There are three questions anyone serious about getting
Zimbabwe out of this economic and political mess must asked oneself, a CCC
supporter and, most important of all, any CCC leaders including Nelson Chamisa
himself.
(It is utterly pointless asking a Zanu PF supporter or
leader because neither of them are serious about getting Zimbabwe out of the
mess. They are the ones who dragged the nation into the mess by imposing the
corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship and have no intention of
dismantling it because they are benefiting from it.)
1)
Were the 2018 elections free, fair and credible?
2)
Why did the nation participate in the 2018
elections if people knew the process was not going to be free, fair and
credible?
3)
What has been done to stop 2023 being rigged
too?
Insanity is repeating the same
thing over and over again and expect a different result. After 42 years of
rigged elections we, in Zimbabwe, must not go into the 2023 elections expecting
the process to be free, fair and credible when we have done nothing to stop
Zanu PF rigging the elections for the umpteenth time!
One sure way to cure ourselves of
the insanity of participating in these flawed elections, we pretend they are free
and fair only to complain they were rigged when the results are out, is to bite
the bullet and answer these questions truthfully. The consequences of yet
another rigged election is five more years of this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu
PF dictatorship – that reality should help concentrate the minds!
1)
Were the 2018 elections free, fair and credible?
The 2008 elections were the watershed
elections in that Zanu PF blatantly cheated in whittling down Tsvangirai’s 73%
in the March vote to 47% to force a runoff. In the runoff the party then used
wanton violence to punish the electorate for having rejected the party in the
March vote. Tsvangirai was forced to withdraw from the runoff leaving Mugabe to
win the one-horse race by 84%.
Both SADC and AU, the regional body and the
continental body, refused to endorse Zanu PF election victory and thus denying
the party political legitimacy. A first, given both bodies had always turned a
blind eye to Zanu PF rigged elections in the past.
SADC forced Mugabe and Zanu PF to agree to
the implementation of democratic reforms designed to restore the induvial freedoms
and rights including the right to free and fair elections; thus, stopping Zanu
PF rigging elections. The 2008 to 2013 GNU, comprising Zanu PF and the two MDC
factions, was tasked to implement the reforms.
Sadly, not even one meaningful reform was
implemented in five years. Not even one. Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the
trappings of power and, with their snouts in the feeding trough, they forgot
about the reforms.
And so, at the end of the GNU Zanu PF
retained all its dictatorial powers including the carte blanche powers to cheat
and use violence to rig elections. The party rigged the 2013 and all elections
thereafter including the 2018 or be it the party has been very careful to
conceal evidence of the rigging.
Therefore, the short answer to the question,
is no the 2018 elections were not free and fair.
2)
Why did the nation participate in the 2018
elections if people knew the process was not going to be free, fair and
credible?
There was no denying that Zanu PF rigged
the 2013 elections, this was to be expected given no reforms to stop the
rigging were implemented during the GNU. It was a certainty Zanu PF was going
to rig the 2018 elections too since not even one token reform was implemented after
2013.
The few ordinary CCC supporters who understood
the need for reforms would argue they participated in the 2018 elections with
no reforms because they believed Chamisa’s claim the party “had stringent
measures to stop Zanu PF rigging the elections!” It was all hot air, of course.
The overwhelming majority of the members are naïve and gullible; they always
follow blindly like sheep to the slaughter.
If the CCC leaders being honest, then they
will admit they participated in the 2018 elections knowing fully well Zanu PF
was rigging and that by participating they would give the regime legitimacy for
the same reasons they did not implement any reforms during the GNU –
incompetence and greed.
3)
What has been done to stop Zanu PF rigging the 2023
elections too?
Nothing!
Chamisa’s winning in rigged election
strategies such as the mass voter registration are just hot air. By 30 May
2022, CCC registered ¼ million or 4% of its own set target of 6 million!
Zanu PF is rigging these elections and, by
participating, CCC will help give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy
train seats Zanu PF is giving away to entice the opposition’s participation.
