Opinion / Columnist
'Mugabe is not Zimbabwe,' MDC reprimand Grace - empty word mocked by reality
29 Jul 2017 at 14:52hrs | Views
Zimbabwe is sitting of the knife edge of the abyss, one false move and the country would tumble down. 37 years of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption, vote rigging and murderous tyrannical rule have left the country's once promising economy in ruins, unemployment has soared to 90% plus, Zanu PF's own Minister of Welfare has admitted that 72.3% of the population now live in poverty, etc. This is socially and politically unsustainable; the need to do something constructive and urgently to revive the economy, end the people's heart-breaking economic and thus step back from the abyss is the single most important matter on the nation's agenda.
If Zimbabwe's next elections are transparent, free, fair and credible the nation will heave a huge sigh of relief that will echo round the globe because the country would have taken its very first step back from the edge. Only a democratically elected government that is accountable to the people will have the political will and mandate to start addressing the mismanagement, corruption, etc. that have landed us in this dangerous situation.
However, if next year's elections are rigged signalling that nothing has changed, the gross mismanagement, rampant corruption, etc. will continue as before; this will be the final push to send the nation over the edge. The people have suffered in silence for nearly four decades now, there is a limit to how much misery anyone can endure before they finally lash out. The prospect of another five years of Zanu PF misrule and abject poverty will concentrate the people's minds. The cup is full to overflowing!
No one can say when exactly the people's dammed up anger will finally burst but burst it will. And when it does, it will send a wall of water, mud, rock and uprooted trees two storeys high and kilometres wide which will sweep all before it.
The consequences of another rigged election in Zimbabwe are just too gustily to contemplate.
This is why we must do everything in our power to ensure Zimbabwe's next elections are free and fair. If we fail to stop the elections going ahead with no reforms in place, then the whole process must be shown for what it is – a sham election – and thus declared null and void.
It is most disheartening that both Zanu PF and the opposition led by Morgan Tsvangirai continue to behave in their usual reckless manner oblivious of the people's suffering, the precarious position the country is in and, most important of all, the critical importance to ensure the next elections are free and fair. In Zanu PF the factional war to decide who will take over from President Mugabe is all the regime is interested in.
"There is no succession which will take place without the involvement of Mugabe. I know the president says: ‘No, no, I don't want to impose a candidate", comment Grace Mugabe.
"But I have always argued with him that you have a role, you have the right to be part of that process. Because we respect him, his word will be final. Mark my words, his word will be final. I am asking him right now in your presence. Don't be afraid, tell us which candidate we should back."
Of course, President Mugabe is lying, he has imposed himself on his party and the nation. He has had millions of Zimbabweans beaten and/or raped and over 30 000 murdered in cold blood to establish and retain the de facto one party dictatorship so he could ride roughshod over the people's freedoms, rights and dreams. Grace Mugabe wants her husband to name her his successor and thus impose her as the next dictator.
No one in Zanu PF is even concerned about next year's elections because they know the party will once again rig the vote to secure another landslide victory. With not even one democratic reform in place, so the party retains its undemocratic control over every aspect of the electoral process. The party's war chest full of cash, looted from the diamond bounty, to bankroll all its multifaceted and expensive vote rigging schemes; etc. Victory for Zanu PF in next year elections is given.
The total chaos and confusion in the opposition camp fuelled by greed has only made Zanu PF even more arrogant, confident the party's political dominance makes it the only serious political player in the land. Zanu PF's refusal to concede to even one token reforms since the July 2013 rigged elections has left the opposition with excuse for contesting the flawed elections, other than greed.
"As we approach the 2018 harmonised elections, the MDC would like to emphasize the need for the holding of free and fair elections to enable the people of Zimbabwe to choose a government that is legitimate and democratic," was Obert Gutu's, MDC-T spokesman, response to Grace Mugabe outburst.
"We will not tolerate the notion that Robert Mugabe, somehow, has got a God - given and sacred role to appoint whoever is going to be the next President of Zimbabwe. Indeed, Zimbabwe is not Robert Mugabe and Robert Mugabe is not Zimbabwe."
