"GNU is not a local herb; excluding Zanu PF would bring spectre of instability." Damocles sword hanging over the nation. W Mukori

 “GNU is not a local herb!” wrote Jamanda2 in Bulawayo 24.

“The West also made sure there was no third party or parties with which to enter into a governing alliance that would exclude Zanu-PF from post-electoral settlement. Zanu-PF had to be in, to stabilise a post-election Zimbabwe! Such an option which excluded Zanu-PF would bring back the spectre of instability, which the West cannot brook in this highly mineralised teapot country of ours!

“The West's strategy against Zanu-PF and for a remade Zimbabwe subsists in a graduated electoral murder of the ruling Zanu-PF! As happened in post-Kabila DRC where the current President entered weak but became stronger once inside, and in the fullness of governing time.

“You understand that, then you reach political epiphany in respect of what was and remains planned for us by the West, both in the 2023 harmonised polls and electoral years to come. The notion of GNU is very much the West's thing; it is not the local medicine or herb to Zimbabwe's riven and polarised politics!”

The threat that Zanu PF will make Zimbabwe ungovernable if the party does not get its way has hang on the nation like the sword of Damocles since 1980! Zanu PF’s campaign strategy in 1980 was that if the party did not win the election the bush war would continue. The party had the guns and the manpower to carryout its threat and the nation knew that. The people voted to end the bush war not knowing they had lost their right to peace. 

In 1983, Zanu PF launched the now infamous Gukurahundi massacre for the sole purpose of coercing PF Zapu, the party’s main political challenger, to give up its independent identity and join Zanu PF. After fours years of relentless persecution and over 20 000 died PF Zapu relented and signed the December 1987 Unity Accord clearing the way for the imposition of the de facto one-party, Zanu PF, dictatorship that has ruled the nation with an iron fist to this day. 

The nearest, Zanu PF has ever come to losing its iron grip on power was during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when Mugabe and Zanu PF were forced to share power with the two MDC factions led by Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara. Mugabe was cunning enough to make sure the MDC leaders were afforded all the trappings of high office; the ministerial limos, the generous salaries and allowances, US$4 million mansion for Save himself, etc., etc. With their snouts in the feeding trough, the MDC leaders completely forgot that their primary purpose in the GNU was to implement the democratic reforms and dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship. 

MDC leaders failed to implement even one reform in five years of the GNU!Worst of all; Zanu PF contrived to allow the opposition to win a few gravy train seats so that post the 2013 GNU the de facto Zanu PF dictatorship was cloaked is a multi-party facade. The few gravy train seats was to entice the opposition to participate in the flawed elections no matter how flawed the process got. It worked like a charm!

“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe. 

After the 2018 elections, Mnangagwa sweetened the opposition bait by introducing POLAD, a superfluous body of losing presidential candidates who are rewarded with US$ 60 000 twin cab truck and other freebies. All they have to do is publicly endorse the rigged elections as free, fair and credible and entice more to participate in future rat races. He had to introduce a US$ 20 000 nomination free for presidential candidates just to stop the flood of POLAD claimants! 

There were 11 presidential candidates in the 23 August 2023 rat race. The top two garnered 52.6% and 44% of the votes and the remaining 9 share 5.4%.

I dare say Zanu PF was taken completely by surprise by the SADC and AU election observer teams’ reports that condemned the 23 August 2023 election process as a farce. In the past the regional and continental bodies had taken the clue from Zimbabwe’s opposition parties’ enthusiastic participation as an excuse for rubber stamping the rigged elections. 

SADC is yet to decide what to do with Zimbabwe, the regional body knows that it cannot sweep the damning SADC and AU election reports under the carpet. Another GNU is on the offing and the regime is reminding us all of the sharp sword dangling precariously over the nation!

Zimbabwe is a failed state precisely because the nation has failed to hold free, fair and credible elections for the last 43 years and was stuck with the vote rigging Zanu PF de facto one party dictatorship. We had the opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and we wasted it. We have a second bite at the cherry, we must make this count. 

If Zanu PF is allowed to play a major role in the new GNU then we can be certain that most of the democratic reforms will never be implemented. Never!We must not allow Zanu PF hold the nation to ransom and waste this second chance!

"We (povo) lack unity and strategic thinking to deliver change." Quick burning grass fire will never deliver change. W Mukori

 The Zimbabwe electorate’s political activity is like a grass fire it will flare up but very quickly die down completely because there was not much to burn. Similarly there is not much in depth knowledge of any substantive issues for a sustained debate with the run of the mill Zimbabwean voter.