There is very little anyone can do to stop Zanu PF rigging
these elections or stop CCC leaders and their gullible supporters participating
in the flawed elections.
The one thing people can do is expose the election process
for what it is – a farce and mockery. How can the election be free and fair
when there is not even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, for Pete’s
sake!
Pressure must be brought to bear on SADC; especially those
member countries like SA, Zambia and Botswana that have successfully held free
and fair elections; not to grant Zanu PF legitimacy after rigging 2023
elections.
Ending the insanity of participating in rigged elections
only to perpetuate the Zanu PF dictatorship is the holy grail for all the
crusaders fighting in Zimbabwe.
Zanu PF rigged the 2013 elections because not even one democratic reform was implemented during the GNU. The party, once again, rigged the 2018 elections because no reform was implemented although the opposition had vowed "No reform, no elections!"
ReplyDeleteThe elections have all ended up with Zanu PF claiming landslide victory and, thanks to the opposition’s participation, legitimacy. It is the ordinary Zimbabweans who have paid dearly for the folly since the rigged elections meant the nation was stuck with the corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.
Right now, CCC, the main opposition, is sending two contradictory messages. It is half-heartedly calling for reforms whilst posturing that it is going to win 2023 because its winning in rigged elections (WIRE) strategies are working. I totally agree with you, all these WIRE strategies are just hot air!
After 42 years of rigged elections and with the nation on the edge of total collapse; Zimbabwe cannot afford to be pushed over the edge by yet another rigged elections, with the opposition complaining of stolen elections and shedding buckets of crocodile tears. Zanu PF MUST be denied legitimacy, no if no but!
@ Mwonzora
ReplyDeleteWhat are you wittering about; "key reforms will come about through dialogue!"
MDC had the golden opportunity during the 2008 to 2013 GNU to implement the reforms. Any individual MP or senator could submit reform proposal in parliament and the house was obliged to debate the proposal under the terms of the GNU. Not even one reform proposal was tabled in five years.
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good life, they will never rock the boat!) bragged Zanu PF cronies when asked why MDC was dragging its feet on implementing reforms.
Of course, Mwonzora, Chamisa, Biti, Coltart and all the other MDC leaders in the GNU sold out big time by failing to implement even one reform during the GNU when the nation had its best chance even to end the cursed Zanu PF dictatorship. They have compounded the problem by insisting on participating in flawed elections for the sake of a few gravy train seats offered as bait and give Zanu PF legitimacy.
Mnangagwa has rewarded those who fail to win the few gravy train seats by creating POLAD. The condition for joining POLAD is one must the elections were free and fair and that Mnangagwa is legitimate. And so POLAD can dialogue over anything else except reforms to ensure free and fair elections because all the parties agreed the election were free and fair.
Mwonzora is using dialogue as an excuse for joining POLAD, just like Chamisa is using his many idiotic winning in rigged election strategies to justify CCC ‘s continued participation in these flawed elections. Like all the other MDC leaders, they have given up on reforms and free elections they will not admit it for selfish reasons of keeping up appearances.
"Mnangagwa stole power from his elder. Mugabe died a bitter man after power was grabbed from him. Chasing away your elders is taboo. This is why you see Mnangagwa struggling to rule the country because he angered his elder (Mugabe). Ini ndakasirwa naSave [Tsvangirai chose me to lead]," Chamisa told his supporters.
ReplyDeleteWhat a hypocrite! As soon as it was clear the Mnangagwa faction had successfully staged the November 2017 military and it was safe to do so MDC leaders came out of the tortoise shells in support of the coup. Morgan Tsvangirai left his SA hospital bed in a huff at the prospect of a new power sharing arrangement. MDC leaders only started to condemn the coup when Mnangagwa and company reneged on the power sharing!
Implementing the democratic reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU would have angered Mugabe for sure, but that was not the reason MDC leaders failed to implement even one reform in five years! It was because they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent.
