Opinion / Columnist
Run Zwambila, run!
03 Jan 2014 at 07:21hrs | Views
After the news that outgoing ambassador to Australia was seeking asylum after her tour of duty, Zanu PF apologists went ballistic accusing the former envoy of being unpatriotic.
Former ambassador to Australia, Jacqueline Zwambila applied for asylum arguing it is not safe to return to Zimbabwe. The former envoy was seconded by her party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) led by Morgan Tsvangirai during the subsistence of the inclusive government. After the July 31 2013 elections President Robert Mugabe recalled Zwambila, Hebson Makuvise (Germany) and Mabhedi Ngulane (Nigeria).
Zwambila told the Australian media that she feared for her safety if she returned to Zimbabwe since Zanu PF "stole" the election on July 2013. But the reaction from the ruling party, Zanu PF was both shocking and appalling. For starters it is within the right of Zwambila to seek asylum for whatever reasons. Secondly it is up to her to assess whether she is safe or not in Zimbabwe. And knowing Zimbabwe as we all do, it is not safe for enemies of Zanu PF, perceived or real.
Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi rubbished Zwambila's fears as cheap politicking. "If she is threatened by anyone, she should tell us we are responsible for security here as central government," Mohadi was quoted in the media as saying.
I wonder who is politicking, Zwambila or Mohadi. When have the police protected those from the MDC or any other opposition political party for that matter? If my memory serves me right (which it does) the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other senior MDC leaders were brutalised by the same police who are supposed to protect them. Who doesn't remember those shocking images of Tsvangirai, Grace Kwinje, Sekai Holland and other MDC leaders after they were brutally assaulted in police custody in 2007? And what can stop the same forces doing a similar thing to Zwambila. To say those same security forces would protect Zwambila is both impish and despicable. I remember very well than in September last year, Amnesty International highlighted how policing had become politicised when more than 20 MDC members were arrested and spent a year or more in custody for the alleged murder of a police officer before being acquitted. One of the MDC members, Rebecca Mafikeni died in custody in August last year after spending two years in remand awaiting trial.
How many innocent people have been brutally murdered at the hands of Zanu PF since independence? Thousands! And their only crime is that they support other political parties other than Zanu PF. Where were the police and the courts when Tonderai Ndira, Talent Mabika, Tichaona Chiminya and many others were brutally killed at the hands of Zanu PF? And the perpetrators are still out there-some living large-while the families of the victims are crying for justice. And who knows who could be the next victim of the Zanu PF ‘hangman's noose', it could be Zwambila or any other opposition supporter out there.
While some Zimbabweans have joined Zanu PF and accused the two former envoys of being unpatriotic, however any sane person could have taken the same action taken by these two. Remember Zwambila suffered Zanu PF persecution when she was still ambassador. Two years ago she was summoned back to Harare over wild claims that she had stripped in front of embassy staff. These claims were proved false in the Australian High Court last week when a Canberra judge struck out the defence of Zanu PF apologist and freelance Reason Wafawarova who penned the story. If that story was false then what motivated the story in the first? Wasn't it persecution?
If Zanu PF could do a reality check and ask who in Zimbabwe would want to apply for asylum in Australia or Germany, more than 90 percent of Zimbabweans would say yes. Only a few who are looting the Marange diamonds might want stay in the country but rest assured when the alluvial diamonds are exhausted very few people would want to stay in Zimbabwe. After all who wants to live in country where everything is rundown, no electricity, no running water, no jobs, no health facilities and no everything?
It seems what outraged Zanu PF government is because it is trying to find legitimacy after the controversial July 31 2013 election victory. And the asylum applications by the former ambassadors have dented the Zanu PF government's credibility at the eyes of the international community. The ex-Australian Foreign minister Alexander Downer summed it all when he told the media that: "...it's (Zimbabwe), at the moment economically of limited importance (to Australia) there's not much Zimbabwe can do about it except express irritation".
And irritation, Zanu PF has expressed, but for now my only advice to the two former envoys is-RUN (FROM ZANU PF) ZWAMBILA RUN!
Source - Chris Smith
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