Opinion / Columnist
Pastor demands an end to 'elitist dialogue' - confused, doesn't even know elections were rigged
21 Mar 2019 at 09:11hrs | Views
Confusion reigns supreme in Zimbabwe.
Confusion is when one says this, the other says that and the third says something else which is neither this nor that in a matter as simple as 1 + 1 = 2.
"The people that bear the brand of the crisis are chiefs and pastors, who are with the citizens in communities," said Motsi, a theologian and peace-building expert," reported Bulawayo24.com.
"He added that traditional leaders and the church must come forward " … and say they are tired of politics and political parties; they want people to speak and be heard".
"Explaining the effects of an elitist dialogue, Motsi said the latest move by Mnangagwa cannot be separated from the Lancaster House talks in 1979. "What we have had in Zimbabwe so far are elites' meetings from the Lancaster House, agreement of Unity Accord to the Government of National Unity (GNU), it was never inclusive.
"It never included the people of Zimbabwe. There were people who went there on behalf of the citizens. That is not what we are talking about when we talk about the national dialogue," Motsi said.
The spirit is willing but the intellectual is weak and hence the confusion.
Yes the Lancaster House constitution, the Zanu PF-PF Zapu Unity Accord, the 2008 to 2013 GNU, etc. have all failed to deliver the free, just and prosperous Zimbabwe we have all been dying for, literally too. But these initiative have failed not because the process that brought them about were not "inclusive".
There was a big song and dance about the 2013 constitution on how it was the people's constitution because a lot of time, energy and treasure was poured into the outreach programmes. The programmes were supposed to give ordinary Zimbabweans a chance to say what they wanted to see in the new constitution. A foolish notion because how can someone with no clue what the constitution is, what was wrong with the Lancaster House constitution, etc. be expected to draft one.
In the end the outreach programmes ended up as a theatrical farce with Zanu PF and MDC supporters drowning each other out with demands coming from the leaders. The parliamentary committee that drafted the new constitution completely ignored the wishes of the common people and the leaders themselves.
"President Mugabe dictated the new 2013 constitution!" boasted Paul Mangwana, the Zanu PM and co-chair of the committee that drafted the document, soon after its approval in the March 2013 referendum. Of Course, Mangwana was right.
The new constitution has too failed to deliver the basic freedoms, human rights including the right to free and fair elections and even the right to life. The events of 1st August 2018 and the orgy of violence in January 2019 was a grime reminded that Zanu PF will not hesitate to beat, rape and even shoot to kill to impose its de facto one-party dictatorship.
It was Thomas Jefferson and a handful of others who drafted America's constitution and it has served that nation well for nearly three hundred years. Zimbabwe's 2013 constitution had all the outward appearance of an inclusive people's constitution, approved by 95% in the ensuing referendum, and yet failed to deliver free, fair and credible elections.
The moral of the story is: it is the quality of the people involved in the drafting of the constitution or make-up of the GNU that matters. When quality has been seen to be lacking the temptation is to go for quantity, that will is just foolish because quantity is never a substitute for quality.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because for the last 38 years the country has been ruled by incompetent, corrupt and murderous Zanu PF thugs. Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year's elections thwarting all hope of meaningful political and economic change. The country's economic meltdown is set to get worse because it is impossible to conduct meaningful economic activities in a pariah state.
The way forward is for the nation to appoint an interim administration composed of quality people. The administration will then be tasked to implement the democratic reforms and strengthen the country constitution and state institution to restore the individual freedoms and rights including the right to free and fair elections.
Zanu PF rigged last year's elections and therefore the party have no electoral mandate to govern. The party must be told in no uncertain terms that it must step down and all attempts to resist must be seen for what it is - Zanu PF's continued resolve to hold the nation to ransom.
Those people who are proposing a national dialogue in which Zanu PF is included are refusing to accept that the regime rigged last year's elections or, if they are, are trying to appease the regime. It is 38 years of trying to appeasing Zanu PF that landed the nation in this mess. We will never get out of the mess by doing the same things that landed us there.
Besides, if Zanu PF and MDC leaders are granted a role in the national dialogue they will curve for themselves a role in the interim administration. That administration will be doomed to fail just as all the other initiatives these political leaders were involved in have failed. Zanu PF and MDC leaders have already proven beyond all reasonable that they are corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless. What else do they have to do to finally convince us that they are NOT the quality leaders to take the nation forward.
Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year's elections, the regime failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters' roll for Pete's sake. Whilst we can agree to differ on many things it is nonsensical that we should differ on something as fundamental and straight forward as what constitutes free, fair and credible elections!
Confusion has ruled supreme in Zimbabwe for the last 38 years and if we are ever to banish it, we really need to stamp out this culture of always seeking the easy and quick painkiller type-solutions and instead strive for the more elusive cure.