Zanu PF is blatantly rigging the 2023 elections and CCC is participating out of greed only to give the regime legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and the suffering of the people.
Chamisa and co are once again selling out the nation to Zanu PF for 30 pieces of silver. This treasonous insanity must be stopped!
The Zim War Veterans' spokesperson Douglas Mahiya said, "we would like to remind the British and the incoming King of the British that it's not necessary for them to continue using weapons of mass destruction sanctions against Zimbabweans because it is evil."
ReplyDeleteA Zimbabwe pressure group, the Citizens Against Economic Sanctions, says the restrictions have damaged the country's economy.
Mahiya, if you still don’t know that Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown is caused by rampant corruption and the nation’s failure to hold free and fair elections then you real are just an empty head making a lot of noise!
It is very disappointing that as a nation Zimbabweans have wasted decades now fighting this Zanu PF regime for their basic freedoms and rights including the right to have a meaningful say in the governance of the country. If Zimbabwe was not a pariah state ruled by corrupt incompetent and murderous thugs who have retained power by rigging elections; the country would not be in such an economic and political mess.
Th sanctions are just one of the tools in our fight for rule of law and democratic reforms – something an empty head like Mahiya has no clue what we are talking about. Still, the sanction must stay!
@ Mbofana
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with being perceived as an unredeemable idiot, incapable of fathoming even the most basic principles, in my formative education years - having moved to a 'white school' in 1982 (as a nine-year-old grade three pupil), which meant that my English was not the sharpest in the drawer.
That to me, was blatant racism, racial segregation and discrimination.
Of course, there were those who went through far worse - having endured the most egregious, barbaric and harrowing treatment solely based on the colour of their skin.
Nonetheless, there are incidents in this world that can never, and should never - no matter how creative we may try to spin them - be packaged as racism.
Surely, where does one derive the audacity to perceive racism - in the midst of over a hundred heads of states and governments from all corners of the globe, and of all races - gathered at a funeral, and made to travel by bus, in order to smoothen logistical headaches?
Why do we, as Africans, appear obsessed with searching for racism where it is not even present?
Is always been regarded as victims of unjust treatment a source of some depraved gratification - which provides us desperately craved attention and pity?
Or, a shameful attempt at seeking relevance and a sense of revolution, in an era where some pseudo 'Pan-Africanists' are under threat of becoming obsolete - as they fail to adapt and find their place in a post-slavery, post-colonial dispensation?
Admittedly, there are some battles that still need to be fought against racism and racial segregation in today's world - as we witnessed over the past years with the 'Black Lives Matter' movement in the US, and in parts of Europe, more visible in the sports and entertainment industry, and in far right politics.
Nevertheless, it becomes an insult and extremely absurd when we try to find racism where there is none.
In Zanu PF we have a regime obsessed about appearance even at the cost of substance and it was none other than Robert Mugabe himself who started it all. In an interview with Trevor Ncube Dr Simba Makoni revealed how Mugabe replaced his ministers and deputy ministers’ Peugeot cars, inherited from Smith with Mercedes Benz limos a few weeks after being sworn in as the new government. The expenditure had not been budgeted for, cabinet had not even heard about it and, needless to say, this was one of many extravagant expenditures the nation could ill afford.
Anyone who dared to criticise Mugabe for his handling of the economy, was subjected to a relentless attack from the regime public media, operatives and propagandists. If the critic was white. Mugabe would even manufacture a crisis to suit his needs as happened with the fight with the British government to be used as cover for the seizure of white own farms and the barbarism against his opposition.
I totally agree that Zanu PF has made mountain out of a molehill that the black leaders attending the late Queen’s funeral were asked to travelling a bus. The regime’s spin doctors need such stories to prop up their narrative blaming the British for all the nation’s problems. The regime is known for spending huge amounts of money on PR firm to spruce up its public image even at the expense of collapsed health service. This is nightmare!