“We lacked unity of purpose and are divided in our thoughts. We were supposed to rebut and refute all elections. ZEC would have seen that its elections were a sham. We lack strategic thinking!” argued one in one of my whatsApp groups. 

The group used to have as many as fifty posted messages every hour as the political activity reach its peak with the voting and announcing of the results of 28 August 2023. 

No doubt the we in “we lacked unity and strategic thinking” is referring to CCC wildebeest herd and not the party leaders. The later have known all along that these elections were flawed and that participating would only be giving legitimacy to Zanu PF. 

Leaders like Tendai Biti and David Coltart admitted of the sheer futility of participating in these flawed elections and have, no doubt, tried to talk their colleagues into stopping this madness. But when they realised their advice was falling on deaf ears, they too decided to join in.

“The (2013) electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility,” confessed David Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.

It should be noted here that CCC leaders still went on to stoically take their oath of office and their seats on the gravy train even when SADC and AU had condemned the 2023 elections as a sham. Of course, CCC leaders had all along the election process were sham and having this confirmed changed nothing; they were after the few gravy train seats Zanu PF was offering as bait, do not care the elections were a sham and a sell out of the national cause of ending the curse of rigged elections and bad governance.

In 2018 Mnangagwa created POLAD; a superfluous body of all the losing presidential candidates who publicly endorsed him as the legitimate winner; to increase the opposition bait. POLAD members were pampered with a US$60 000 twin cab truck each plus other freebies. 

Indeed, the POLAD freebies opened the flood gates of opposition wannabes Zanu PF increased the nomination fees for presidential candidates from US$ 1 000 to US$ 20 000 just to dampen the flow. There were 11 presidential candidates in this 2023 rat race. 

Mnangagwa and Chamisa garnered 52% and 44% of the votes respectively, according to ZEC, and the remaining 9 candidates shared the 4%. No doubt most, if not all the 9 losers, would happily endorse that the 2023 elections were free, fair and credible; contradicting the SADC, AU and all the other election observers’ reports; just to secure their POLAD freebies. 

Nelson Chamisa and his CCC friends and the rest who have been participating in these flawed elections are just the modern day Abel Muzorewa and Ndabaningi Sithole and their followers. The later participated in the 1978 Zimbabwe - Rhodesia elections knowing fully well that the arrangement rendered blacks second class citizens, at best, and that doing so would undermine the fight for independence and equality. They went ahead and participated regardless out of greed, just as Chamisa and doing now.

“Thinking”, much less “strategic thinking”, is a luxury that the wildebeest herd does not have and never had. If they did then alarm bells would have started ringing when it became clear MDC/CCC leaders had not only sold out by failing to implement even one reform in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU but had abandoned reforms out of greed.

Zimbabwe’s hope of ending the Zanu PF dictatorship is not in the hands of the corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent CCC nor in the naive and ignorant electorate. The nation’s salvation/ damnation is in the hands of SADC leaders.

The SADC and AU election observer teams’ damning reports are crystal clear, Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 election process was so flawed and illegal it could not produce a legitimate government. If SADC leaders up hold the reports and deny Zanu PF legitimacy, this will force the country to have a new GNU as happened in 2008 to 2013. 

One hopes the new GNU will implement all the democratic reforms, unlike the last one which failed to implement even one reform, and finally cure the nation of the curse of rigged elections and bad governance. 

However, if the SADC leaders should decide to water down the damning report, by reducing the report’s serious flaws and illegalities into mere “challenges” as President Cyril Ramaphosa has already done. Then Zanu PF would be let off the hook and granted political legitimacy. And Zimbabwe will be condemned to another five more years of this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship, the failed state and all else that entails. 

President Ramaphosa and his ANC friend passed a party congress resolution last November “not to allow regime change in Zimbabwe”. The ANC regime is clearly hell bent on granting Zanu PF legitimacy, even to the extend of doing so regardless of SADC’s own election observers having stated categorically  that Zanu PF rigged the 23 August 2023 elections! 

"SADC is consulting CCC for way forward." CCC, together with Zanu PF, ARE the problem and, per se, cannot be the solution too! W Mukori

 “Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed that leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have been consulting with him to seek his opinions on how to resolve Zimbabwe's current political crisis following the contested general election,” reported Bulawayo 24.

“During a CCC provincial council meeting in Chinhoyi, Chamisa emphasized that he had won the presidential election despite intimidation tactics and alleged rigging by Zanu-PF-aligned Forever Associates of Zimbabwe (FAZ). He described the recent election as a "war" rather than a proper election.

