“I got something to tell you
I got something to say
I'm gonna put this dream in motion
Never let nothing stand in my way
When the going gets touch
The tough get going!”
I got something to say
I'm gonna put this dream in motion
Never let nothing stand in my way
When the going gets touch
The tough get going!”
Billy Ocean, a renowned British singer and song
writer.
President Mnangagwa had his dream to succeed
Mugabe as President of Zimbabwe; that came true following the November 2017
coup, after 37 years of waiting. For a few weeks after the coup he must have
thought nothing was now going to get in his way. Lately, the going has certainly
been getting tough for Mnangagwa and, instead of Billy Ocean’s “tough get going”,
the tough has been getting tougher.
Whether or not President Mnangagwa will still
be president of Zimbabwe after the on-going elections is now totally dependent
on one thing – him delivering free, fair and credible elections. A tough goal,
so tough it is now mission impossible!
When President Mnangagwa set out on his Davos,
Switzerland, World Economic Forum trip; his big splash on the world stage as THE
RIGHT HONOURABLE President of the Republic of Zimbabwe; he must have felt
nothing was going to stop him now. He knew his continued hold on power depended
on him reviving Zimbabwe’s sick economy and his mantra was “Zimbabwe is open
for business!”
He was cocksure the removal of the country’s
former dictator, Robert Mugabe; promise to scrap a few obnoxious laws; promise
to compensator the white farmers whose land was seized in the chaotic land
redistribution; promise to hold free, fair and credible elections and one or
two other things was enough to restore investor confidence. He expected investors
to trip over each other in response to his call.
It must have been very hard for President
Mnangagwa to accept the reality that no investors were taking up his invitation
to come to Zimbabwe. It even harder when he learned why investors were shying
away – they did not believe his cock-and-bull story about coup transforming Zimbabwe
from a pariah state into a law-abiding nation.
Actually, it was very naïve and politically
immature of President Mnangagwa and his advisers to even think that everyone,
much less the shrewd investors, would be taken in by his many promises of
change and not demand proof. The one area the world has been quick to demand tangible
proof is his promise to hold free, fair and credible elections.
The Americans has spelt out what they wanted to
see done for them to judge the elections free and fair and lift the targeted
sanctions imposed on Zanu PF leaders. President Mnangagwa, his junta regime and
the whole entourage of propagandists and apologists are clearly at a loss are
what to do. The regime had no intention of holding free and fair elections but
never expected anyone to call its bluff in such a brazen and nonsense way. No
wonder the regime in a panic!
President Mnangagwa met the two USA senators
and gave them a “90 minutes impassionate address,” according to Hopewell Chinono. Sadly, for the President, he clearly
failed to impress!
“In what has been described as a spirited but calm performance to help his administration come out of the cold, President Mnangagwa delivered an impassioned ninety-minute address to the visiting US senators on Saturday,” wrote Chinono in Bulawayo 24.
“The president explained to the American senators what was at stake and what he needed to deliver to fulfil his part of the bargain.
“He explained that the allegations that he had deployed 5000 troops in rural Zimbabwe were mythical and rooted in the fact that he had appointed Generals Chiwenga (and SB Moyo and the Agriculture minister Perence Shiri) into his government.
“The president argued that there was no evidence of such a military deployment as alleged.”
“In what has been described as a spirited but calm performance to help his administration come out of the cold, President Mnangagwa delivered an impassioned ninety-minute address to the visiting US senators on Saturday,” wrote Chinono in Bulawayo 24.
“The president explained to the American senators what was at stake and what he needed to deliver to fulfil his part of the bargain.
“He explained that the allegations that he had deployed 5000 troops in rural Zimbabwe were mythical and rooted in the fact that he had appointed Generals Chiwenga (and SB Moyo and the Agriculture minister Perence Shiri) into his government.
“The president argued that there was no evidence of such a military deployment as alleged.”
It is common knowledge that the Police have
turned a blind eye to Zanu PF inspired political violence and have played an
active role in disrupting opposition party activities such as cancelling
opposition rallies. It is also common knowledge that the party has deployed
soldiers, Police and CIO officers to work with party officials and thugs,
especially in the 2008 and 2013 elections.
As long as no reforms have been implemented to
end the undemocratic control Zanu PF has over such state institutions as the
Police, Army, ZEC, etc.; these state institutions will continue to put the
party’s selfish no-regime-change mantra above commonwealth public interests.
If President Mnangagwa was serious about having
an apolitical Army, Police, etc. then he should have implemented the democratic
reforms agreed with SADC in 2008!