“It is unfortunate that this year's edition of the International Day of Peace comes at a time when Zimbabwe has continued to slide down the Global Peace Index, being placed number 127 in the world and number 31 out of 44 nations in sub-Saharan Africa.
ReplyDelete"In 2017, when President Mnangagwa took over power, Zimbabwe was on number 118, and since then, the country's peace ratings have continued to retreat.
"This trend has been largely attributed to the government's failure to effectively tackle the scourge of political violence, which is itself the result of a country that is always seemingly in ‘election mode'.
"Political polarisation seems to have split the country into two irreconcilable political camps, fanned by political leaders and cascading into the communities and virtually all facets of life. This political polarisation remains the greatest threat to peace in Zimbabwe."
Zimbabwe had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms and thus dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship at the heart of this economic mess and political paralysis during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. It is bad enough that we failed to implement even one reform in five years but, worse still, many Zimbabwe have now even now with the benefit of hindsight what the democratic reforms are much less that the GNU was the chance to implement them.
It is not surprising then that many people view Chamisa and his CCC friends as the nation’s best hope to get them out of this mess because they don’t know Chamisa and company are the ones who sold out by failing to implement the reforms. Chamisa and co have given up the fight for reforms and free elections for a share of the spoils of power which is why CCC has been participating in these elections knowing fully well that Zanu was rigging the elections.
It is very sad that the people of Zimbabwe continue to place their trust in CCC to deliver change, a party that has given up hope on delivering any reforms. Ignorance is a curse worse than death especially when the ignorance is self-inflicted – there is no excuse why many Zimbabweans cannot name even one democratic reform! They have been parroting “Change! Change!” for the last two decades for Pete’s sake!
LEGISLATORS stood their ground in Parliament this week, firmly rejecting what they saw as a bid by Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to use the Senate to backtrack on a commitment to increase the tax-free salary threshold to ZW$900,000.
ReplyDeleteEarlier this month, and after several hours of debate in the Lower Chamber, Prof Ncube agreed the compromise figure after MPs had initially demanded $1.2 million to help cushion working people against runaway inflation.
However, MPs were this Tuesday outraged when the Finance Bill was returned by the Senate with an amendment that would reduce the threshold to ZW$750,000
The country is losing a staggering US$1.2 billion a year to gold smugglers alone and the wholesale looting has been going on for decades now. Inflation is once again soaring, one of the worst in the whole world! Instead of parliament taking decisive action to end the economic rot, the MPs are making a big song and dance over whether someone earning an additional ZW$150 000 or US$200 which by the end of the year will be worth US$2 given the country’s runaway inflation, should pay tax or not!
Meanwhile we have African leaders going all the way to the UNGA to talk about lifting sanctions on Zimbabwe when what we need is free and fair elections so we can finally elect competent leaders!
Talk of our leaders being penny wise but pound foolish; this sure takes the biscuit! We are in serious trouble!
The new census numbers were released in July, and they show a Zimbabwe continuing its modest population shift from the rural and to urban, a trend that will shape parliament for the next decade. The once-a-decade battle over delimitation process is set to be a showdown over especially the 'informal settlements', as new census data showed modest growth around some of the nation's largest cities and shrinking population in many rural areas. Of the 15.1 million people in Zimbabwe, the urban population now accounts for 38, 6 percent of the population with rural areas at 61, 4 percent compared to 33 percent urban and 67 percent rural in 2012.
ReplyDeleteThe whole election process is so flawed and illegal, ZEC has failed to produce even something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, for Pete’s sake. We know Chamisa and company are participating to give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a few gravy trains seats offered by the regime as bait.
There is no purpose in discussing the delimitation or any other part of this election process because none of these processes, even if they were carried out to the letter and spirit of the law will change the reality on the ground – that |Zanu PF is rigging these elections and CCC are participating to give Zanu legitimacy out of greed!
