Mujuru promises coalition by end 2017 - inconsequential solution from mediocrity

The root cause of Zimbabwe's political paralysis – the ruling party is imploding and confusion reigns supreme in the opposition camp – and economic meltdown – soaring unemployment, grinding poverty and corruption reaching the dazing height of the equivalent of the country's GDP being looted annually – is our failure to hold those in power to democratic account through free, fair and credible elections. The solution to ending the political paralysis and economic meltdown is crystal clear; implement the democratic reforms designed to remove the Zanu PF vote-rigging impediments to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

After 36 years of Zanu PF rigged elections one had hoped that Zimbabwe's opposition parties, composed as they are of some of the most corrupt and incompetent individuals, would, nonetheless, be of one accord on the urgent need to implement the reforms and thus clear the way for free, fair and credible elections. But to listen to the hot-air coming from opposition camp; it is clear confusion runs deep in the opposition camp.

Most of the opposition camp players appreciate that the reality that past elections have not been free and fair but have no clue why this was so much less what should be done about it.

"Our message for 2018 is that people must be free to choose anyone they want, who they think is a good leader. That's, after all, what we fought for," said war veteran leader Douglas Mahiya.

"As long as the coalition is going to represent the suffering masses of Zimbabwe, we are going to support it. But what we don't need are people who create a special class so that they will enjoy life while people are suffering."

"And yet, war veterans had served as Mugabe's and Zanu PF's political power dynamos for decades," wrote Blessing Mashaya "playing particularly significant roles to keep the nonagenarian on the throne in the hotly-disputed 2000 and 2008 national elections which were both marred by serious violence and the murder of hundreds of opposition supporters."

If Mahiya and his rogue war veteran friends do not appreciate the pivotal role they have played in the imposition of this corrupt and tyrannical Mugabe dictatorship what is there to stop them doing the same again in future. In the past they swore their blind allegiance to VP Mnangagwa and in recently they have shown their willingness to support former VP Mujuru and her ZPF.

"We agree with the sentiments which we gathered from the interactive discussions we had with the people during our nation-wide tour. Your message was loud and clear, that it's time for Mugabe to leave office," said Mujuru in her end of the year statement.

"We also take heed of your strong conviction for the need that opposition parties should form a grand coalition to effect change in the regime and bring about a new way that puts people first," she continued. She also assured the nation the coalition will be formed by the end of 2017.

Mai Mujuru was booted out of Zanu PF kicking and screaming because she did not want to leave. Her hen's teeth story of playing a full role in the creation of the corrupt and tyrannical regime and taking her share of the spoils for 34 years and only criticizing the party after she was booted out because it took as many years for her to open her "puppy eyes" is an insult to all thinking people. She is, in all but name, a Zanu PF child through and through; if she gets back into power it will be to reconstitute the dictatorship in her own image.

Mai Mujuru is simpleton with a 34 year proven record as one of the most corrupt and incompetent leaders of our time, it beggars belief that anyone would consider her a serious candidate to lead Zimbabwe!

In the March 2008 elections Morgan Tsvangirai garnered 73% of the votes, by Mugabe's own admission; but after five weeks of "recounting", ZEC whittled this to a 47%. There are many, many other examples one can give to show that it is not the lack of opposition unity that has kept Mugabe in power but rather the carte blanche powers to the tyranny has granted himself and his thugs to stop regime change at all cost.

As long as Zanu PF continues to enjoy total control of all state institutions including the Police, Army, CIO, Judiciary, ZEC, etc.; to enjoy unfettered access to the nation's resources and to loot billions of dollars to bankroll its vote-rigging schemes; etc. the country will never escape from the political and economic mess it is stuck in. We have landed in this mess because Mugabe rigged elections and as long as he is allowed to rig elections we will remain in the mess.

Mai Mujuru, Morgan Tsvangirai and all the other oppositions leaders has failed to come up with meaningful ways of forcing Mugabe and Zanu PF to implement the democratic reforms and they are proposing the coalition of the opposition, voter registration and other token activities instead. Ask anyone of them if the solutions they are offering will guarantee free, fair and credible elections and not even one of them will answer, yes.

Given a problem, it is in the nature of mediocrity to offer inconsequential solutions!

Zanu PF is smart enough to know that a clean sweep of all the contested parliamentary seats and the presidency is not in its political interest as this will discourage opposition parties from contesting future elections. So Zanu PF is contend winning the presidency plus two thirds majority. It is the one third the opposition parties and fighting over.

What the nation needs is free, fair and credible elections in which the electorate alone and not Zanu PF decide who rules the land. The demand to implement all democratic reforms is therefore more than a fight to end the Zanu PF hegemony but to end the unholy power sharing pack between Zanu PF and the corrupt and incompetent opposition.

If the people are serious about ending the political paralysis and economic meltdown and all the suffering and misery these two have brought to the nation they must demand that the next elections must free, fair and credible. And refuse to accept nothing less!