Remove the Western goggles

Conrad Nyamutata penned a misleading opinion which was published in the Daily News of 9 June 2015, entitled 'Zanu PF holding nation hostage.' The fortunate thing with this piece is that it is just his opinion. When one has had a nasty dream, he becomes very relieved upon realising that it was just a dream. I feel so relieved that it is just an opinion if not a dream.

Democratic as we are, Mr Nyamutata is entitled to express his opinion, notwithstanding how disingenuous it is. Nyamutata attempted to absolve Adeola Fayehurn, the wayward Nigerian journalist who attempted to embarrass President Mugabe during the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Nyamutata said Zanu PF did not believe in "genuine electoral legitimacy- internationally accepted route to governance."

He could have probably done well if he had explained his understanding of electoral legitimacy. Unless Nyamutata has a different definition of electoral legitimacy, I believe it refers to the popular acceptance of an authority through elections. I hope he does not equate popular acceptance to Western acceptance.

Zimbabwe held fair, free and credible elections in July 2013 where the majority of the citizenry showed a vote of confidence in the leadership of President Mugabe. When over 60% of the electorate votes for Zanu PF and its leader, they are in a way granting legitimacy to them.

Those elections were subjected to unprecedented international observation and monitoring. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) are the prime organisations that matter most in Africa. These two organisations endorsed the Zimbabwe elections and so did a number of civic society organisations that were acredited to observe and monitor the elections.

At the meeting in Addis Ababa soon after the elections, the AU Peace and Security Council actually congratulated Zimbabwe for holding elections in a manner that conformed to the AU principles as enshrined in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. It went to an extent of even calling for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe. That call came from a continental bloc that had accepted the electoral results of Zimbabwe as defined by Africans not Americans or Europeans.

In Malawi as well, SADC Heads of States and Governments also called for the unconditional lifting of the illegal sanctions. The call was on the basis that Zimbabwe had conducted the elections to their satisfaction.  That alone shows that the regional and continental blocs endorsed the electoral process. In a way, these important organisations enhanced the legitimacy of Zanu PF government. Such an electoral acceptance is all that Zimbabwe needed to constitute a legitimate government.

The African Caribbean countries, Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa), Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and many other progressive countries across the globe accepted the poll results. Only the MDCs and their benefactors in the West contested people's choice. As usual, the West have an agenda against Zimbabwe. Their opinions on anything about Zanu PF are prejudiced. Therefore, sane people cannot rely on their opinionated assessment of the Zimbabwe elections of 2013.

Gone are the days when the West's views are the alpha and omega. They are not the Bible. Africa cannot continue to evaluate African processes through the eyes of the West. Nyamutata's arguments tell a story of a man who is wearing the goggles of the West. According to him, the 2013 elections are not internationally accepted because the US, UK, France, Australia and Germany did not endorse them. It is about time these western goggles are removed for Africans to have a clear vision and see their destiny.

In any case, these countries did not observe the elections. How then can one rely on their assessment?
They sponsored the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) to the tune of over US$5 million to observe the elections on their behalf. ZESN was fully aware of what the funders wanted to know, thus they gave them as such. They doctored their reports and spiced them with blatant lies that never passed the test.

History has taught us that some people do not learn from history. Deborah Bronnert had to be recalled after she had fed her home government with unashamed lies on the Zimbabwe elections. Unfortunately, she had also collected those lies from sources that were motivated by money. Nevertheless, it cost her job. Zimbabweans have become so cunning and they will not cease to take delivery of such easy-coming money.

Nyamutata and the like minded must just accept that there is a dearth of opposition in Zimbabwe to challenge Zanu PF. The endless fractures characterising the opposition camp cannot be attributed to Zanu PF. How does anybody expect a party that is disintegrating to the tiniest grain to win an election? How can they win a game in which they are not participants?

Whether they said it or not, Vice President Emmerson Munangagwa and Cde Saviour Kasukuwere were spot on for saying that Tsvangirai would never see electoral reforms. There is no point really, when he is not part of the process.

Now that Zanu PF has once again romped to a resounding victory, we await to read and hear the biased comments from the usual groups. Already ZESN has reported of intimidation prior to elections in its preliminary report. At times, you lose credibility when you expose your bias blatantly.