Police aiding the invaders to stay put at Dabengwa's farm

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has refused to arrest the ZANU PF goons occupying Cde Dumiso Dabengwa's Rudy Farm. When Cde Dubengwa's farm manager made a report on 7/08/2014 about the illegal occupation of the farm by the invaders, no action was taken. When the police failed to take any action Cde Dabengwa made a follow up on 8/08/2014 in person only to be told by the police that the police had no knowledge of any report made to them by the farm manager. This is well known strategy or tactics which has been used by the police over and over again in such circumstances.  Cde Dabengwa immediately made a report but the police went on to tell him that they had no petrol to attend the crime scene of the invaders.  Cde Dabengwa went out to buy petrol and gave it to the police. On taking petrol from Cde Dabengwa the police then told him that they would only go to the crime scene the following day. It is unlikely the police will ever present themselves at the scene.

The poor police officer is caught between doing the right thing and obeying the instructions of his misguided invisible master who is giving instruction contrary to the precepts of impartial execution of law and order. This is a clear example of the collapse of the rule of law and order in Zimbabwe because of the politicization of the security sector. The handling of the case of Cde Dabengwa is evidence of selective application of justice, law and order. The ZANU PF patronage system which has totally destroyed the country ensures that those linked to it enjoy greater privileges and protection from arrest and prosecution when crimes are committed. The police are unable to act independently in prosecuting lawlessness among those affiliated to ZANU PF. The development at Rudy farm provides evidence to this observation.

Cde Dabengwa is a law abiding citizen.  He has done all the right things within the law to redress the situation which was deliberately created by someone in ZANU PF to test the moral limits of a good citizen. Human beings have limits, even an elastic material has limits, it can only be stretched so far but no further.

It is now a well-known fact that ZANU PF's central model of leadership and government is centred on coercion, elitist mantra, centralization, torture, suppression of human rights, and selective application of justice, law and order. The central execution is both verbal and physical brutality against legally constituted opposition parties forcing them into submission and thereafter enticing them with lucrative positions and promise of money while at the same time using these people to propagate their interests. The ZANU PF and ZAPU unity accord is one such example of stick and carrot approach.  Once given the carrot the physically conquered party is also taught how to use the stick to those of their own. The case of overzealous and cowed ZAPU leaders who led the suppression of the people comes into mind.

It should be remembered that ZANU PF  physically incarcerated and emotionally tortured Cde Dabengwa in the 1980s following trumped up charges of ZAPU arms caches. When Cde Dabengwa was release from prison the same perpetrator of injustice against him offered him the position of Minister of Home Affairs. His aim was to attempt to use Dr Dabengwa was to lead in perpetrating violence during the invasion of white owned farms, Cde  Dabengwa as the paragon of rectitude and morality, guided  by his  moral compass, principles and social justice voluntarily resigned from  ZANU PF government.

A vengeful Mugabe is now on Cde Dabengwa again because Mr Mugabe suffers a great deal from irrational feelings of loss of authority and will stop at nothing until he gets his revenge. The invasion of Cde Dabengwa's property is envisaged to extend to other citizens of Matebeleland and ZAPU activists.

Experience has taught us that following an invasion taking place the next stage is re-education camps, ZANU PF slogans, coercion to buy ZANU PF membership cards, torture and sexual abuse of unsuspecting women and girls. People of Zimbabwe should know that they have no protection from the state because the state is the perpetrator in this case. Worse so for people of Matabeleland who have never experienced any state protection. People of Zimbabwe, Matebeleland in particular, must now begin to learn to develop non-violent ways of protecting themselves by developing community safety networks to detect early signs of threats.

Dr Dumiso Dabengwa has dedicated his whole life to the liberation of the underdog, the oppressed and for this stance he has paid dearly and continues to pay dearly, but he will never relent.

Mr Themba Mthwetha is the ZAPU Europe Secretary for Policy and Strategy and he is also of the Inform Team, a technical information team of the Information, Publicity and Marketing Portfolio. He heads the Marketing sub-committee.

Article Released by ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
He can be contacted on: thembamthethwa05@yahoo.co.uk