Opinion / Columnist
Sadness at the hands of the Zanu-PF
25 May 2019 at 17:03hrs | Views
In just this past week, the online news media in Zimbabwe has been rife with stories about renewed calls for the Zimbabwe army to remove Mnangagwa, the existence of ‘operation restore economy', and elements of the ZANU-PF telling investors to not bring money until Mnangagwa goes. While the former is undoubtedly in the works with our current president's days in office numbered, it is in point of fact the latter that should most concern and offend all the citizens of what was once our great land.
It is incontrovertible that the ZANU-PF powerbrokers, politburo members and financial backers are corrupt, liars, and thieves whose sole interest is preserving their hegemony at all costs. It is these people – and these people alone – through their corrupt and morally bankrupt leadership that have caused the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe. It is unconscionable that they would now stall much needed investment to maintain their power.
"You have the jewel of Africa in your hands," said President Samora Machel of Mozambique and President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to Robert Mugabe, at the moment of independence, in 1980. "Now look after it."
The initial success of Zimbabwe following independence was not owed to the leadership of the former president and the ZANU-PF, but rather the Lancaster House Agreement that was struck in 1979, in which the British wisely put in place protections to ease the transition to power. As soon as the opportunity availed itself for the ZANU-PF to line their pockets and steal the country's prosperity, they jumped on it, and have never since looked back.
For years, we have heard how the incumbent leadership have been the victim of the West, through sanctions and colonial attitudes. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Western democracies are generous and benevolent, and even through the last several years, foreign aid for our people have continued to flow. You needn't look further than the Cyclone Idai relief provided by many of those governments, that the president and ZANU-PF would have you believe are responsible for our lousy lot, and which I might add was looted by ZANU-PF insiders.
Sanctions are not hurting Zimbabwe! Any statements to the contrary are simply more lies and propaganda of the ZANU-PF and their front man, the great Cde Crocodile, who are the only ones being targeted. Members of the ZANU-PF whose foreign bank accounts filled with ill-gotten wealth, stolen from a generation of Zimbabweans, have been frozen and their travel freedoms curtailed. Why you might ask do they want the freedom to be able to travel? The answer of course, to escape the misery they've created here at home, and, to avoid prosecution for their crimes.
Now to the real crux of what we need to happen immediately to solve the very real despair of ordinary Zimbabweans. In the Westminster system of government, from which our parliament was modeled, when a party has lost the confidence of the people, it is replaced. We can no longer tolerate the stolen elections, thievery and genocide of the ZANU-PF and to my mind it is now time that they are replaced.
If our esteemed vice-president Chiwenga and his army cohorts truly care about the future of this country, it is time that they take a page from the Westminster system and sweep the ZANU-PF from office. It is time for the principled men of the army to recognize and acknowledge that the ZANU-PF are finished and look to the opposition. Chiwenga can just as easily step in, remove Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF and ask the opposition to try and form a working government. That's how it's done!
It is noteworthy to readers that the last time the economy showed signs of life and expansion was during the government of national unity. This hope was stolen from us in 2013 when the ZANU-PF realized that these successes ran the risk of laying bare their short comings. The removal of Robert Mugabe provided our people again with hope for the future but alas, the army handed back the reigns to the very architects of the country's suffering. Our citizens are starving, without adequate medical supplies, and without hope.
It is time General Chiwenga to once again, and hopefully for the last time, wrest control of our destiny from the hands of tyranny and provide our people with hope. It is time.
It is incontrovertible that the ZANU-PF powerbrokers, politburo members and financial backers are corrupt, liars, and thieves whose sole interest is preserving their hegemony at all costs. It is these people – and these people alone – through their corrupt and morally bankrupt leadership that have caused the suffering of the people of Zimbabwe. It is unconscionable that they would now stall much needed investment to maintain their power.
"You have the jewel of Africa in your hands," said President Samora Machel of Mozambique and President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania to Robert Mugabe, at the moment of independence, in 1980. "Now look after it."
The initial success of Zimbabwe following independence was not owed to the leadership of the former president and the ZANU-PF, but rather the Lancaster House Agreement that was struck in 1979, in which the British wisely put in place protections to ease the transition to power. As soon as the opportunity availed itself for the ZANU-PF to line their pockets and steal the country's prosperity, they jumped on it, and have never since looked back.
For years, we have heard how the incumbent leadership have been the victim of the West, through sanctions and colonial attitudes. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Western democracies are generous and benevolent, and even through the last several years, foreign aid for our people have continued to flow. You needn't look further than the Cyclone Idai relief provided by many of those governments, that the president and ZANU-PF would have you believe are responsible for our lousy lot, and which I might add was looted by ZANU-PF insiders.
Sanctions are not hurting Zimbabwe! Any statements to the contrary are simply more lies and propaganda of the ZANU-PF and their front man, the great Cde Crocodile, who are the only ones being targeted. Members of the ZANU-PF whose foreign bank accounts filled with ill-gotten wealth, stolen from a generation of Zimbabweans, have been frozen and their travel freedoms curtailed. Why you might ask do they want the freedom to be able to travel? The answer of course, to escape the misery they've created here at home, and, to avoid prosecution for their crimes.
Now to the real crux of what we need to happen immediately to solve the very real despair of ordinary Zimbabweans. In the Westminster system of government, from which our parliament was modeled, when a party has lost the confidence of the people, it is replaced. We can no longer tolerate the stolen elections, thievery and genocide of the ZANU-PF and to my mind it is now time that they are replaced.
If our esteemed vice-president Chiwenga and his army cohorts truly care about the future of this country, it is time that they take a page from the Westminster system and sweep the ZANU-PF from office. It is time for the principled men of the army to recognize and acknowledge that the ZANU-PF are finished and look to the opposition. Chiwenga can just as easily step in, remove Mnangagwa and the ZANU-PF and ask the opposition to try and form a working government. That's how it's done!
It is noteworthy to readers that the last time the economy showed signs of life and expansion was during the government of national unity. This hope was stolen from us in 2013 when the ZANU-PF realized that these successes ran the risk of laying bare their short comings. The removal of Robert Mugabe provided our people again with hope for the future but alas, the army handed back the reigns to the very architects of the country's suffering. Our citizens are starving, without adequate medical supplies, and without hope.
It is time General Chiwenga to once again, and hopefully for the last time, wrest control of our destiny from the hands of tyranny and provide our people with hope. It is time.
Source - GoodNess Nwachukwu
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
