Zanu PF stall: Readmit Zimbabwe into Commonwealth before
2023 elections and lift the sanctions soon thereafter.
The number one priority to Zanu PF is to retain its iron
grip on political power at all costs. Four decades of gross mismanagement, rampant
corruption and lawlessness have left the country in economic ruins and a failed
pariah state.
Millions of ordinary Zimbabweans are living in abject
poverty, basic services such as health care and education have collapsed; the
people are so desperate for change they would vote for a donkey if the
alternative was to vote for Zanu PF. And so, to retain its grip on power Zanu
PF has no choice but to rig the 2023 elections!
Robert Mugabe weather the storm of the 2008 to 2013 GNU without
getting even one token democratic reform implemented thanks to the breath-taking
incompetence of Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC banded mongooses! Mnangagwa is
hoping he too can pull-off a major diplomatic coup by getting Zimbabwe to be
readmitted into the Commonwealth without the regime giving up any of its carte
blanche dictatorial powers over which it was booted out in the first place.
Zanu PF has its own explanation why Zimbabwe’s application
for re-admission into the club is being held up – sanctions. But of course –
the regime has blamed everything else that has gone wrong on sanctions, so why not
it being booted out of the Commonwealth!
"Our problem with re-admission should be coming from those countries which
imposed sanctions against us and who are members of the club.
"They have to decide whether they want to lift the sanctions, if they
agreed to have us re-admitted it would follow that they will lift sanctions. We
think that is where the problem may be."
The so-called Second Republic promised to hold free and fair elections in 2018
but refused to implement even one token reform and went on to blatantly rig
those election. The Commonwealth had a team of election observers who would have
recommended readmission if the regime had kept its promise.
Zanu PF has not implemented even one token reform since 2018
and is it is rigging the 2023 elections right now. The regime has failed to produce
something as basic as a verified voters’ roll, for example.
If Zimbabwe was readmitted into the Commonwealth ahead of
the 2023 elections; the Commonwealth will, at worst, express its disappointment
with some elections irregularities but still endorse the rigged elections granting
Zanu PF legitimacy. The last thing the Commonwealth will want to do is readmit
Zimbabwe and a few months down the line kick the country out again,
particularly over issues the organisation was aware of all along!
Of course, if Zanu PF is readmitted into the Commonwealth
the regime will redouble its efforts to have the sanctions lifted. The regime
will take the lifting of the sanction as proof of the party’s principled stand and
claim that the country’s economic development will now finally take-off. Meanwhile
the party will continue to use its dictatorial powers to silence its opponents,
critics and the voiceless masses.
If Zanu PF is readmitted into the Commonwealth our fight for
liberty, human rights and dignity will be that much harder if not impossible.
It is therefore incumbent on us, all thinking Zimbabweans, to fight for our
liberty and the fight starts right here and now – fight to stop Zanu PF being
readmitted into the Commonwealth!
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a
little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety,” a Benjamin
Franklin truism!
These who have callously failed to defend their liberty have
not only lost their liberty but the economic rights too! If you have ever
wondered why Zimbabwe is in this seemingly bottomless pit: now you know!
EXILED former cabinet ministers Professor Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao have issued a public apology for their role in the ‘Zanu-PF Must Go' (#ZanuPFMustGo) hashtag campaign which followed 2017's violent ouster of then President Robert Mugabe and his government through a military coup.
ReplyDeleteMoyo and his colleagues in Zanu-PF's so-called G40 group barely escaped with their lives as their Harare homes were attacked by the military on that fateful November 15 night. They have been living in exiled since.
In an open letter to "Zanu-PF members" published in full below, Prof Moyo and Zhuwao said "it is our considered judgment that we owe you a long overdue apology for having used the hashtag and for having associated ourselves with it, in the first place.
"Accordingly, and on this day of 15 November 2022, we hereby apologise to all of you Comrades most sincerely and with profound regret for our wrong use of – and ill-advised association with – the hashtag ‘Zanu-PF Must Go' (#ZanuPFMustGo)."
They added; "… we supported Nelson Chamisa in the 2018 and well after that but we did not at any time in that process ever seek to join his then MDC-A or his new CCC.
"We hoped in vain that Chamisa would break barriers and forge a new platform on which a cross section of citizens straddling the political divide could converge, based on Zimbabwe's founding values and principles stipulated in section 3 of Zimbabwe's Constitution."
Other key points from the letter;
"As we tender our apology to you Comrades, we do so fully aware that there is no alternative political formation in Zimbabwe that: (a) recognises, values and appreciates the liberation struggle that gave way to the country's independence, and that (b) is also guided and informed by the genuine patriotic and nationalistic values and principles that shepherded Zimbabwe's liberation struggle."
"… it is clear for anyone to see that those pushing the #ZanuPFMustGo mantra have no ideological content beyond the hashtag. In our view, the quest to keep or seek power for its own sake is inimical to both the public and national interests."
