Opinion / Columnist
Why Matebeles should not participate in the on going Zimbabwe protests
07 Jul 2016 at 13:42hrs | Views
To editor
MLO stirred up a hornet's nest when it warned Matebeles against participating in the on going protests that have engulfed Zimbabwe.
We were attacked by the organisers of the protests who are well known anti-Matebele crusades and their disciples who are well known Shona apologists who take everything the Shona say as gospel truth.
The disciples are made out of few Matebele individuals who are so desperate for fast cash and meaningless positions in the government of Zimbabwe or opposition parties, and agents of the state who are in the government pay role. And of cause, some genuine Matebeles who simply believe that our grievances will automatically disappear when President Mugabe leaves office.
We stand by each and every word written or spoken by us. We are less worried about what anti-Matebele crusades say.
The anger which is directed at the gukurahundist Mugabe by Matebeles is understandable. After all, he is the hijacker of the struggle that Matabeles rejected through the ballot box as early as 1980. Guess who supported him, voted him into power and helped him entrench and solidify his power? You guessed correctly. It the same Shona hypocrites who are forcing us to help them remove their king who did that.
Driven by the anger for being shown the middle finger by Matebeles through the votes in 1980, his passionate hatred for the people of Matebeleland and guided by the evil Grand Plan, he set Zimbabwe National Army 5 Brigade code named gukurahundi on us.
The 5 brigade was commanded to annihilate Matebeles. There was great loss of innocent blood as more than 40 000 people were killed, more than 100 000 women were rapped, many were left homeless as more than 100 000 homes were burnt down, more than a million displaced.
At that point in time, Matebeleland needed more than help. The West turned a blind eye, our neighbours looked away. Did our so called friends from Mashonaland help?
NO NO NO! The heartless bigots were in full support of the genocide. Singing Shona songs cheering gukurahundi and praising Mugabe the savage.
Now the question is can we set aside the Matebeleland restoration cause and help the supporters of gukurahundi to remove their King Mugabe?
Before we answer the above question we need to decode the "Mugabe must go mantra." This is a project which is driven by the Zimbabwe opposition parties and their bakers. Of late, some Zanupf factions have joined in. Its major aim is to remove the builder of the Shona supremacist system (Mugabe) but keep the system or status quo in place.
The pushers of this project are dangling the carrot of undefined and unimplementable devolution of power to woo Matebeles into supporting their project. But the truth is after all the dirty work is done the dishonest Shonas will turn against Matebeles and use or should I say abuse their majority power to deny us any freedom.
It happened in the 1980s. After our fathers had assisted them to get their independence, they were labelled as dissidents and what happened after that is something that everybody wishes to forget quickly but cannot.
It happened again in year 2000. Matebeles joined MDC in their numbers thinking that it was a party that was honestly standing for them. But in 2005 when MDC was now an established formidable force, the Shonas showed their true tribalistic colours. They complained that the MDC top 6 was dominated by Matebeles whom they wanted replaced with Shonas. As a result MDC split based on tribal lines. The likes of Welshman Ncube, Gibson Sibanda, Paul Themba Nyathi and others were stoned out of Harvest House and chased out of Harare.
Come 2013 when Tsvangirai was given an opportunity to test power in the GNU. He was given a slot to appoint 10 members from his party to be included in the cabinet. Beside the fact that most Matebeles lost their businesses and their lives for supporting MDC, Tsvangirai chose only one Matebele and rewarded his fellow Shonas with 9 other positions. It took brave Cde Paul Siwela's 1hr long conversation with Tsvangirai, telling him his piece of mind that the next morning more Matebeles were added and a few Shonas dropped.
Afterwards, Tsvangirai who was Prime Minister worked hand in hand with Mugabe to sweep gukurahundi genocide under the carpet, water down devolution of power and block Welshman Ncube from taking up his rightful position in the highest office in favour of his fellow Shona Arthur Mutambara. "Beaten once twice shy," goes the old adage but how many times do Matebeles need to be beaten to see that Shonas are evil political criminals?
Outside Zimbabwe and Matabeleland. Michael Sata, the late President of Zambia, realising the growing calls for the restoration of Barotseland, promised the Lozi people instant independence on condition that they vote him into power. The unsuspecting Lozi fell for this cheap political ploy and indeed they voted him in their numbers but immediately after assuming power, Sata sent armed police and army to brutalise anyone in Barotseland who demanded independence.