“The President touched on the issues that have now started to become the political bogeyman to his free and fair election pledges and to his administration. He mentioned that all political parties would get equal access to the state media after the day of election proclamation,” continued Chinono.
What an insult to every thinking Zimbabwean out there! Whereas other people enjoy freedom of expression and a free media 24/7 for life; Zimbabweans have been denied this freedom these last 38 years and will only be granted this freedom for one month!
The agreed position is these elections, just
like Zimbabwe’s all other past elections, are being held with NO free media!
“The last time the opposition got equal access to the state media was during the 2008 elections when former president Robert Mugabe lost the election to Morgan Tsvangirai,” Chinono admitted.
“That dismal election defeat was followed by a one-month delay in releasing the election result and a brutal violent campaign against opposition supporters.
“The then Chief Executive of the state broadcaster, Henry Muradzikwa, unceremoniously lost his job after the March 20 elections in 2008.
“Muradzikwa said that he was dismissed from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on 14 May of 2008 for defying a ministerial order to deny the opposition favorable coverage in the run-up to the 29 March elections in 2008.
“This was now a thing of the past the president told the Americans, a past he said Zimbabweans should move away from.”
How can the nation move on when we are in this economic and political mess because for the last 38 years the nation was stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical regime that rigged elections to stay in power. Worse still, is determined to retain its carte blanche powers to rig this year and future elections to stay in power in total disregard of the people’s democratic wishes!
“The last time the opposition got equal access to the state media was during the 2008 elections when former president Robert Mugabe lost the election to Morgan Tsvangirai,” Chinono admitted.
“That dismal election defeat was followed by a one-month delay in releasing the election result and a brutal violent campaign against opposition supporters.
“The then Chief Executive of the state broadcaster, Henry Muradzikwa, unceremoniously lost his job after the March 20 elections in 2008.
“Muradzikwa said that he was dismissed from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on 14 May of 2008 for defying a ministerial order to deny the opposition favorable coverage in the run-up to the 29 March elections in 2008.
“This was now a thing of the past the president told the Americans, a past he said Zimbabweans should move away from.”
How can the nation move on when we are in this economic and political mess because for the last 38 years the nation was stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical regime that rigged elections to stay in power. Worse still, is determined to retain its carte blanche powers to rig this year and future elections to stay in power in total disregard of the people’s democratic wishes!
No, we must not forget Zanu PF’s vote rigging
past particularly when the party is using the same dirty tricks to rig
elections now and in the future.
“Chimokangamwa idemo, muti wakatemwa
haukangamwi!” (It is the axe that forgets, the tree that was cut down will
never forget!) as one would say in Shona.
If these elections go ahead with no reforms to
empower the Police investigate and stop intimidation and thuggery then we can
be certain many rural voters will be frog marched to vote for Zanu PF. If there
is no free public media then the electorate will not be making an informed
choice, etc. In short, President Mnangagwa has clearly failed to keep his
promise to hold free, fair and credible elections these elections must be
declared null and void!
President Mnangagwa and his junta friends are
the thugs who have rigged elections, looted the money to bankroll the vote
rigging schemes and committed the political violence including the murders.
After 38 years of rigging elections it is a tall order to expect them to just abandon
their old ways and hold free, fair and credible elections; especially when doing
so means them losing power!
Holding free and fair elections is just a
bridge too far for President Mnangagwa! The tough has just got too tough for ED
and the junta!
@ Chinono
ReplyDelete"The President touched on the issues that have now started to become the political bogeyman to his free and fair election pledges and to his administration. He mentioned that all political parties would get equal access to the state media after the day of election proclamation," you say
So, instead of having a free media and freedom of expression 24/7 for life we must settle for one month after 38 years of waiting! How cynical. It is even worse since this is coming from someone who claims to be a journalist and has worked for such a respected media house as CNN!
Well, President Mnangagwa, I have something to tell you; you will never hold free and fair elections that is just too tough for a seasoned thug like you who has rigged elections these last 38 years. You are rigging these elections, that is obvious, but if you think you will get away with it; think again! The elections will be declared null and void!
@ Royal
ReplyDeleteI agree with you there 100%.
Zanu PF has destroyed the nation's economy making everyone dependent of Zanu PF. Millions of our people, especial in the rural areas, cannot afford to be labelled opposition supporters because they know they will be denied food aid, farming assistance and, worse, will be subjected to political harassment, beatings and even be killed.
As for former Zanu PF loyalist like war veterans, civil servants, security services personal the party has been smart to promise them, whilst they were still in government or army, special treatment in return for their blind loyalty to the party. Many of them live in abject poverty just like the majority of us and yet hang on to the hope that the regime will make them all filthy rich too. Meanwhile they hang on to the empty promise and little pension they get from the regime.
