On 25 August 2023 SADC and AU Election Observer Missions declared the Zimbabwe elections flawed and illegal. The damning report had no effect on Zanu PF and the opposition winning candidates who all trooped to take their oath of office and, most importantly, their gravy train seat. They all ignored SADC and AU findings, pretending they don’t know the difference between legal and illegal.
CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi told The Standard that the opposition party's legislators would thwart any Zanu-PF mischief' in the 10th Parliament.
"Using our numbers, youth energy, and intellect, we will prevail through robust debate and progressive policy advancement as guided by the objectives of the party," Mkhwananzi said.
This is exactly what Abel Muzorewa and Ndabaningi Sithole said to justify their participation in the 1978 Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Internal Settlement. The truth is the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia government was illegal because it came from a flawed, illegal and undemocratic political arrangement in which the blacks were treated as second class citizens who vote was devalued compared to that of the whites for no other reason other than that of race.
Still Muzorewa, Sithole and their supporters went to town in supporter of the racist regime. Indeed, their supporters joined the Rhodesia Army on mass to fight with the white army in the ongoing war of independence. They were fighting fellow blacks fighting to end white racism.
CCC leaders agree with SADC, AU and every other democratic election observer team that Zimbabwe’s 23 August 2023 elections flawed and illegal so flawed and illegal the process could not produce a legitimate result. In other words winners of the local authority, parliament and presidential rat races announced by ZEC do not have the democratic mandate of the people of Zimbabwe. All the institutions formed by these illegal winners are, per se, illegitimate.
It therefore beggars belief why CCC leaders are hell bent to ignore the SADC and everyone to insist in keeping these illegal institutions and even claiming they would make them work for the good of the people - just as Muzorewa insisted he would make white racism work for blacks. We really should not be surprised with the CCC leaders.
Remember that CCC leaders decided to participate in these flawed 2023 elections, as with others in the past, knowing fully well the election process is flawed and participating will give Zanu PF legitimacy. They soldiered on and participated out of greed.
“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.
Indeed, these CCC leaders failed to implement even one democratic reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU, when the nation had its get-out-of-jail card, for the same reasons they are hell-bent in participating in this illegitimate government - greed and breath-taking incompetence.
Zimbabwe’s newly sworn in MPs and senators will receive their US$60 000 and US$ 40 000 car and housing loan, plus the generous salary and allowances. In a country where a teacher with ten years working experience earns US$100 per month holding public office for five years is the sure ticket to Easy Street!
"Our focus is on electoral reforms in time for a fresh election,” continued Promise Mkhwananzi.
Yeah right! MDC leaders failed to implement even one democratic reform during the 2008 to 2013 GNU when they had all the trump cards including SADC’s backing, we are to believe they will do so now when Zanu PF has all the trump cards notably the sure ticket to Easy Street.
CCC participated in these elections without these electoral reforms, come 2028 the party will participate in these elections with no reforms again. This is just a mirage! The people of Zimbabwe must wise up and stop being led by the nose like a bull at the market.
By declaring the 23 August 2023 election null and void SADC has created the opportunity for a new GNU it is incumbent on all thinking Zimbabweans to back SADC 100%. We must totally reject CCC’s hen’s teeth tales they can make this illegitimate system work. Both Zanu PF and CCC are now the problem holding the nation to ransom, they can never ever be the solution too! Never ever!
CCC will thwart all Zanu PF mischief! What a load of bull especially when MDC/CCC has failed to implement even one token reform to thwart the most Zanu PF’s obnoxious mischief of all - rigging elections!
The most important fight before us today is the fight for reforms to secure every Zimbabwean’s right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. Nothing of any substance can ever be achieved util the right to free, fair and credible elections is secured and guaranteed for all and not just the urban few.
In the petition titled: The Zimbabwe 2023 election was won by the opposition i.e. Citizens Coalition for Change, Ndiweni says Zimbabweans must rally behind Chamisa's call for a fresh election.
ReplyDeleteThese elections were so flawed there was not even a verified voters' roll so how did Chief Ndiweni work out that CCC had won?
MDC/CCC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reform to ensure the elections were free, fair and credible and they sold out. They are the ones who dragged the nation into these flawed elections and it is wierd, to say the least, that they should now be rewarded for betraying the nation.