So the answer to the above question is- it will be very unwise for Matebeles to abandon the restoration cause and blindly follow protests that are remote controlled by faceless politicians who do not have our interests at heart. There is no Shona amongst the existing and those who are yet to be born who will rule us well. We want to govern ourselves. We have our brothers and sisters who have our best interests at heart, who can lead us far much better.
It is political stupidity of highest order to believe that the on going protests are people's revolution without a political figure behind them. Ask the organisers of the events who they intend to chose as their leader should their protest manage to remove Mugabe. The answer will shock you.
Do not be fooled. Protests are political by nature. They cannot be divorced from politics and politicians and, in politics nothing happens by coincidence. Some politician somewhere behind the scenes is manipulating those protests. Should they be successful the culprit will show their ugly face. Do not be surprised when Emmerson Mnangagwa or Joyce Mujuru show their gukurahundi faces. Those are the dangers of spreading political fires that are started by your enemies.
That will be back to square one for Matabeleland. We will find ourselves stranded again in the wilderness of politics. Shonas will taking up strategic positions and employing their majority power to defeat anything we say because they don't have our interests at heart. They want to use us as condoms and discard us at a later stage as they did before.
If we are to participate in the protests it should be for strategic reasons like to test the waters, exploit the situation and use it to our advantage.
Remember this is an opportunity that we have been waiting for. It must never be wasted. Be steady, calculate, use your brains than emotions, do not feel left behind. MLO is 100% behind you. Our independence is coming this is the time, we will deliver. We are motoring the situation very closely.
The organisers of the protests could not trust the people of Bulawayo because of the hot element of Matabeleland restoration agenda. Their desperation and urgency to force people of Matabeleland to join could be seen in their messages. And when Bulawayo finally participated there were wild celebrations by the desperate organisers. It was as if Bulawayo was the only place where these protests took place.
The government of Zimbabwe deployed too many water cannons and police in Bulawayo than anywhere else. Out of 110 people rounded up 92 were from Matabeleland. And again Matebeleland is treated differently from Mashonaland.
Be patient like a lion which takes cover in the midst of its panicking prey waiting for the right moment to strike and when it does strike, it is with speed and amazing accuracy.
Phambili nge operation #Mbabazane!
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affair
Contact:infomlo13@gmail.com
MLO stirred up a hornet's nest when it warned Matebeles against participating in the on going protests that have engulfed Zimbabwe.
We were attacked by the organisers of the protests who are well known anti-Matebele crusades and their disciples who are well known Shona apologists who take everything the Shona say as gospel truth.
The disciples are made out of few Matebele individuals who are so desperate for fast cash and meaningless positions in the government of Zimbabwe or opposition parties, and agents of the state who are in the government pay role. And of cause, some genuine Matebeles who simply believe that our grievances will automatically disappear when President Mugabe leaves office.
We stand by each and every word written or spoken by us. We are less worried about what anti-Matebele crusades say.
The anger which is directed at the gukurahundist Mugabe by Matebeles is understandable. After all, he is the hijacker of the struggle that Matabeles rejected through the ballot box as early as 1980. Guess who supported him, voted him into power and helped him entrench and solidify his power? You guessed correctly. It the same Shona hypocrites who are forcing us to help them remove their king who did that.
Driven by the anger for being shown the middle finger by Matebeles through the votes in 1980, his passionate hatred for the people of Matebeleland and guided by the evil Grand Plan, he set Zimbabwe National Army 5 Brigade code named gukurahundi on us.
The 5 brigade was commanded to annihilate Matebeles. There was great loss of innocent blood as more than 40 000 people were killed, more than 100 000 women were rapped, many were left homeless as more than 100 000 homes were burnt down, more than a million displaced.
At that point in time, Matebeleland needed more than help. The West turned a blind eye, our neighbours looked away. Did our so called friends from Mashonaland help?
NO NO NO! The heartless bigots were in full support of the genocide. Singing Shona songs cheering gukurahundi and praising Mugabe the savage.
Now the question is can we set aside the Matebeleland restoration cause and help the supporters of gukurahundi to remove their King Mugabe?
