“EU turns to Zanu-PF as prospects of opposition govt
fades” screamed the headlines in Bulawayo24. Of course, every thinking
Zimbabwean out there must be disappointed the EU has given up the fight end the
Zanu PF dictatorship article. The re-engagement is taking place on the ever of
the 2023 elections which Zanu PF was rigging and will therefore take the EU’s
willingness to do business regardless of the regime’s failure to hold free and
fair elections as a green light to rig 2023 elections!
"Particularly noteworthy is the remarkable diplomatic
warmth now between us and the European Union (EU), achieved in so short a time
(since the 2017 military coup),” the article quoted Mnangagwa’s letter in The
Sunday Mail.
"Only last week, the EU bloc launched its ‘Team Europe', a new rubric
under which the 27 countries comprising the bloc will coordinate and
consolidate relations with us, this time through Government, and in line with,
and in support of our priorities under Government's National Development
Strategy 1 (NDS1).
"This is the first time that the EU has disbursed directly to Zimbabwe
through structures of our Government.
"All along, relations were being conducted asymmetrically and
unconventionally through non-governmental organisations.”
This very disappointing but comes as no surprise to any
thinking Zimbabwean out there. Lest the EU has forgotten the sanctions were
imposed on the Zanu PF regime for failing to hold free and fair elections. The
regime has failed to hold free elections as the 2018 elections showed. The 246 man-strong
EU Election Observer Mission condemned Zimbabwe’s 2018 elections.
“Notably, major shortcomings in the pre-election environment
impacted on the free expression of the will of electors, state resources were
misused in favour of the incumbent and coverage by state media was heavily
biased in favour of the ruling party,” reads the EU Mission final report.
“Further, the electoral commission lacked full independence
and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as
announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked
adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability. Finally, the
restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security
forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the
corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign.
“As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe
failed to meet international standards.”
The MEU mission made 23 recommendations the Zanu PF regime
was asked to implement to bring Zimbabwe’s elections to accepted international
standards. Not even one of the recommendations has been implemented. Not one!
The last thing for anyone to do is to ease pressure on this Zanu
PF regime to hold free and fair elections. And yet that is exactly what the EU
is doing; first by lifting the economic sanctions imposed on the regime and now
by normalising relationship with the regime. No wonder President Mnangagwa is
over the moon about it!
The timing for the EU to be welcoming the Zanu PF regime
could not have been worse than doing on the eve of fresh elections which we
already know Zanu PF is rigging already. There is overwhelming evidence that Zanu
PF is rigging the upcoming 2023 elections; failure to implement even one EU reform
recommendation, no verified voters’ roll, soaring cases of Zanu PF political
violence, etc.
The EU decision to re-engage with the Zanu PF regime can
only one thing, the EU has given up the fight to force Zanu PF to dismantle the
corrupt and tyrannical one-party dictatorship because they realise the
dismantling will have to be done by Zimbabwe’s opposition and not outsiders. The
West imposed the sanctions 20 years ago and the local opposition has failed to
implement even one reform in that period.
Like it or not the MDC/CCC has proven beyond all doubt that
they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. The late Morgan Tsvangirai and
his MDEC friends had the golden opportunity to implement democratic reforms and
end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and they wasted it. And
ever since the GNU debacle MDC/CCC have participated in flawed elections,
ignoring the SADC, EU and others’ advice to implement reforms first, to give
Zanu PF legitimacy.
By re-engaging with the vote rigging Zanu PF regime the EU is simply acknowledging a political reality – that there is no competent opposition in Zimbabwe push through democratic changes in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF regime and the EU might as well accept that reality and normalize its relationship with Zanu PF.
Zimbabweans used to pride themselves as one of the most literate nations in Africa. “Taitsvanga mvura.” (We chewed water, literally!) as one would say in Shona. How the mighty have fallen!
ReplyDeleteWe did indeed get our golden chance to implement the democratic reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. Sadly, Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends failed to implement even one reform in five years. Worse still, instead of acknowledging their betrayal, MDC leaders had the chutzpah to blame SADC for the GNU’s failure to deliver any change. No wonder SADC leaders washed their hands, Pontius Pilate style.
And now the EU too has join SADC and given up on Zimbabweans having the common sense to end the Zanu PF dictatorship even after they are given the golden opportunity to do so. Only the naïve and gullible would deny Chamisa and his CCC are corrupt, breathtakingly incompetent and utterly useless!
Of course, we have only ourselves to blame for this political and economic mess. We are one of the most literate and yet don’t even have the common sense to stop this Zanu PF and CCC insanity for 42 years and counting!
OPPOSITION Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday blasted legislators from his party for accepting a US$40 000 loan facilities from Parliament.
ReplyDeleteGovernment has offered a US$40 000 housing loan to each sitting Member of Parliament (MP), US$500 000 for individual ministers and US$350 000 for their deputies.
Venting his displeasure on Twitter, Chamisa said accepting the loans was "morally and ethically wrong" when the majority of the country's citizens were wallowing in abject poverty.
"In any public office, any decision that prioritises self over the served is morally wrong, especially in a context where poverty pervades with citizens so hard-pressed and in circumstances of lack! Wrong leaders usually have wrong priorities," Chamisa tweeted.
"The role of a government is to address citizens' most urgent and pertinent needs. When this is abandoned, such a government merits replacement. Any government that prioritises ‘chefs' over citizens is not fit for the purpose. #CitizensFirst. No public funds can ever be received or transacted silently. Accountability must always be full!"
