Opinion / Columnist
SADC 'tolerate violent and rigged elections,' says Tsvangirai - what chutzpah
17 Nov 2017 at 06:32hrs | Views
"Over the years, Mr. Mugabe has presided over violent and rigged elections. Unfortunately, regional bodies have tolerated this for far too long. Mr Mugabe manipulates the voters roll, ballot papers and intimidates citizens mostly in the rural areas through unconstitutional means," Tsvangirai. This is a blatant lie that Tsvangirai and his MDC friends have continue to spread and they must not be allowed to get away with.
Yes President Mugabe; now under house arrest in his luxurious Blue Roof mansion - I would have thought the confines of Chikurubi Prison where more suitable for all the looting, vote rigging and murders the tyrant has committed but Chiwenga and company thought otherwise -; has presided over violent and rigged elections. But it is a damned lie to say SADC leaders have "tolerated this for far too long"!
It was SADC leaders who refused to recognised Mugabe's 2008 election victory and thus force the tyrant to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) which tasked Zimbabwe's GNU partners to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging future elections. It was none other than Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends who failed to get even one reform implemented.
The people of Zimbabwe risked life and limb to elect MDC into power on the understanding the party would bring about the democratic changes the nation has been dying for. MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the GNU and deliver the changes. They wasted the opportunity because President Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office. "Takatuma mapete kumukaka!" (We entrusted the cockroaches to fetch milk!) as one would say in Shona.
Cockroaches are known to gorge themselves on milk, they often drown. The MDC cockroaches gorged themselves on the gravy train highlife then forgot about the reforms for five years of the GNU! SADC leaders reminded MDC leaders to implement the reforms but were ignored.
At the end of the GNU, with not even one reform in place, it was SADC leaders who tried to get the elections postponed to allow reforms to be implemented.
"In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit," Dr Ibbo Mandaza explained in a recent interview with Violet Gonda.
"I went there. I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections. If you recall, the postponement was based on the need to reform at least electoral laws.
"And after that Summit, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, all of them were called to a separate meeting by the Heads of State of SADC in the absence of Mugabe, that same evening. And they were told; I was sitting there outside the room with Mac Maharaj; they were told ‘if you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done'."
Of course, it is insane that Zimbabwe's political leaders like Morgan Tsvangirai should continue to contest flawed elections. What makes this insanity infuriating is that Tsvangirai should have the chutzpah to blame SADC leaders for the flawed elections when he and his MDC cockroaches are the ones who have repeatedly ignored the regional leaders' advised to end this madness.
SADC leaders' advice not to contest elections with no reforms in place is still valid for next year's elections but sadly Morgan Tsvangirai and his friends in the opposition camp are determined to contest the elections knowing fully well with no reforms the elections will be rigged.
"In full recognition of the ideals of our liberation war anchored upon respect for rights, dignity and one-man-one-vote, we respect the right of every citizen to vote freely and fairly in electing a leadership of their choice," said Morgan Tsvangirai after meeting his MDC Standing Committee.
"For this reason, the party urges all Zimbabweans above the age of 18 to register and participate in the crucial on – going voter registration exercise. This is the only assurance to an irreversible path to national freedom, happiness and economic prosperity."
It is like listening to a badly scratched vinyl record repeating itself over and over again. Tsvangirai is still talking of participating in next year still with not even one reform in place. Contesting election with no reforms is insane and it is clear Tsvangirai is still a mental patient!
Yes President Mugabe; now under house arrest in his luxurious Blue Roof mansion - I would have thought the confines of Chikurubi Prison where more suitable for all the looting, vote rigging and murders the tyrant has committed but Chiwenga and company thought otherwise -; has presided over violent and rigged elections. But it is a damned lie to say SADC leaders have "tolerated this for far too long"!
It was SADC leaders who refused to recognised Mugabe's 2008 election victory and thus force the tyrant to sign the 2008 Global Political Agreement (GPA) which tasked Zimbabwe's GNU partners to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging future elections. It was none other than Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends who failed to get even one reform implemented.
The people of Zimbabwe risked life and limb to elect MDC into power on the understanding the party would bring about the democratic changes the nation has been dying for. MDC had the golden opportunity to implement the reforms during the GNU and deliver the changes. They wasted the opportunity because President Mugabe bribed them with the trappings of high office. "Takatuma mapete kumukaka!" (We entrusted the cockroaches to fetch milk!) as one would say in Shona.
Cockroaches are known to gorge themselves on milk, they often drown. The MDC cockroaches gorged themselves on the gravy train highlife then forgot about the reforms for five years of the GNU! SADC leaders reminded MDC leaders to implement the reforms but were ignored.
At the end of the GNU, with not even one reform in place, it was SADC leaders who tried to get the elections postponed to allow reforms to be implemented.
"In 2013 the Maputo Summit, in June 2013, before the elections, the Maputo Summit was all about having the elections postponed – the SADC summit," Dr Ibbo Mandaza explained in a recent interview with Violet Gonda.
"I went there. I was there at the Summit and Mugabe pretended to agree to a postponement of the elections. If you recall, the postponement was based on the need to reform at least electoral laws.
"And after that Summit, Morgan Tsvangirai, Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, all of them were called to a separate meeting by the Heads of State of SADC in the absence of Mugabe, that same evening. And they were told; I was sitting there outside the room with Mac Maharaj; they were told ‘if you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done'."
Of course, it is insane that Zimbabwe's political leaders like Morgan Tsvangirai should continue to contest flawed elections. What makes this insanity infuriating is that Tsvangirai should have the chutzpah to blame SADC leaders for the flawed elections when he and his MDC cockroaches are the ones who have repeatedly ignored the regional leaders' advised to end this madness.
SADC leaders' advice not to contest elections with no reforms in place is still valid for next year's elections but sadly Morgan Tsvangirai and his friends in the opposition camp are determined to contest the elections knowing fully well with no reforms the elections will be rigged.
"In full recognition of the ideals of our liberation war anchored upon respect for rights, dignity and one-man-one-vote, we respect the right of every citizen to vote freely and fairly in electing a leadership of their choice," said Morgan Tsvangirai after meeting his MDC Standing Committee.
"For this reason, the party urges all Zimbabweans above the age of 18 to register and participate in the crucial on – going voter registration exercise. This is the only assurance to an irreversible path to national freedom, happiness and economic prosperity."
It is like listening to a badly scratched vinyl record repeating itself over and over again. Tsvangirai is still talking of participating in next year still with not even one reform in place. Contesting election with no reforms is insane and it is clear Tsvangirai is still a mental patient!
Source - Patrick Guramatunhu
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