Opinion / Columnist
Economic meltdown forcing Zanu PF to panic, MDC is excited but what of povo the prawns!
10 Nov 2015 at 20:51hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's economic meltdown has been relentless; the situation cannot continue like this, there must be change. There is panic in the Zanu PF camp because political change will only mean one thing regime change and political power slipping out of their hands.
There is excitement in the MDC camp; they know the worsening economic situation is making the voters desperate for change. They will once again risk life and limp if necessary to get the change. The worsening economic situation will make them so desperate for change vote for anyone, even someone who has already proven beyond all doubt that they corrupt and incompetent as in this case, as long as they are not Zanu PF. This is exactly what MDC leaders have been hoping for given their checked political record of corruption, blundering incompetence and downright betrayals.
What concerns me, and should concern every thinking Zimbabwean, is how both Zanu PF and MDC are using the electorate as pawns in their high stakes political game.
As Zanu PF feels the increasing pressure to accept meaningful political change the party will, no doubt, resort to violence, its tried and tested method of retained political power. Violence is still a tool in Zanu PF's toolbox, because MDC failed to implement a raft of reforms during the GNU which would have restored the independence of the Police, Media, Judiciary and all the other state institution, freeing them to carry out their duties without fear or favour. Not even one reform was implemented and hence the Police, Media, etc. continue to operate as just another department of Zanu PF, there to serve the party's selfish interests above all else.
Zanu PF leaders and supporters are free to use violence and other dirty tricks to rig elections and retain political power because they are above the law. MDC's failure to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU has allowed this undemocratic situation to continue. Indeed MDC are agog with excitement at the prospect of ensuing economic and political mess forcing the Zimbabwe electorate to panic and elect MDC back into office. "As the MDC increases its visibility countrywide, and particularly in Harare, the regime is fearful that this could trigger a civil uprising similar to the Arab Spring. Hence the regime's security apparatus is now on high alert, as they ruthlessly clamp down on all public activities by the MDC," Obert Gutu, the MDC-T spokesperson, said. "As the MDC, we are confident that the collapsing Zanu-PF regime can never stop an idea whose time has arrived. Democratic change in Zimbabwe is beckoning and it might actually happen earlier than 2018."
Democratic change could and should have happened in 2013 if the elections had been free and fair; if you, Mr Gutu, and your corrupt and incompetent MDC friends had implemented the democratic reforms.
The pressure on Zanu PF to accept democratic change now is not coming from MDC's "increased visibility countrywide" but from the worsening economic situation; MDC is just an opportunist jumping on to the bandwagon.
Zimbabweans must be wary of both Zanu PF and MDC in the turbulent months ahead. In its desperate effort to hold on to power Zanu PF will definitely resort to violence; woe betide onto all those who shed innocent blood in pursuit of a shameful and lost cause.
Ordinary Zimbabweans must realize that Zanu PF thugs are itching for a fight and it is folly to give the thugs the excuse to attack. Zanu PF is imploding under the pincer action of the dog-eat-dog infighting triggered by Mugabe's own insatiable greed for power and disregard of the party's constitution on the one hand and the worsening economic meltdown on the other.
MDC has been holding countrywide rallies to increase the party's political profile but has said nothing of substance. After the rally Tsvangirai goes back to his $4 million Highland mansion, (his reward for selling out on reforms during the GNU); it is the MDC supporter who will have to face the Zanu PF thugs alone. Tsvangirai advised MDC supporters to fight back. Stupid advice because this will give the Police and all the state machinery the chance to descend on MDC supporters like a sledge hammer!
MDC has been calling for an "Arab spring" uprising in support of its electoral law reforms. The reforms are inadequate and incomplete and therefore, even if Zanu PF implemented them, they will not bring about any meaningful democratic change. Zanu PF is only pleased to see attention drawn away from the important GPA reforms!
MDC leaders have already proven that they are corrupt, incompetent and downright sell-outs. The rallies and street demos will put the lives of the ordinary people at risk for no political gain other than increasing MDC's political profile. The real pressure on Zanu PF to change is coming from the pincer movement of the imploding Zanu PF and the economic meltdown. Povo must stay at home, do not attend MDC rallies or street demos and give the Zanu PF regime the excuse to use violence.
We are in this political and economic hell-on-earth because we, the people, have allowed ourselves to be used like pawns in a high stake political game by leaders who did not care about our suffering and deaths. The only things these corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical leaders care about are political power and the wealth it brings. If we are serious about getting out of this hell-hole then we, the Zimbabwe electorate, must opened our eyes, ears and, most important of all, our minds and see how politicians are using us like pawns.
It was USA President, Abraham Lincoln who said "Democracy is the government by the people for the people!" In government "by the people" he meant people with eyes to see, ears to hear and minds to think for themselves and not a naïve and gullible people who follow leaders blindly like sheep to the slaughter!