“Chamisa revealed that he had recently participated in a lengthy video conference call with SADC officials who were seeking his proposals for resolving the political impasse in Zimbabwe, which has resulted from the widely criticised elections.”

The truth is Zimbabwe is in this political and economic mess because the nation has been stuck for 43 years with this corrupt , incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship. The party has rigged elections to secure its stay in power. 

By the late 1990s the nation finally came to a consensus that for there to be any hope of putting an end to the dictatorship, the nation must implement the democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging elections. The nation has risked all to elect MDC/CC leaders for the express purpose they implement the democratic reforms. 

After 23 years, including 5 in the GNU, MDC/CCC has failed to implement even one reform. Worse still, they have given up on reforms to participate in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy in return for a share of the spoils of power.

Zimbabwe is a failed state because of the Zanu PF dictatorship and Chamisa and his CCC friends have played their part in keeping Zanu PF in power. Zanu PF and CCC are the reason Zimbabwe is in this mess, they are the problem and per se cannot be the solution too!

So what the devil is SADC doing “consulting Chamisa on the way forward”?

Both Zanu Pf and CCC were involved in the 2008 to 2013 GNU that failed to implement even one reform, SADC leaders know this. What hope is there that a new GNU with the same two political parties in power would do any better. 

What SADC leaders must do is convene the meeting and endorse the SADC election observer mission report condemning the 23 August 2023 elections were a sham and there is no legitimate government in Harare. SADC played the leading role in the 2008 to 2013 GNU which failed to implement even one reform. There is no shame in SADC acknowledging this fact and, more significantly reaching out to UN to ask for help. 

A joint body of UN and SADC must decide the way forward for Zimbabwe.

The people of Zimbabwe want a solution to this political crisis and not another  fudge! 

Mbeki advised Mnangagwa to put "best national interest above self". Must reprimand Ramaphosa for interfering. W Mukori

 ”After the SADC election observers virtually said the 23 August 2023 Zimbabwe elections are not representative of popular opinion and submitted their report. It was then for SADC to decide,” commented Former SA President Thabo Mbeki.

He then went on to explain that an identical scenario had indeed arisen when Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections had failed to produce a legitimate result because of the blatant cheating after the March vote and the wanton violence during the presidential runoff. 

“Zimbabweans then came together and agreed on a Government of National Unity (GNU). It was a response to what had happened in the elections that had failed to produce a legitimate winner,” he explained.

“As a national leader, what must inspire you is to act in the best interest of the nation and not what is good for you as leader.

“Zimbabwe’s current leader must consider what is in the best interests of Zimbabwe is the situation of this kind?”

Very sound advice indeed!

There is no denying that the 23 August Zimbabwe elections were a sham. It is therefore treasonous arrogance that both Zanu PF and CCC have refused to accept this political reality by accepting the ZEC results, taking their respective oaths of office and taking their respective gravy train seats. This government is not legitimate because the elections process was so flawed and illegal it did not produce a legitimate result. 

Pretending the election was free, fair and credible and thus dragging the nation deeper and deeper into this political crisis is certainly NOT in Zimbabwe’s best interest. 

A new GNU is the way out just as it was the way out in 2008. With one qualification; whilst the 2008 to 2013 GNU failed to implement even one token democratic reform to stop the repeat of the 2008 blatant cheating and wanton violence, hence the reason why we had the shameful flaws and illegalities; no stone must be left unturned to ensure all the democratic reforms are implemented without failure!

Here is a piece of advice to former President Mbeki; please advise your blundering ANC colleagues to stop poking their big noses in Zimbabwe's business. 

Last year the party made an ANC party congress resolution “not to allow regime change in Zimbabwe”! What the devil was this about? It is the people of Zimbabwe alone, in a free, fair and credible elections who decide who governs the country. What right does ANC have in interfering in Zimbabwe’s democratic process?

Worst of all, it is now clear that ANC is hell bent on interfering in Zimbabwe’s electoral process to fulfil its party resolution to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and keep Zanu PF in power regardless of the people of Zimbabwe’s democratic wish.  

Whilst the SADC and AU election reports were clear and unambiguous in their condemnation of the 23 August elections as a sham that did not produce a legitimate winner. President Mbeki agrees on this point. It therefore beggars belief why SA present President, Cyril Ramaphose, and the full compliment of ANC government and party leaders attended Mnangagwa’s swearing in ceremony. He was one of only three Heads of State to grace this otherwise illegal process.

