, as not only would they lose their "benefits", but most certainly be held to account by the new government.”
Part 2 of 2
ReplyDeleteYou have, once again, hit the nail on the head! Zanu PF is scared stiff of losing power because in the present corrupt and dysfunctional political system favours the incumbent. And Chamisa is keen to keep the undemocratic system if only he can adopt it to serve him.
In a recent interview with Trevor Ncube, Dr Simba Makoni revealed how soon after independence Robert Mugabe bought a fleet of Mercedes Benz for each of his ministers to replace the Peugeot 504 Ian Smith’s ministers used. This had not been budgeted for or even discussed in cabinet, moot points every one of the ministers ignored. This was the starting gun of the now pervasive and destructive patronage system in which Mugabe ensured those around him enjoyed all the creature comforts of life at the expense of the suffering masses and, in return, they gave him their blind loyalty.
Mugabe established Joint Operation Command comprising of the top brass in the Army, Police, CIO and Prison Services, they were pampered and by 2006 they were allocated special diamond mining concessions earning millions of dollars tax-free. In return the security services were deployed to keep Zanu PF in power at all cost including breaking the law and even murder political opponents.
In the late 1990s the war veterans were becoming restless and many of them were living in poverty. Mugabe authorised the Z$50 000 plus war compensation to all war veterans, it too was unbudgeted and fired the start of hyperinflation. Ever since the war veterans have been in Zanu PF’s pockets and have again and again been used to harass, intimidate, beat and even kill the party’s opponents to keep Zanu PF in power.
During the 2008 to 2013 GNU, Mugabe bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and company with the trappings of high office and MDC failed to implement even one token reform!
If we are serious about restoring the freedoms and rights of our people and creating a healthy and functioning democracy, we must implement the reforms designed at dismantling the dictatorship and pervasive patronage system.
Nelson Chamisa is interested in dismantling the dysfunctional political system but in getting the key players to switch allegiance and work for him. He has repeatedly assured the Army, Police, etc. that they will keep their looted wealth, looting licences, etc. He is teaming up with G40 thugs like Kasukuwere; the securocrats, judges, etc. will recognise G40 members as one of their own from the bygone Zanu PF days and thus be assured their gravy train lifestyles are guaranteed.
@ Kasukuwere
ReplyDelete“When a street kid knocks you down in the street you can’t turn around and say tangatichitamba! Don’t justify anything, this signal is serious.”
When a street kid knocks you down, you know it was no accident. The chances are you have just been robbed!
Kasukuwere is a ruthless political thug, much worse than the petty street kid thief. He clearly wants to return to power either as a Zanu PF member or teaming up with Chamisa and his CCC. He will not be coming back to stamp out corruption and thuggery but to continue thuggery, looting and murder from where he left off when he was forced to run away following the 2017 military coup.
So, what serious signal is he sending?
State Media – Harare mayor Jacob Mafume has been recalled as ward 17 councillor by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after he joined Nelson Chamisa’s newly-formed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
ReplyDeleteIn a letter dated March 29, 2022, addressed to the town clerk, Local Government minister July Moyo declared the ward 17 seat vacant in terms of section 278(1) of the Constitution.
This is a circus! Mwonzora’s MDC-T still has senators, MPs and councillors only because the individuals did not want to risk losing their elected post by crossing the floor to join CCC. These elected officials have been preoccupied with how to avoid being recalled and have done nothing else of substance these last four years. No wonder the country is in a mess!
On Thursday 31 March 2022 Team Pachedu told Open Parl "Post by election analysis" that the "by election was far from free, fair and credible process! Until these flaws are addressed we are not ready for 2023 elections.
ReplyDeleteNo political party has received a verified voters roll. The opposition has made some noise on the matter but done nothing."
The by-elections that were handsomely achieved in favour of CCC must bamboozle young kids in the political play to think the elections were free and fair.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice trap! Zanu PF is not complaining that the 26th of March elections were rigged. Zanu PF accepted ZEC results, a design for the future general elections. CCC is drunk with this success, will be complacent until the harmonized elections of 2023. Like children, CCC will stop chasing ZEC for being biased in favour of the ruling party. Zanu and ZEC know what they are doing: they know too that they are dealing with adolescents in Zimbabwean politics, some excitable lot.
I totally agree with you the 26 March 2022 by election was a trap. Zanu PF carried out its usual vote rigging antic of failing to produce a verified voters’ roll, harassment, intimidation, Police disrupting CCC rallies and even killed at least three CCC supporters and on voting day it frog marched rural voters to vote for Zanu PF. The party did not need to win any of these by elections seats since it already has a working 2/3 majority, these seats were given away in 2018 as bait to entice the opposition to participate to give Zanu PF legitimacy.
The party wanting to CCC to win back the seats, and thus send the message the bait is still there for the taking. The failure to produce a verified voters’ roll, etc. were just background noise to convince CCC that the won the by elections seats regardless of the flaws and illegalities. If Chamisa and company had any hesitation in participating in the 2018 elections without reforms all those gremlins have been silenced!
Zanu PF is rigging, even as we speak, the 2023 elections and Chamisa and company participate in the flawed elections confident they will win rigged elections. No doubt, Chamisa and company will once again complain of Zanu PF rigging the elections after the event when the damage is done, and Zanu PF has what it wanted – another landslide victory and legitimacy.