Mugabe found in Professor Jonathan Moyo a very cunning and useful strategist and hence the reason he appointed him into very senior position in his government. Mugabe was a cunning and ruthless tyrant in his own right but in Professor Moyo he must have found his match. He called Moyo a “devil incarnate” in sheer exasperation.
Mugabe has always spied on his enemies and friends alike. He even had two different lots of spies on one target to cross check and then a third layer to spy on the spies. The dictator must have had five different layers of spies on Jonathan Moyo and still the later got the better of Mugabe time and again. No wonder Mugabe called him devil incarnate!
Mnangagwa is just a buffoon and knows he is no match for this devil incarnate’s apology.
Zanu PF has not just “sought and kept power for power’s own sake” but has rigged elections and even committed mass murder in the regime’s manic drive to secure absolute power. What is more, Professor Jonathan Moyo, as the party’s more influential strategist would know the incriminating details of the rigging, murders, everything.
Of course, the rigging and the mass murder are, per se, “inimical to both public and national interest”.
So, is this an apology from the devil incarnate or a warning shot across the bowl?
@ Mbofana
ReplyDelete“I have said this before - if not managed properly, desperation can be the most dangerous place to be for an individual - since that is where one's sense of judgement is severely impaired, and can easily lead to seriously flawed decisions.”
You are spot-on my brother the people are desperate for change, so desperate they can not think or listen to reason and so on the desperation for change they are blundering from pillar to post and sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.
The 2008 elections were a watershed in that the nation saw, for the first time, the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut in its full profile in broad daylight. Both SADC and the AU who until then had turned a deaf ear to cries of rigged elections and endorse Zanu PF legitimacy did not do so after 2008, their eyes had seen the monster and could not deny Zanu PF rigged elections.
SADC forced Zanu PF to accept the need to implement democratic reforms designed to dismantle the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut. Sadly, not even one reform was implemented.
Many Zimbabweans failed to see, even now with benefit of hindsight, the failure to implement even one reform as a tragic betrayal on the part of MDC. These people have foolishly believed MDC oxymoronic nonsense the nation can still have meaningful change because the party has “winning in rigged elections” strategies. Zanu PF rigged elections so flawed 73% is not good enough to win!
Desperation has morphed into insanity, participating in flawed elections expecting a different result even after 42 years of Zanu PF rigged elections.
Still, the worsen economic situations will force the penny to drop even in the most desperate empty minds. Zanu PF is rigging the 2023 elections it is futile to think registering to vote will win elections so flawed 73% would not be good enough! We need to implement reforms!
Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies blatantly disregarded the terms of the Lancaster House Agreement to withdraw the party’s freedom fighters to designated Assembly Points. And not only did Zanla operative remain in the countryside, they were deployed to campaign for Zanu PF and their campaign message was simple- if Zanu PF did not win the 1980 elections the bush war would continue.
ReplyDeleteOf course, the people voted to end the war. When Zanu PF got into power the party moved swiftly to consolidate its grip on power; Zimbabwe has never held free, fair and credible elections. Never ever!
The honest truth is Zanu PF leaders believe their have the divine right to rule the country and those calling for free, fair and credible elections are doing so to deny the party the right to rule. Zanu PF have no qualms against rigging elections, even if that means using wanton violence to achieve that goal!
The Commonwealth had turned a blind eye to Zanu PF rigging elections and were finally forced to act in 2002. Mugabe’s dismissive and arrogant reaction was as one would have predicted from the tyrant defending his divine right.
SADC and AU too were forced to act after the 2008 elections when Zanu PF’s cheating and use of wanton violence to win were so blatant and barbaric even they cringed in horror. SADC forced Mugabe to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement accepting the need to implement democratic reforms. He bribed Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends so that not even one reform was implemented. Zanu PF emerged out of the 2008 to 2013 GNU with all its dictatorial powers untouched.
If the Commonwealth readmit Zimbabwe when it is clear Zanu PF has done nothing to implement even one democratic reform it will be the Commonwealth capitulating to Zanu PF, pure and simple. Zanu PF has just made it clear, the party will keep its divine right to rule Zimbabwe and will do whatever it has to do so secure election victory. The party will be expecting the West to capitulate by lifting the sanction!
Whilst one can accept that the Commonwealth is under pressure to from both African leaders like President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who have their own selfish agenda, and from Zanu PF and CCC to readmit Zimbabwe into the club. For Professor Luis Franceschi, Commonwealth Assistant Secretary General and head of the team visiting Zimbabwe to suggest readmitting Zimbabwe is “wise and in Zimbabwe’s best national interest” is both patronising and insulting!
In his letter Moyo alleges to have been victimized for suggesting that Zanu PF must desist from using violence in its campaigns, being discriminatory on tribal lines as well as failing to hold free and fair elections at party and national levels.