It is sad that some people are obsessed with trivial matters! I don’t eat baboon and telling me that the baboon was slaughtered following the most strict Halal rules will not turn that baboon meat into a venison!
@ Mbofana
ReplyDeleteFirstly, it was the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa - on his state visit to the US - who was reported to have urged counterpart, Joe Biden, to lift these restrictive measures on a handful of top Zimbabwe officials and entities, fingered in human rights abuses and corruption.
Then, to follow suit, were the leaders of Namibia (Hage Geingob), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi), as well as the South African foreign affairs minister (Naledi Pandor) - as they addressed the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, US.
Before delving deeper into my discourse, I need to make one thing crystal clear.
I have been on record asserting that any form of sanctions by a country or group of countries on another or others, are not only illegal according to the dictates of international law - unless and only, if imposed by the UN Security Council - but are also a form of bullying, as coercive measures are usually a unilateral decision by the more powerful on the weaker.
In that light, it is practically unheard of, and even laughable, for these weaker nations to do likewise to stronger states that would have similarly violated their own citizens' rights, or accused of the grand looting of national resources.
The UN is a highly compromised organisation and, per se, incapable of delivering justice. Take the ongoing war in Ukraine for example, we all know that the UN Security Council will never seek to punish Russia in any way because both China and Russia will veto any such punitive actions.
The idea that no nation or group of nations should never any punitive actions against another nation outside the UN Security Council is a nonsense given the UN’s serious limitations. Of course, Ukraine has the right to defend itself and so too does the western nations whose values are being trampled by Putin.
If the west can impose sanctions on the Russian dictator for serious human rights violations, why is it illegal to impose sanctions on Zimbabwe’s corrupt and tyrannical dictators?
Black African, almost to the man. Woman and child, called for sanction against Ian Smith in the fight to end white colonial oppression. It is either hypocrisy, stupidity, or both that the same black Africans are now up in arms against sanctions imposed on this Zanu PF dictatorship.
Of course, there is black on black oppression, and it is foolish to bury our heads in the sand and pretend it is not happening especially when we are the victims ourselves!
At the UNGA 77th President of Senegal Macky Sall also talked about the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. Naledi Pandor South African Foreign Minister, Masisi of Botswana, Hichilema of Zambia and Kenyan President William Ruto also denounced unilateral coercive actions, or targeted sanctions on Zimbabwe.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the first time that UNGA has been receiving this message and why is it taking too long for the United Nations to take action on sanctions which have been there for more than twenty years?
In February 2009 the African Union in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, the 53-nation African Union called for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to "help ease the humanitarian situation" in the country but up to now nothing has materialised.
Robert Mugabe who was too vocal about the removal of sanctions died without the sanctions getting removed.
Is the United Nations committed to tackle global challenges being faced by the continent when it is struggling to solve this Zimbabwe issue?
It is none of the UN’s business to define the foreign policy of a sovereign nation should be. Many countries have imposed sanctions on Russia for invading Ukraine, a clear cut case of a bully throwing his weight, are African leaders going to call for the sanctions to be lifted too!
Many African nations supported the imposition of UN sanctions against Ian Smith in the fight to end white colonial oppression. Those were tougher sanctions and therefore cause even greater hardships on the ordinary people; they did not mind because they accepted the sacrifice was worth it.
Like it or not, Zimbabwe is fighting to end this Zanu PFD dictatorship and the sanctions are piling the pressure on the regime to accept reforms. It is ironic that these African leaders are all up in arms against the sanctions! Is it because they do not consider black on black oppression, perpetrated by a fellow black leader, as real?
Is it any wonder that Africa has remained the dark continent; we have some of the most corrupt and utterly useless leaders in the world! Of course, they know that Zanu PF is a corrupt and oppressive regime and are making complete fools of themselves supporting the regime!
I am disappointed by the deafening silence from the citizens of the nations whose leaders spoke up in support of Zanu PF. What goes round comes round, these people will wake up to find themselves under a dictatorship, one of these fine days (if it has not happened already)!
