Opinion / Columnist
Mugabe's violence needs a violent response
20 Jul 2017 at 09:33hrs | Views
Recent reports of a spike in violent acts by the Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF junta against the opposition in Zimbabwe, as we move closer towards the 2018 elections, requires only one response - counter-violence.
Violence has always been Mugabe's modus operandi ever since the liberation struggle, and every election after 'Independence', and have disgracefully 'reaped' the rewards of stolen elections.
As such, Mugabe knows no other language to use during elections, and 2018 will not be any different, as we are already witnessing.
If what has happened in the past is anything to go by, Mugabe will steal next year's elections through violence.
The most disturbing aspect is that, in this election, the violence - which previously dominated the rural areas - will also be widespread in the urban areas.
After the 2018 elections have been stolen, we will witness the usual thumbs-up by SADC and the African Union (AU).
This will, as usual, be accompanied by toothless protests by the opposition, which will lead to nowhere, as Mugabe will be assured of another 5 years in power.
It is, therefore, very clear that this pacified approached has never work, and will never work.
We need a paradigm shift in our response to Mugabe's violence, which entails meeting violence with violence.
That is the only language he understands.
It is about time that Zimbabweans took the bulk by the horns, and showed Mugabe that we have had enough.
I know that we are not naturally violent, but there is such a thing as 'self defence', and we all have the right to that.
We should be able to arm ourselves to face-off with Mugabe's goons
If, for example, we go onto the streets for a demonstration, we should be armed enough to defend ourselves should Mugabe's police and military attack us - as would surely happen.
We should be able to repel these militia's attacks innocent demonstrators, who are merely exercising their democratic right, by our own arms.
The same should happen in the rural areas.
We should have armed 'defence units' that should be able to respond immediately should there be reports of an attack by Mugabe's militia on innocent villagers.
I believe that Mugabe should be able to take the message that we are not joking, and that Zimbabweans mean to stand up for themselves - and he will, hopefully, pull his militia back.
This should also send a strong message to his friends in SADC and the AU, that if they continue paying lip-service to the Zimbabwean crisis, there would be war.
Taking the fight to Mugabe will certainly bring some seriousness by the international community to the Zimbabwean issue.
However, if no one takes us seriously, then we may as well go all the way and fight Mugabe in a protracted liberation war.
If Mugabe himself saw it worthy to fight a war of liberation to dislodge the oppressive Smith regime, why should we not do the same to dislodge an equally oppressive Mugabe regime?
Smith and Mugabe have proved to be two sides of the same coin, and as such, they require the same solution.
The suffering that we have endured can only get worse, and as such, there is no point in being patient.
Patient for what?
One can only by patient when waiting for something one knows will eventually come some time.
But, as far as Uhuru in Zimbabwe is concerned, there is no way it will just come by patiently waiting.
Witness the infighting in ZANU PF - they are already readying themselves for another dictator.
Believe me, but the next ZANU PF dictator will be worse than Mugabe, as he or she has to forcefully assert him or herself and consolidate his or her power, as he or she knows that they would not be as popular and acceptable as Mugabe in both party and nation.
As such, Zimbabweans need to take action today.
Let us start by shocking Mugabe by responding to his violence on the streets to peaceful protestors by our own arms.
I can assure the nation that these Mugabe militia are nothing but cowards hiding behind guns - knowing fully well that thy face an unarmed people.
Once they realise that the people are also armed, they will run to the hills, and Mugabe will be left on his own.
He will then be forced to step down and hold truly free and fair elections.
Let us not be afraid of this hornless own, and take up arms against Mugabe, ad test is the only language he will understand.
Kelvin Kudenga is a UK based activist.
Violence has always been Mugabe's modus operandi ever since the liberation struggle, and every election after 'Independence', and have disgracefully 'reaped' the rewards of stolen elections.
As such, Mugabe knows no other language to use during elections, and 2018 will not be any different, as we are already witnessing.
If what has happened in the past is anything to go by, Mugabe will steal next year's elections through violence.
The most disturbing aspect is that, in this election, the violence - which previously dominated the rural areas - will also be widespread in the urban areas.
After the 2018 elections have been stolen, we will witness the usual thumbs-up by SADC and the African Union (AU).
This will, as usual, be accompanied by toothless protests by the opposition, which will lead to nowhere, as Mugabe will be assured of another 5 years in power.
It is, therefore, very clear that this pacified approached has never work, and will never work.
We need a paradigm shift in our response to Mugabe's violence, which entails meeting violence with violence.
That is the only language he understands.
It is about time that Zimbabweans took the bulk by the horns, and showed Mugabe that we have had enough.
I know that we are not naturally violent, but there is such a thing as 'self defence', and we all have the right to that.
We should be able to arm ourselves to face-off with Mugabe's goons
If, for example, we go onto the streets for a demonstration, we should be armed enough to defend ourselves should Mugabe's police and military attack us - as would surely happen.
We should be able to repel these militia's attacks innocent demonstrators, who are merely exercising their democratic right, by our own arms.
The same should happen in the rural areas.
We should have armed 'defence units' that should be able to respond immediately should there be reports of an attack by Mugabe's militia on innocent villagers.
I believe that Mugabe should be able to take the message that we are not joking, and that Zimbabweans mean to stand up for themselves - and he will, hopefully, pull his militia back.
Taking the fight to Mugabe will certainly bring some seriousness by the international community to the Zimbabwean issue.
However, if no one takes us seriously, then we may as well go all the way and fight Mugabe in a protracted liberation war.
If Mugabe himself saw it worthy to fight a war of liberation to dislodge the oppressive Smith regime, why should we not do the same to dislodge an equally oppressive Mugabe regime?
Smith and Mugabe have proved to be two sides of the same coin, and as such, they require the same solution.
The suffering that we have endured can only get worse, and as such, there is no point in being patient.
Patient for what?
One can only by patient when waiting for something one knows will eventually come some time.
But, as far as Uhuru in Zimbabwe is concerned, there is no way it will just come by patiently waiting.
Witness the infighting in ZANU PF - they are already readying themselves for another dictator.
Believe me, but the next ZANU PF dictator will be worse than Mugabe, as he or she has to forcefully assert him or herself and consolidate his or her power, as he or she knows that they would not be as popular and acceptable as Mugabe in both party and nation.
As such, Zimbabweans need to take action today.
Let us start by shocking Mugabe by responding to his violence on the streets to peaceful protestors by our own arms.
I can assure the nation that these Mugabe militia are nothing but cowards hiding behind guns - knowing fully well that thy face an unarmed people.
Once they realise that the people are also armed, they will run to the hills, and Mugabe will be left on his own.
He will then be forced to step down and hold truly free and fair elections.
Let us not be afraid of this hornless own, and take up arms against Mugabe, ad test is the only language he will understand.
Kelvin Kudenga is a UK based activist.
Source - Kelvin Kudenga
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