ReplyDelete“Otherwise, as would be recalled, our concerns prior to 15 November 2017- and indeed since then…revolved around the need to address… the need to dissociate ZanuPF from political violence, eradicate impunity in ZanuPF.
The holding of free, fair and credible party and national elections”, further emphasized Moyo.
One must take whatever anyone of the politicians who have fallen from grace and out of power with a pitch of salt, they all try to portray themselves as the voices of reason that was ignored. Remember how Joice Mujuru suddenly found her grove and talked endless about corruption in Zanu PF. When she was asked why she never said a word during her 34 years in the party. “Imbwa haisvinuri zuva rayazvarwa!” (A puppy does not open its eyes the day it is born!) she answered. Well, this is some dog breed whose puppies take 34 years to open their eyes!
What Professor Moyo is saying must be dismissed with contempt because Zanu PF has never ever held free, fair and credible elections since independence in 1980!
Mnangagwa will never control Professor Moyo, Mugabe failed to do so and he was far more smart than the buffoon Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa is welcoming Moyo to lure him to return to Zimbabwe the way a crocodile lure a goat to take a swim!
Zanu PF opted to leave the Commonwealth rather than implement reforms and risk losing power.The failure by MDC to implement even one reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU has given the party the confidence it can hold on to its dictatorial powers and still be accepted back into the international community. The Commonwealth is turning out to be the soft underbelly of the international community - the UK and other western democracies are out numbered and African leaders have very little democratic credentials themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt is almost certain the Commonwealth will readmit Zimbabwe before the 2023 elections open the door to Zanu PF to rig the elections confident the club will endorse the result and grant it legitimacy!
Frankly, we had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and we wasted it. And now we are dearly paying for it. God only knows how long this nightmare will last and how it will all end!
THE Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (ZHRNGO Forum), a union of 22 rights organisations whose relationship with government have been shaky for over a decade, has expressed its support for re-admission of the country into the Commonwealth, albeit on certain conditions.
ReplyDeleteZHRNGO Forum's submissions were shared at a meeting with the visiting Commonwealth delegation, in the country to assess Zimbabwe's readiness to re-join the union of mainly former British colonies.
Late President Robert Mugabe withdrew Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth in 2003 after its suspension a year earlier for gross disrespect of human and property rights, against dictates of the Harare Declaration of 1991.
A summary of the organisation's submissions gleaned by NewZimbabwe.com revealed the rights grouping told the delegation Zimbabwe should be allowed back into the ‘profitable' fold only if it adheres to guidelines set by the Commonwealth, which include the Latimer House Principles on the Three Branches of Government.
ZHRNGO Forum's delegation was made up of its Executive Director, Musa Kika, Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association's (ZWLA) Abigail Matsvayi, Legal Resources Foundation Executive Director Valerie Zviuya and Senior Researcher of the Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) Tony Reeler.
The only sure way to test whether Zanu PF will meet these conditions is by holding free, fair and credible elections. To readmit Zimbabwe before the 2023 elections, which is only a few months away now, will be to jump the gun! The Commonwealth will look particularly foolish, to say the least, if the said elections are rigged!
Democracy, real democracy and not some Mick Mouse dysfunctional autocracy masquerading as a democracy demands a well informed and diligent citizenry. The Zimbabwe electorate has no clue what is going on. None!
ReplyDeleteThe people risked life and limb to elect MDC leaders for the sole purpose of the party implementing the democratic reforms necessary to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. One can forgive the average person for having no clue what those democratic reforms are still everyone should have known that Zanu PF was still rigging elections.
After 22 years of MDC, the people should be asking the why have MDC failed to implement meaningful reforms? Or alternatively, why is Zanu PF still rigging elections? The people’s failure to hold them to account has given the MDC leaders to abandon their set task of implementing reforms, keep Zanu PF in power for a share of the spoils of power.
There is no denying that MDC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and the only rational reason they failed to get even one token reform implemented was greed. Zanu PF cronies boasted that “Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learnt to enjoy the gravy train good life, they will never rock the boat!)
MDC leaders have abandoned the task of implementing the reforms and deliver free and fair elections. Never!
Even if CCC was to “win” rigged elections – the factional war in Zanu PF has heated up resulting in another operation bhora musango, a violent uprising in form of street protest and/or another military coup, etc. – the electoral victory will not end the curse of rigged elections because CCC will not implement the reforms. Chamisa and company are corrupt and incompetent but they are smart enough to know the vote rigging machine can be use to help them stay in power.
Any incoming government will know the present system favours the incumbent regime and so will not want to reform themselves out of office.
So, the there are two challenges here for the nation:
a) The need for the people to informed on reform and how they are implemented and to diligently hold the leaders to account
b) the need to realise MDC/CCC have sold out, they will never implement reform
c) the need to realise that the only sure way to get the reform implemented is in the context of a GNU because no regime, once in office, will want to reform itself out of office