Worse still President Ramaphosa has dismissed the damn flaws and illegalities in the SADC election report as “challenges that have occurred anywhere including America”. This is a deliberate and calculated attempt to water down the report and grant this illegitimate Zimbabwe government legitimacy. ANC is doing this for one purpose and one purpose only, to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and fulfil its November 2022 party resolutions.

Zimbabwe is a failed state. 43 years stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF regime complete its the entourage of corrupt and incompetent opposition parties have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis. The only sure way out of this mess if for the country to implement the democratic reforms and cure ourselves of this curse of rigged elections and bad governance. 

By rightly condemning the 23 August 2023 elections as a farce SADC and the AU were giving Zimbabwe another chance to have a new GNU and implement the democratic reforms. President Ramaphosa is sanitising the SADC report for the sake of imposing Zanu PF as the legitimate government and thus denying Zimbabwe the chance to implement the reforms.   

ANC is hell bent to stop regime change in Zimbabwe purely for selfish purposes. The party is facing elections in SA next year, 2024, and is concerned that a regime change in Zimbabwe, especially if it was followed by some economic recover, would set a precedence South African voters may want to follow and thus end ANC’s rule after 30 years. 

There is absolutely nothing for Zimbabwe to gain from the imposition of Zanu PF on the nation but every thing to lose by perpetuating the failed state and, worst of all, snatching away the chance to implement reforms.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC friend are imposing Zanu PF on the people of Zimbabwe for selfish political gain. The people of Zimbabwe are nothing more than pawns in ANC’s selfish political games. This SA government is sowing the seeds of enmity between our two nations. Stop it! For heaven sake, stop it!

Mayor Coltart to forgo new mayoral limo. Yeah, the anaesthetic bite of deadly bug! W Mukori

 His Worship David Coltart, the newly elected CCC Mayor of the City of Bulawayo, has announced that he will not be buying a new mayoral car for the next 5 years!

"I came here using a car which has been used by the council for the past nine years, that car is enough for the whole of my term, I'm not going to get a new car for the next five years, unless we have enough ambulances," said Coltart.

"How can we have new cars whilst we have only five ambulances instead of 30, we only have four fire engines and six refuse trucks and we need the minimum of 11. So, it starts with me and it needs to reflect in you.”

A grand gesture from the Mayor and this is not the first time that Coltart has done this. When he was appointed Minister of Education in the 2008 to 2013 GNU, he refused to take his allocated ministerial car. He accepted all the other benefits including the generous salary and allowances, the fuel allocation, globe trotting, etc.! 

What is most notable about MDC leaders during the GNU is that they were all busy enjoying the trappings of high office they forgot about implementing the democratic reforms, the number one task entrusted to them during the GNU. Their greed was so obvious that Zanu PF cronies openly mocked the MDC leaders.

“Mazivanhu eMDC adzidza kudya anyerere!” (MDC leaders have learned to quietly enjoy the gravy train good-life; they will never rock the boat!) Zanu PF boasted when they were asked why MDC was not implementing the democratic reforms. 

True enough, MDC leaders did not rock the GNU boat: they failed to implement even one token reform in five years. Not even one token reform!

When SADC leaders realised the 2013 elections were going ahead with no reforms implemented; they advised MDC leader not to participate in the elections until reforms were implemented. The wise council fell on deaf ears. David Coltart was one of the MDC leaders who have since admitted of the sheer futility of participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship and the failed state which is Zimbabwe today! 

“The worst aspect for me about the failure to agree a coalition was that both MDCs couldn’t now do the obvious – withdraw from the (2013) elections,” confessed Coltart in his Book, The Struggle Continues 50 years of Tyranny in Zimbabwe.

“The electoral process was so flawed, so illegal, that the only logical step was to withdraw, which would compel SADC to hold Zanu PF to account. But such was the distrust between the MDC-T and MDC-N that neither could withdraw for fear that the other would remain in the elections, winning seats and giving the process credibility.”

No doubt, Mayor Coltart must have tried to persuade his fellow MDC/CCC leaders on the the sheer insanity of participating in these flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy. When he discovered there were no takers, for exactly the reasons the MDC leaders had ignored SADC leaders to implement the reforms during the GNU - greed and breath-taking incompetence - Coltart throw in the towel. He joined the rest of the opposition in participating in rigged elections out of greed.  

Zimbabwe would have been transformed into a healthy and functioning democratic nation by 2013, at the latest, if MDC leaders had implemented the democratic reforms. We are still a failed state stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship because the regime has been rigging the elections thanks to MDC leaders’ betrayal on reforms. 