Zanu PF has ex-security services staff (some still in full employment but in civilian clothes for the sake of the election) and war veterans in every village and growth point. They will be attending all meetings and rallies including opposition one with the view of doing everything to disrupt the opposition and deliver a Zanu PF victory.
Anyone who says Zimbabwe can ever hold free, fair and credible elections without implementing the democratic reforms designed to end Zanu PF control of the State Institutions is day dreaming.
We had the best opportunity to get the reforms implemented during the GNU, MDC leaders sold-out. ED and company will never ever implement the reforms. The best course now is for us to let this flawed election run its course and declare the process null and void. This will set us back to where we were at the start of the 2008 GNU. This time we will get an administration that we implement the reforms!
@Sarah
ReplyDeleteSure, ED has a lot to bring to the table like telling the nation they will only have freedom of expression and a free media for one month after he has declared the new election date! We have waited for 38 years since independence to have a free media and all we get is one month then back to the usual propaganda and brainwashing! If you do not froth at the mouth at such insult it is only because you do not understand what having freedom of expression and a free media 24/7 for life means!
If you think an election in which the electorate has one month of free media will ever constitute a free, fair and credible elections then you are a day-dreamer!
Zimbabwe's economic recovery will never start whilst we continue to have the nation held to ransom by a few incompetent, corrupt and vote rigging thugs! The November 2017 coup remove one dictator but only to replace him with another dictator; the dictatorship itself is very much alive and well!
By declaring these flawed elections null and void, we will finally remove the dictator and dismantle the dictatorship itself for good. You are frothing at the mouth because you want the dictator and the dictatorship to remain. Well, you can froth at the mouth, ears, nose, eyes and from every other orifice going, that will not make any difference to me - the dictator and the dictatorship are going!
@ XXII
ReplyDeleteThese elections should not be taking place without first implementing the reforms to guarantee the process is free, fair and credible. If MDC were not so corrupt and incompetent they would have implemented the reforms during the GNU. To keep of talking the opposition winning rigged elections is a meaningless nonsense, a heaven in hell, designed to encourage the insane to continue in their foolish pursuit of contesting the elections with no reforms in place.
@ Mukwiriwindi
ReplyDeleteHow breathtakingly naive you are!
Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies have ridden roughshod of the people's freedoms and basic human rights for 38 years denying them the right to a meaningful vote and even the right to life. Over 30 000 innocent Zimbabweans have been murdered to establish and retain the de facto one party state that has crashed all our hopes and dreams. If that does not make these corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging Zanu PF politicians, thugs then I do not know that will!
After 38 years of looting, vote rigging and wanton political violence, that makes ED a seasoned thug and he will be insulted to be called a green-horn thug! The green bombers are green-horn thugs not ED with all the thousands of innocent blood he has shed!
"Remind yourself that had Operation Restore Legacy failed to remove Mugabe, ED and Chiwengda would have been rotting in graves by now," you tell me.
It is you, dimwit who should remind yourself that if ED, Chiwanga and all the other Zanu PF thugs had not been rigging elections, looting and murdering innocent people for the sole purpose of keeping Mugabe and the dictatorship in power all this mess would have never happened. It was ED and these junta buffoons who have kept Mugabe in power all these years.
I agree, it is quite possible that Mugabe could well have murdered ED and a few members of the junta but that is to be expected; Zanu PF is a party of ruthless thugs and it is dog-eat-dog in that party. Why are you concerned about what the thugs are doing to each other but not concerned about the millions of ordinary Zimbabweans whose lives these thugs have made hell-on-earth?
I do not support MDC, that is a party of corrupt and incompetent idiots who sold-out on implementing the reforms during the GNU.
The trouble with narrow minded people like you is you cannot think outside the box of Zanu PF or MDC, ED or Mugabe, black or white, etc. There are all the colours of the rainbow beside black or white! I reject ED and the Zanu PF dictatorship because they are the same corrupt, vote rigging and murderous thugs of Mugabe days. ED has refused to implement not even one reform because he wants to rig the elections and stay in power regardless of the democratic wishes of the people - if that does not confirm he is the same thug of Mugabe days nothing will.
I reject MDC because they are sell-out who sold-out during the GNU and are do it again by dragging the nation into meaningless elections!
I demand the implementation of the reforms and that will open the door to meaningful debate and democratic competition and from these competent leaders will emerge.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, JUST TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!