If Zimbabwe's worsening economic meltdown should force people to think for themselves that is the only thing that would make all the tragic waste of material resources and the human misery of the last 35 years worthwhile.
There is excitement in the MDC camp; they know the worsening economic situation is making the voters desperate for change. They will once again risk life and limp if necessary to get the change. The worsening economic situation will make them so desperate for change vote for anyone, even someone who has already proven beyond all doubt that they corrupt and incompetent as in this case, as long as they are not Zanu PF. This is exactly what MDC leaders have been hoping for given their checked political record of corruption, blundering incompetence and downright betrayals.
What concerns me, and should concern every thinking Zimbabwean, is how both Zanu PF and MDC are using the electorate as pawns in their high stakes political game.
As Zanu PF feels the increasing pressure to accept meaningful political change the party will, no doubt, resort to violence, its tried and tested method of retained political power. Violence is still a tool in Zanu PF's toolbox, because MDC failed to implement a raft of reforms during the GNU which would have restored the independence of the Police, Media, Judiciary and all the other state institution, freeing them to carry out their duties without fear or favour. Not even one reform was implemented and hence the Police, Media, etc. continue to operate as just another department of Zanu PF, there to serve the party's selfish interests above all else.
Zanu PF leaders and supporters are free to use violence and other dirty tricks to rig elections and retain political power because they are above the law. MDC's failure to implement the democratic reforms during the GNU has allowed this undemocratic situation to continue. Indeed MDC are agog with excitement at the prospect of ensuing economic and political mess forcing the Zimbabwe electorate to panic and elect MDC back into office. "As the MDC increases its visibility countrywide, and particularly in Harare, the regime is fearful that this could trigger a civil uprising similar to the Arab Spring. Hence the regime's security apparatus is now on high alert, as they ruthlessly clamp down on all public activities by the MDC," Obert Gutu, the MDC-T spokesperson, said. "As the MDC, we are confident that the collapsing Zanu-PF regime can never stop an idea whose time has arrived. Democratic change in Zimbabwe is beckoning and it might actually happen earlier than 2018."
Democratic change could and should have happened in 2013 if the elections had been free and fair; if you, Mr Gutu, and your corrupt and incompetent MDC friends had implemented the democratic reforms.
The pressure on Zanu PF to accept democratic change now is not coming from MDC's "increased visibility countrywide" but from the worsening economic situation; MDC is just an opportunist jumping on to the bandwagon.
Ordinary Zimbabweans must realize that Zanu PF thugs are itching for a fight and it is folly to give the thugs the excuse to attack. Zanu PF is imploding under the pincer action of the dog-eat-dog infighting triggered by Mugabe's own insatiable greed for power and disregard of the party's constitution on the one hand and the worsening economic meltdown on the other.
MDC has been holding countrywide rallies to increase the party's political profile but has said nothing of substance. After the rally Tsvangirai goes back to his $4 million Highland mansion, (his reward for selling out on reforms during the GNU); it is the MDC supporter who will have to face the Zanu PF thugs alone. Tsvangirai advised MDC supporters to fight back. Stupid advice because this will give the Police and all the state machinery the chance to descend on MDC supporters like a sledge hammer!
MDC has been calling for an "Arab spring" uprising in support of its electoral law reforms. The reforms are inadequate and incomplete and therefore, even if Zanu PF implemented them, they will not bring about any meaningful democratic change. Zanu PF is only pleased to see attention drawn away from the important GPA reforms!
MDC leaders have already proven that they are corrupt, incompetent and downright sell-outs. The rallies and street demos will put the lives of the ordinary people at risk for no political gain other than increasing MDC's political profile. The real pressure on Zanu PF to change is coming from the pincer movement of the imploding Zanu PF and the economic meltdown. Povo must stay at home, do not attend MDC rallies or street demos and give the Zanu PF regime the excuse to use violence.
We are in this political and economic hell-on-earth because we, the people, have allowed ourselves to be used like pawns in a high stake political game by leaders who did not care about our suffering and deaths. The only things these corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical leaders care about are political power and the wealth it brings. If we are serious about getting out of this hell-hole then we, the Zimbabwe electorate, must opened our eyes, ears and, most important of all, our minds and see how politicians are using us like pawns.
It was USA President, Abraham Lincoln who said "Democracy is the government by the people for the people!" In government "by the people" he meant people with eyes to see, ears to hear and minds to think for themselves and not a naïve and gullible people who follow leaders blindly like sheep to the slaughter!
If Zimbabwe's worsening economic meltdown should force people to think for themselves that is the only thing that would make all the tragic waste of material resources and the human misery of the last 35 years worthwhile.
Source - Wilbert Mukori
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