Addressing a "Thank You" rally in Chinhoyi, Chamisa said, "We want the UN to conduct the elections ...in 1980 we had that...I'm speaking to the UN, SADC & AU. Now they listen to me. If they see a call from Chamisa they rush to answer..."
ReplyDeleteHowever, Professor Moyo ploughed into Chamisa's remarks arguing that this is the opposition leader's desperate call ahead of the polls.
"It is thus not just rich but crass opportunism and crude cynicism for Nelson Chamisa within 10 months before the next election, to call for UN-supervised polls; when he has done absolutely nothing for 48 months, since the ConCourt dismissed his poll petition on 24 Aug 2018!
"Clearly, Nelson Chamsa is calling for UN-supervised polls and electoral reforms 10 months before the 2023 poll, as a desperate election manifesto, after he wasted 48 months doing zero; save to form a #CCC that still has no values, no ideology, no constitution and no structures," Moyo said.
The tragedy for Zimbabwe is that there many Zimbabweans out there who believe all these far-fetched Chamisa hen’s teeth tales. MDC was launched in 1999 for the express purpose of delivering democratic changes designed to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. The party has failed to implement even one token reform in 22 years, including 5 in the GNU. Some people even call Chamisa “Change Champion in Chief” regardless of the fact MDC has not only failed to implement reforms but has given up.
CCC is hell bent on participating in these elections knowing fully well that will give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuate the dictatorship. What a nightmare!
THE ruling Zanu-PF party has enlisted the services of touts, popularly known as mahwindi in its 2023 electoral campaign.
ReplyDeleteFears abound that the touts could be used as a youth militia against political opponents as the ruling party fights to retain power at all cost ahead of next year's polls.
In past elections, Zanu-PF has been accused of using youth militia in its campaigns, with one infamous group which was disbanded being Chipangano based in Mbare, Harare.
Chipangano was a paramilitary gang, which was first noticed in the food riots of 1997, and gained notoriety in 2000 when it fought the then newly-formed MDC. They were alleged to be in, and under the protection of Zanu-PF and reportedly financed by the late Zanu-PF legislator and former politburo member Tendai Savanhu.
As long as there are no meaningful reforms to rein in Zanu PF, the party will stop at nothing to rig and win elections. MDC/CCC failed to implement even one reforms and have claimed to have "winning in rigged elections (WIRE)" strategies as a cover for their failure and cover for their greed. These WIRE strategies are an oxymoron. Why accept rigged elections? Why don’t you implement the reforms and thus guarantee free, fair and credible elections?
Zimbabwe’s great misfortune is that there are many naïve and gullible voters out there who believe all this MDC/CCC nonsense, participate in the flawed elections and thus give SADC the excuse to give Zanu PF legitimacy!
Just finished delivering a key note address at the University of Oklahoma.
ReplyDeleteThis year’s conference brought together academics, policy makers, think tanks and civil rights groups to unpack the challenges facing the globe and interventions that can be made.
As an Alternative government led by President Nelson Chamisa we are engaged in a robust regional and international program of action to articulate how we intend to govern differently.
The people shall govern!
Zanu PF is rigging these 2023 elections just as the party has rigged other elections in the past. CCC has done absolutely nothing to stop the rigging. The party’s so called “winning in rigged election (WIRE)” flagship strategy of mass voter registration is dead in the water. As of 30 May 2022, only ¼ million new voters had registered or 4% of the 6 million CCC target.
The opposition is renowned for claiming election victory ignoring the facts on the ground telling a different story. Zimbabwe cannot afford yet another flawed election process handling Zanu PF legitimacy in a silver platter all because we failed to do the ration thing of demanding reforms before elections.
It is not only foolish but downright irresponsible to keep accepting CCC’s nonsensical claims of election victory only to justify participating in the flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy. This madness must be challenged and stopped!