If anyone believes that CCC are taking up their gravy train seats to give this illegitimate government "to thwart all Zanu PF mischief" then he/she is insane. How can CCC thwart Zanu PF mischief when they have failed to implement even one token reform in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, to thwart Zanu PF's most obnoxious mischief - rigging elections!
ReplyDeletehttps://bulawayo24.com/index-id-opinion-sc-columnist-byo-235350.html
The Zimbabwe government critic said it leaves the opposition with few options on the table, mainly pushing for reforms in parliament and the international political theatre.
ReplyDelete"The SADC Troika of Zambia, Namibia and Tanzania has 2 countries supporting Mnangagwa, Tanzania and Namibia, and Zambia supporting the call for an emergency SADC summit to deal with the SADC Election observer team report.
"The failure to counter the ZEC result with V11s has weakened the opposition’s case leaving it only based on the shambolic election result and not the result itself.
Why the SADC and AU reports condemning the 23 August elections were accepted so readily is because people have known all along that Zanu PF has been rigging elections for years. The real big surprise here is that both the regional and continental bodies have finally decided to stop rubber stamping Zanu PF rigged elections. But now that they have condemned the elections, the gene is out of the bottle there is no putting it back.
SADC and AU have condemned the elections and dismissed the Zanu PF regime as illegitimate. That position is not going to change. Zanu PF is illegitimate and must go.
The big question now is what kind of GNU will emerge out of this. Zanu PF would want to be in the driving seat in the new GNU to make sure no meaningful reform are implemented, as happened in the 2008 to 2013 GNU. It is up to the people of Zimbabwe, not SADC or AU, to make sure the new GNU implements all the reforms and for that to happen they must take Zanu PF head on!
Chamisa and his CCC friends would want to play a major role but they are corrupt and utterly useless and irrelevant.
@ Nick Mngwana
ReplyDelete"This agenda being pushed by this member state is not its own. It's doing a hatchet job for some powerful nations." You rig elections and then blame it all on imaginary enemies!
After 43 years of rigged elections and denying the people their right to a meaningful say in the governnce of the country; enough is enough.
The primary purpose of the 2008 to 2013 GNU was to implement the democratic reforms to ensure future elections were not a repeat of the 2008 elections. There was nothing wrong with that! What went wrong is that not even one reform was implemented in 5 years hence the reason why we still have flawed elections to this day.
ReplyDeleteIf we are serious about ending the curse of rigged elections then we must have a new GNU and make sure that this time the reforms are implemented.
We need a new GNU to implement the reforms and settle this curse of rigged elections once and once for all. Just because Zanu PF and MDC leaders betrayed the nation on reform does not mean we do not need reforms or no one else can get the job done!
The very fact that there are many people who have no clue what the reforms are even now with the benefit of hindsight is worrying. Zimbabwe is a failed state because we have buffoons and sell outs in power and naive and gullible electorate who are keeping them there!
“We don’t want another GNU!” This is only said by some one who does not even know what the primary task of the 2008 GNU was much less that MDC sold out by failing to implement even one reform.
Even if I formed my own party, if I aspire or hold public office then I and my party must be democratically accountable to the people. Right now Zanu PF and CCC are holding public office they are, per se, accountable to Zimbabweans.
ReplyDeleteWhy you keep wittering about "form your own party" only goes to show you have no clue what democratic accountability is all about. As I have said, you are just a nincompoop who thinks leaders like Chamisa are demigod who should not be questioned and will attack all those who dare question him. We are trying to build a health democracy and nincompoops like you are the ones undermining the effort.
Let me ask you again, are you saying Chamisa is not accountable to Zimbabweans? Or one must form their own political party first, to hold him to account? If not, then why are you insisting that I must form my own party?
@ Bechipeneti
ReplyDelete“Just form your own party Mr clever n do what you thinks is right we want to see if you are going to have even 10pple that will support you.”
Zanu PF has more than 10 supporters but that have not stopped the party becoming corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs who rig elections. MDC/CCC too has more than 10 supporters and the party too has failed to implement even one democratic reform in 23 years, 5 of which in the GNU, and yet that was the primary reason the nation has risked life and limb to elect them into office! But then it would not be fair to expect you to judge a leader or party on anything substantive - after all you are a nincompoop.