Opinion / Columnist
Firing another VP and ministers proves there is chaos in Zimbabwe - SADC must act now and decisively
08 Nov 2017 at 07:06hrs | Views
The firing of Mnangagwa is not an "early Christmas present for MDC", as Nelson Chamisa claim because without reforms Zanu PF will still rig the vote.
MDC leaders like Nelson Chamisa had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU which would have dismantled the Zanu PF dictatorship as we know it. They failed to get even one reform implemented and lost their chance.
Yes Zanu PF is imploding but what of it! As long as one faction is able to retain the control of the levers of power and exercise the carte blanche powers to rig elections then Zanu PF will retain and exercise absolute political power.
The firing of Joice Mujuru and her supporters in 2014 and now Mnangagwa and his supporters has left Zanu PF regime very weak at time when the country, because of the serious economic meltdown due to the decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption, desperately need a competent and strong government. The threat Zimbabwe sliding into economic and political chaos is real and, if that was to happen, it is almost certain that Zimbabwe will drag other nations in the SADC region into the abyss with her. This is a serious warning to SADC leaders.
It is not too late for SADC leaders to step in and show Mugabe they are concerned about the chaotic situation in Zimbabwe. Everyone can see that Zanu PF is already rigging next year's elections and another rigged election could well send Zimbabwe tumbling down into the abyss. SADC should stop the election process before it reaches the point of no return! There is no time to be wasted, SADC leaders must act now and act decisively!
SADC leader can write to President Mugabe expressing their concern over the chaotic going-on in the country. They can then remind the tyrant of the critical importance for Zimbabwe to hold free, fair and credible elections next year and remind him why they had suggested that the 2013 elections should be postpone to allow democratic reforms to be implemented before elections. They note, with regret, that not even one reform has been implemented. They can ask President Mugabe to give them the assurance that his regime will produce a verified voters' roll, for example, for next year's elections. This will be SADC leaders' warning shot over the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut boat.
President Mugabe can choose to either deny that Zimbabwe is descending into chaos and insist he will deliver free, fair and credible elections. Or he can ignore SADC leaders, as he has often done in the past. What matters here is that SADC leaders would have nailed their colours on the mast "WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHAOS AND LAWLESSNESS IN ZIMBABWE AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DRAG THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION INTO THE ABYSS!"
MDC leaders like Nelson Chamisa had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU which would have dismantled the Zanu PF dictatorship as we know it. They failed to get even one reform implemented and lost their chance.
Yes Zanu PF is imploding but what of it! As long as one faction is able to retain the control of the levers of power and exercise the carte blanche powers to rig elections then Zanu PF will retain and exercise absolute political power.
It is not too late for SADC leaders to step in and show Mugabe they are concerned about the chaotic situation in Zimbabwe. Everyone can see that Zanu PF is already rigging next year's elections and another rigged election could well send Zimbabwe tumbling down into the abyss. SADC should stop the election process before it reaches the point of no return! There is no time to be wasted, SADC leaders must act now and act decisively!
SADC leader can write to President Mugabe expressing their concern over the chaotic going-on in the country. They can then remind the tyrant of the critical importance for Zimbabwe to hold free, fair and credible elections next year and remind him why they had suggested that the 2013 elections should be postpone to allow democratic reforms to be implemented before elections. They note, with regret, that not even one reform has been implemented. They can ask President Mugabe to give them the assurance that his regime will produce a verified voters' roll, for example, for next year's elections. This will be SADC leaders' warning shot over the Zanu PF vote rigging juggernaut boat.
President Mugabe can choose to either deny that Zimbabwe is descending into chaos and insist he will deliver free, fair and credible elections. Or he can ignore SADC leaders, as he has often done in the past. What matters here is that SADC leaders would have nailed their colours on the mast "WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CHAOS AND LAWLESSNESS IN ZIMBABWE AND WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DRAG THE COUNTRY AND THE REGION INTO THE ABYSS!"
Source - Patrick Guramatunhu
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