Last month, Chamisa claimed that Zanu-PF was bribing his lieutenants to destabilise the party ahead of the 2023 elections.
He later told NewsDay that some of his members were "vulnerable" to the "harsh" economic conditions, hence they could be easily bribed to abandon the party.
"Anything that is valuable is bound to be betrayed or sold out. Economic circumstances are not for the lily-livered and the weak-kneed. Some are very sensitive to poverty and this economic environment has been very harsh," Chamisa said.
"Some would go for farms, nice cars, cattle, (and) coupons, while others will betray their birth-right for a mere bowl of soup. What is the birth-right? Freedom, democracy, success and prosperity, transformation of our country, good governance, citizen dignity — they will surrender those for their personal benefits. But we learn from the best. (The late MDC leader) Morgan Tsvangirai never betrayed Zimbabwe."
Although all representatives, including Zanu-PF and MDC-T MPs, accepted the loans, CCC legislators have suffered severe backlash from critics who accused them of failing to act in the public interest.
This is nonsense from Chamisa. Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the generous salaries and allowances, ministerial limos, a US$4m mansion for Morgan Tsvangirai, etc. And in return, MDC forgot all about implementing the democratic reforms. Not even the constant nagging by SADC leaders would get MDC to implement even one reform.
Ever since the 2008 to 2013 debacle Chamisa and his friends have participated in these flawed elections for the sole purpose of winning the few gravy train seats Zanu PF offered as bait giving Zanu PF legitimacy. It is nonsensical that Chamisa should now expect his MPs to to refuse the very bribes they have all been after.
Zimbabwe is stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship because MDC/CCC sold out on reforms and free elections. It is a great pity that the majority of ordinary Zimbabweans have no clue what reforms are much less that MDC/CCC are selling out.
Everyone knows that these loans are free money because few ever repay the money in full if at all.
“Tsvangirai never betrayed Zimbabwe!” Yeah right. Name just one reform that MDC has delivered in 22 years; just one!
@ Mbofana
ReplyDelete”Truly speaking, I do not see any change in Zimbabwe's political status quo taking place any time in the foreseeable future.
As long as we have an opposition that actually believes ZANU PF will allow them to rule Zimbabwe, we are not going anywhere.”
The opposition had their golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms and end Zanu PF’s cart blanche dictatorial powers during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They failed to implement even one reform because they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. As soon as Mugabe signed the Global Political Agreement committing his party to the implementation of the democratic reforms, he started implementing his more sinister plan.
He bribed MDC leaders with all the trappings of high office, the generous salaries and allowances, limos for the ministers, a US$4 m mansion for Tsvangirai, etc. They took the bait and were convinced they were not lifetime members of Zimbabwe’s ruling elite and, of course, they did not want to implement the democratic reforms curtailing the ruling class’s privileges now that they had been initiated into ruling class.
“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to enjoy the gravy train good life; they will never rock the boat!) boasted Zanu PF cronies during the GNU when asked why MDC leaders were not implementing the reforms.
With not even a token reform implemented Zanu PF survived the GNU unscathed, it can blatantly rig the elections to secure majority in both chamber and the presidency. The party has been careful to allow the opposition to win a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate to get legitimacy. Mnangagwa has created POLAD to reward the losing candidates, offered US$40 000 loan to all MPs, etc.; to wett the opposition’s appetites and guarantee their participation no matter how flawed and illegal the process got!
Of course the opposition know they will never win elections in which Zanu PF has carte blanche powers to rig, where getting 73% is not good enough. They know they need reforms but that it too much hard work and so they hade settled for the few gravy train seats Zanu PF gives away to keep up the appearances Zimbabwe is a healthy and functioning multi-party democracy.
SADC gave up all hope of ending the Zanu PF dictatorship when MDC sold out during the GNU. And now the EU is doing the same after 20 years of sanctions and pushing to reforms only to be undermined at every turn by MDC/CCC.
And so as long as we have an opposition that has given up on reforms and content to give Zanu PF legitimacy for a share of the spoils of power, we are not going anywhere, to paraphrase you.
@ Mliswa
ReplyDelete“During the GNU sekuru vangu @nelsonchamisa, together with other Ministers, received two vehicles which they later owned at a book value. If he was to be sincere, he should actually support us getting these loans because he accepted the same too at some point.”
I have often said you talk too much and most of it is rubbish. You are right is saying Chamisa is being a hypocrite in condemning the opposition MPs in joining their Zanu PF counterparts in receiving the US$40 000 house loans.
Of course, Chamisa and his MDC friends received the two vehicles, the very generous salaries and allowances, a US$4 million mansion for Tsvangirai, plus a lot more besides during the GNU – bribes to make them kick the democratic reforms into the tall grass. And the bribes worked; MDC failed to implement even one reform in five years.
Ever since the GNU debacle, MDC/CCC and independent candidates like you Themba have participated in the flawed elections knowing doing so will give Zanu legitimacy but did regardless because you are after the few gravy train seats Zanu is offering as a bribe.
It is nonsensical to expect those few who win the gravy train seats to then refuse some of the gravy train benefit especially when the real political damage was done by participating in the flawed elections. Or worse still by failing to implement reforms!
You can expect Chamisa to “support” you this looting but do not expect povo to join in that! There is nothing you lot are going in parliament other than giving Zanu PF legitimacy and getting your share of the loot. But you are just a Zanu PF thug turning independent thug, you don’t care about freedom and the suffering of others, never did.
The very fact that there are some people you considers you a "hero", a thug like you a hero, goes to show just how shallow thick and slow they are. This twitter should help open their eyes!