@ Simon Gray
ReplyDelete"As Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was ushered into power in November he clearly called for new investment in "building a free and transparent economy". Followed closely by an affirmation that "All foreign investment is safe", you wrote.
"These few words point to the new president's conviction that economic growth is the number one priority. And, for it to happen the specter of expropriation and indigenisation that has plagued a post-independent Zimbabwe must be put to rest. Or, at the very least, have rationality that defies the prevailing chaos of corruption.
"Can Mr Mnangagwa pull off a complete break with the past? At least in economic policy terms."
I agree, that President Mnangagwa realised that his hold on power will depend on reviving the stagnant Zimbabwe economy. It is now nearly six months since the booting out of Mugabe from power and still there is no sign of the much hoped for economic recovery. With unemployment at 90% and every economic sector is a mess the opportunities for new investors are infinite. Zimbabwe has the potential to have of 20% plus economic growth rate in the next five to ten years; investors know that is money in the bank! And yet, six months after President Mnangagwa launched his "Zimbabwe is open for business!" there still no takers. Why?
I will tell you why Gray; it is not enough to tell investors "all foreign investment is safe!" Even if ED had completely scrapped such idiotic Mugabe policies as the indigenisation Act, paid the farmers the compensation he promised, etc. still that would not have opened the investor flood gates! Investors are not only interested in seeing economic reform they also wanted to see political reforms.
Investors and financial donors have shied away from Zimbabwe all these last 20 years because Zimbabwe was seen as a pariah state ruled by thugs who do not pay their debts, have no respect for human rights including property rights, etc. President Mnangagwa thought that the world will be fooled into believing Zimbabwe had undergone political transformation just because the coup removed Mugabe and a few "criminals around him". The investors were certainly not so easily fooled!
The November 2017 coup was an in-house Zanu PF matter, one faction fighting the other; it is natural that each faction accused the other of being corrupt, etc. but to believe that the victorious side was clean is naïve. The coup removed one dictator whose greed and incompetence had gone beyond the pale with another who was more pragmatic, we hope, but still a dictator. As for the dictatorship itself it is very much alive and thriving.
President Mnangagwa has promised free and fair elections and yet the regime's vote rigging juggernaut is going full steam ahead, which it would have done if Mugabe and his G40 faction had prevailed.
There has been no flood of investors because no one in their right mind would invest in a pariah state ruled by vote rigging thugs in which the next regime change is yet another military coup!
OK, the November 2017 coup was not bloody, as only a few individuals were beaten and/or killed; expect rivers of blood in the next coup!
Zanu PF is still a party of corrupt and vote rigging thugs who are aware of the need for economic recovery but will not accept the need for them to give up their dictatorial powers. Zimbabwe will never have any meaningful economic recovery as long as the country remains under this corrupt and tyrannical dictatorship. Never ever!
@ Danga
ReplyDeleteZanu PF ordered ZEC to recount the March 2008 vote reduce Tsvangirai's 73% to 47% to force a run-off and then used violence to boast Mugabe's win to 84%. To anyone with half a brain one would demand the implementation of the democratic reforms before another election! It is insane to keep contesting flawed elections, so flawed a 73% vote is not good enough to win the election, but, of course, the insane would not be insane if they figured that!
@ Bonacontention
ReplyDeleteI agree, Zimbabwe was failed state before 17th November and it is a fail state today. By doing nothing to implement the democratic reforms necessary for holding free and fair democratic elections President Mnangagwa and his junta regime are confirming to us all that Zanu PF, is the same gang of thugs we have known it to be, it has not changed one bit.
No investors have flooded back into Zimbabwe in response to President Mnangagwa's "Zimbabwe is open for business!" clarion call; because investors do not do business in failed state that cannot be trusted to hold free and fair elections!
@ Mbofana
ReplyDeleteYou have failed to say that President Mnangagwa's "Zimbabwe is open for business!" call has had no takers and why?
Yes the investors in the West are interested in making money but then so are investors in the East and anywhere you go. Investors have shied away from Zimbabwe these last 20 years because no one wants to do business in a pariah state ruled by thugs.
Whilst many ordinary Zimbabweans where easily fooled by President Mnangagwa's rhetoric and claim that the coup transformed Zimbabwe, the investors were not fooled. Investors are shrewd enough to know the removal of Mugabe and a few other bad apples around him did not mean the demise of the dictatorship. The regime's brazen refusal to give up Zanu PF's dictatorial powers including the power to rig elections confirmed the dictatorship was alive and thriving.
Post 17 November 2017 coup Zimbawe is still a pariah state! Zimbabwe's economic recovery will never happen until there is political reform transforming the pariah state into a law abiding democratic nation.