Yes pastor Motsi you can be invited to the inclusive dialogue and even given the platform to shout "we are tired of politics and political parties" to Mnangagwa and Chamisa. That will not dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship nor stop Zanu PF rigging 2023 elections!
Confusion is when one says this, the other says that and the third says something else which is neither this nor that in a matter as simple as 1 + 1 = 2.
"The people that bear the brand of the crisis are chiefs and pastors, who are with the citizens in communities," said Motsi, a theologian and peace-building expert," reported Bulawayo24.com.
"He added that traditional leaders and the church must come forward " … and say they are tired of politics and political parties; they want people to speak and be heard".
"Explaining the effects of an elitist dialogue, Motsi said the latest move by Mnangagwa cannot be separated from the Lancaster House talks in 1979. "What we have had in Zimbabwe so far are elites' meetings from the Lancaster House, agreement of Unity Accord to the Government of National Unity (GNU), it was never inclusive.
"It never included the people of Zimbabwe. There were people who went there on behalf of the citizens. That is not what we are talking about when we talk about the national dialogue," Motsi said.
The spirit is willing but the intellectual is weak and hence the confusion.
Yes the Lancaster House constitution, the Zanu PF-PF Zapu Unity Accord, the 2008 to 2013 GNU, etc. have all failed to deliver the free, just and prosperous Zimbabwe we have all been dying for, literally too. But these initiative have failed not because the process that brought them about were not "inclusive".
There was a big song and dance about the 2013 constitution on how it was the people's constitution because a lot of time, energy and treasure was poured into the outreach programmes. The programmes were supposed to give ordinary Zimbabweans a chance to say what they wanted to see in the new constitution. A foolish notion because how can someone with no clue what the constitution is, what was wrong with the Lancaster House constitution, etc. be expected to draft one.
In the end the outreach programmes ended up as a theatrical farce with Zanu PF and MDC supporters drowning each other out with demands coming from the leaders. The parliamentary committee that drafted the new constitution completely ignored the wishes of the common people and the leaders themselves.
"President Mugabe dictated the new 2013 constitution!" boasted Paul Mangwana, the Zanu PM and co-chair of the committee that drafted the document, soon after its approval in the March 2013 referendum. Of Course, Mangwana was right.
It was Thomas Jefferson and a handful of others who drafted America's constitution and it has served that nation well for nearly three hundred years. Zimbabwe's 2013 constitution had all the outward appearance of an inclusive people's constitution, approved by 95% in the ensuing referendum, and yet failed to deliver free, fair and credible elections.
The moral of the story is: it is the quality of the people involved in the drafting of the constitution or make-up of the GNU that matters. When quality has been seen to be lacking the temptation is to go for quantity, that will is just foolish because quantity is never a substitute for quality.
Zimbabwe is in this economic and political mess because for the last 38 years the country has been ruled by incompetent, corrupt and murderous Zanu PF thugs. Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year's elections thwarting all hope of meaningful political and economic change. The country's economic meltdown is set to get worse because it is impossible to conduct meaningful economic activities in a pariah state.
The way forward is for the nation to appoint an interim administration composed of quality people. The administration will then be tasked to implement the democratic reforms and strengthen the country constitution and state institution to restore the individual freedoms and rights including the right to free and fair elections.
Zanu PF rigged last year's elections and therefore the party have no electoral mandate to govern. The party must be told in no uncertain terms that it must step down and all attempts to resist must be seen for what it is - Zanu PF's continued resolve to hold the nation to ransom.
Those people who are proposing a national dialogue in which Zanu PF is included are refusing to accept that the regime rigged last year's elections or, if they are, are trying to appease the regime. It is 38 years of trying to appeasing Zanu PF that landed the nation in this mess. We will never get out of the mess by doing the same things that landed us there.
Besides, if Zanu PF and MDC leaders are granted a role in the national dialogue they will curve for themselves a role in the interim administration. That administration will be doomed to fail just as all the other initiatives these political leaders were involved in have failed. Zanu PF and MDC leaders have already proven beyond all reasonable that they are corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless. What else do they have to do to finally convince us that they are NOT the quality leaders to take the nation forward.
Zanu PF blatantly rigged last year's elections, the regime failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters' roll for Pete's sake. Whilst we can agree to differ on many things it is nonsensical that we should differ on something as fundamental and straight forward as what constitutes free, fair and credible elections!
Confusion has ruled supreme in Zimbabwe for the last 38 years and if we are ever to banish it, we really need to stamp out this culture of always seeking the easy and quick painkiller type-solutions and instead strive for the more elusive cure.
Yes pastor Motsi you can be invited to the inclusive dialogue and even given the platform to shout "we are tired of politics and political parties" to Mnangagwa and Chamisa. That will not dismantle the Zanu PF dictatorship nor stop Zanu PF rigging 2023 elections!
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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