Before we answer the above question we need to decode the "Mugabe must go mantra." This is a project which is driven by the Zimbabwe opposition parties and their bakers. Of late, some Zanupf factions have joined in. Its major aim is to remove the builder of the Shona supremacist system (Mugabe) but keep the system or status quo in place.
The pushers of this project are dangling the carrot of undefined and unimplementable devolution of power to woo Matebeles into supporting their project. But the truth is after all the dirty work is done the dishonest Shonas will turn against Matebeles and use or should I say abuse their majority power to deny us any freedom.
It happened in the 1980s. After our fathers had assisted them to get their independence, they were labelled as dissidents and what happened after that is something that everybody wishes to forget quickly but cannot.
It happened again in year 2000. Matebeles joined MDC in their numbers thinking that it was a party that was honestly standing for them. But in 2005 when MDC was now an established formidable force, the Shonas showed their true tribalistic colours. They complained that the MDC top 6 was dominated by Matebeles whom they wanted replaced with Shonas. As a result MDC split based on tribal lines. The likes of Welshman Ncube, Gibson Sibanda, Paul Themba Nyathi and others were stoned out of Harvest House and chased out of Harare.
Afterwards, Tsvangirai who was Prime Minister worked hand in hand with Mugabe to sweep gukurahundi genocide under the carpet, water down devolution of power and block Welshman Ncube from taking up his rightful position in the highest office in favour of his fellow Shona Arthur Mutambara. "Beaten once twice shy," goes the old adage but how many times do Matebeles need to be beaten to see that Shonas are evil political criminals?
Outside Zimbabwe and Matabeleland. Michael Sata, the late President of Zambia, realising the growing calls for the restoration of Barotseland, promised the Lozi people instant independence on condition that they vote him into power. The unsuspecting Lozi fell for this cheap political ploy and indeed they voted him in their numbers but immediately after assuming power, Sata sent armed police and army to brutalise anyone in Barotseland who demanded independence.
So the answer to the above question is- it will be very unwise for Matebeles to abandon the restoration cause and blindly follow protests that are remote controlled by faceless politicians who do not have our interests at heart. There is no Shona amongst the existing and those who are yet to be born who will rule us well. We want to govern ourselves. We have our brothers and sisters who have our best interests at heart, who can lead us far much better.
It is political stupidity of highest order to believe that the on going protests are people's revolution without a political figure behind them. Ask the organisers of the events who they intend to chose as their leader should their protest manage to remove Mugabe. The answer will shock you.
Do not be fooled. Protests are political by nature. They cannot be divorced from politics and politicians and, in politics nothing happens by coincidence. Some politician somewhere behind the scenes is manipulating those protests. Should they be successful the culprit will show their ugly face. Do not be surprised when Emmerson Mnangagwa or Joyce Mujuru show their gukurahundi faces. Those are the dangers of spreading political fires that are started by your enemies.
That will be back to square one for Matabeleland. We will find ourselves stranded again in the wilderness of politics. Shonas will taking up strategic positions and employing their majority power to defeat anything we say because they don't have our interests at heart. They want to use us as condoms and discard us at a later stage as they did before.
If we are to participate in the protests it should be for strategic reasons like to test the waters, exploit the situation and use it to our advantage.
Remember this is an opportunity that we have been waiting for. It must never be wasted. Be steady, calculate, use your brains than emotions, do not feel left behind. MLO is 100% behind you. Our independence is coming this is the time, we will deliver. We are motoring the situation very closely.
The organisers of the protests could not trust the people of Bulawayo because of the hot element of Matabeleland restoration agenda. Their desperation and urgency to force people of Matabeleland to join could be seen in their messages. And when Bulawayo finally participated there were wild celebrations by the desperate organisers. It was as if Bulawayo was the only place where these protests took place.
The government of Zimbabwe deployed too many water cannons and police in Bulawayo than anywhere else. Out of 110 people rounded up 92 were from Matabeleland. And again Matebeleland is treated differently from Mashonaland.
Be patient like a lion which takes cover in the midst of its panicking prey waiting for the right moment to strike and when it does strike, it is with speed and amazing accuracy.
Phambili nge operation #Mbabazane!
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affair
Contact:infomlo13@gmail.com
Source - Israel Dube
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