Mayor Coltart and his CCC friends participated in these 2023 elections knowing fully well that doing so would give the election process “credibility” and thus give Zanu PF political legitimacy. (The SADC and AU election observers have since dismiss the election process as a sham and thus denying Zanu PF political legitimacy, regardless of the full house Zimbabwe opposition’s participation.) 

Like it or not the city of Bulawayo will not buy the required 25 ambulances, fire engines, etc. from the money saved from buying a new mayoral car. What the city and the nation needs is an end to this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship but for that to happen we must implement the democratic reforms and end the curse of rigged elections and bad governance. At the present moment the greatest impediment to implementing reforms is none other than the MDC/CCC leaders who have sold out on reforms out of greed. 

How ironic that Mayor David Coltart is denied himself the mayoral car and is making a big song and dance about it. Meanwhile he and his fellow CCC leaders continue participating in these flawed elections to perpetuate the failed state and the tragic human suffering it has brought out of selfish greed! 

Mayor Coltart and his CCC leaders are now nothing but the disease carrying fleas, the anaesthetic in their bite in not for the victim’s benefit but the bug’s - it will gorge itself unperturbed! 

"Chamisa has solid plan!" Muscle into new GNU and thus guarantee another wasted chance to implement ALL reforms W Mukori

 “Chamisa has a solid plan!” read the Bulawayo 24 headline!

If each one of Chamisa’s “solid plans” was a brick then one would have built by now a pyramid of solid brick ten kilometres square and ten kilometres high! Higher than Mount Everest!

“Behind the scenes, SADC is reportedly deeply involved in addressing the post-election crisis in Zimbabwe through diplomatic efforts, as the crisis has divided both the nation and the region, drawing international attention,” continued the report.

“Chamisa, in a post on X formerly Twitter, suggested that CCC was making diplomatic progress and had temporarily set aside a court challenge in favour of pursuing change through negotiations.

"A new hope for Zimbabwe…Fellow citizens, your victory cannot be denied or delayed. It is sealed and guaranteed. The season of the new is upon us. Zimbabwe shall be known as a blessed nation with a delightful and great people! #Godisinit Joel 2:12-29 Blessed Sabbath," Chamisa posted on Saturday.

"When you know the full script, you don't panic! It will all end in unprecedented joy and celebration! We have a solid plan, not on their terms but on our terms! And they know it!" 

Chamisa has “a solid plan and God is in it!” Yeah right!

Do not bother to ask what is the plan because even he does not know the plan. 

He does not know the plan; so how does he know it is solid? It is all part and parcel of all that “God is in it!” spiritualism and “strategic ambiguity” mysticism stuff! 

As for all these Biblical verses; any one, even the Devil himself, can quote from the Holy Bible. Only village idiots are bowled over and fooled by the quotations and mirage promises again and again and again.

Chamisa has completely abandoned the Court Challenge of the 23 August 2023 elections results; not temporary (he had a week from the 28 August to file his challenge and so has missed the deadline); because he did not have all the V11 forms to back his claim of winning the elections. The solid plan to win big was just a lie. 

Zimbabweans are banking their hopes for change on SADC and AU standing firm behind their respective election observer teams’ reports that dismissed the 23 August 2023 elections as a sham that could not produce a legitimate result. This Mnangagwa Zanu PF government is illegitimate and must step down to allow the formation of an interim administration. 

The primary task of this interim administration must be to implement the democratic reforms and end this curse of rigged elections and bad governance. This was the number one task of the 2008 to 2013 GNU too but,  as we know, failed to implement even one reforms hence the reason we are still having rigged elections.

Chamisa’s solid plan is to muscle in and claim SADC are carrying out HIS plan and he wants to lead the new GNU. He has hit the ground running mobilising his own base in Zimbabwe and abroad and lobbying the SADC leaders. 

Zimbabwe wasted the opportunity to implement the democratic reforms created in the last GNU, the nation cannot afford to waste the second opportunity this new GNU is creating by appointing individuals we already know will never implement ALL the reforms. Both Zanu PF and CCC failed to implement even one reform last time, it is naive, to say the least, to think they will do so now.

Zimbabwe is in this political and economic mess because Zanu PF and CCC leaders have betrayed the nation by imposing this corrupt and dysfunctional system of government these last 43 and 23 years respectively. They had the chance to redeem themselves by implementing the reforms during the last GNU; they failed to implement even one reform. If that does NOT disqualify Zanu PF and CCC leaders from playing any role in the new GNU then I don’t what will!

Both Zanu PF and CCC will do everything in their power to make sure they play leading roles in the new GNU. It is for the people of Zimbabwe to stand up and firmly reject those all attempts to hold the nation to ransom!