How utterly predictable and utterly stupid!
As long as President Mugabe continue to exercise his tyrannical powers; looting billions of dollars of State wealth to bankroll his vote rigging schemes whilst millions of people wallow in poverty and anguish; then, for all intent and purpose, Robert Mugabe is Zimbabwe. And, which is more, the tyrant is set to pass on his dictatorial powers to his success.
MDC-T could and should have ended Mugabe's tyrannical powers by implementing the reforms; they failed to get even one reform implemented in five years of the GNU.
By participating in the flawed July 2013 elections, Zanu PF blatantly rigged to stay in power; MDC-T gave the process the modicum of political legitimacy. SADC leaders warned Tsvangirai & co. that all these would happen and, literally begged they not to contested the elections but, of course, MDC paid no heed.
MDC-T and all their friends in the opposition camp are gearing themselves to contest next year's elections knowing fully well that not even one reform was implemented since the rigged July 2013 elections. They are doing this contrary to SADC leaders warning not to contest flawed elections and in disregard of the opposition's own "No reform, no election!" pledge.
What is the point of MDC-T claiming, "Zimbabwe is not Robert Mugabe" when the party is doing nothing to stop him doing as he please! Indeed, MDC leaders' blundering incompetence has helped Mugabe consolidate his iron grip on power and by continuing to contest flawed elections they are giving the vote rigging the veneer of legitimacy.
Zimbabwe is in a serious economic and political mess and, today, the threat of the country descending into social and political chaos is real and eminent. It has taken nearly four decades for the nation to get here, we should have done something about but wasted many opportunities to do so. We are staring down into the dark, dangerous and unforgiving abyss. This is our last-minute chance to step back and all we must do is make sure our next elections are free, fair and credible.
Zimbabwe is standing on the edge of the abyss. It is Zanu PF's insatiable greed for absolute power, wealth and influence that has not us into this mess. If the nation should tumble over the edge then it must be said it was MDC's blundering incompetence of participating in flawed elections, that pushed the nation over the edge.
If Zimbabwe's next elections are transparent, free, fair and credible the nation will heave a huge sigh of relief that will echo round the globe because the country would have taken its very first step back from the edge. Only a democratically elected government that is accountable to the people will have the political will and mandate to start addressing the mismanagement, corruption, etc. that have landed us in this dangerous situation.
However, if next year's elections are rigged signalling that nothing has changed, the gross mismanagement, rampant corruption, etc. will continue as before; this will be the final push to send the nation over the edge. The people have suffered in silence for nearly four decades now, there is a limit to how much misery anyone can endure before they finally lash out. The prospect of another five years of Zanu PF misrule and abject poverty will concentrate the people's minds. The cup is full to overflowing!
No one can say when exactly the people's dammed up anger will finally burst but burst it will. And when it does, it will send a wall of water, mud, rock and uprooted trees two storeys high and kilometres wide which will sweep all before it.
The consequences of another rigged election in Zimbabwe are just too gustily to contemplate.
This is why we must do everything in our power to ensure Zimbabwe's next elections are free and fair. If we fail to stop the elections going ahead with no reforms in place, then the whole process must be shown for what it is – a sham election – and thus declared null and void.
It is most disheartening that both Zanu PF and the opposition led by Morgan Tsvangirai continue to behave in their usual reckless manner oblivious of the people's suffering, the precarious position the country is in and, most important of all, the critical importance to ensure the next elections are free and fair. In Zanu PF the factional war to decide who will take over from President Mugabe is all the regime is interested in.
"There is no succession which will take place without the involvement of Mugabe. I know the president says: ‘No, no, I don't want to impose a candidate", comment Grace Mugabe.
"But I have always argued with him that you have a role, you have the right to be part of that process. Because we respect him, his word will be final. Mark my words, his word will be final. I am asking him right now in your presence. Don't be afraid, tell us which candidate we should back."
Of course, President Mugabe is lying, he has imposed himself on his party and the nation. He has had millions of Zimbabweans beaten and/or raped and over 30 000 murdered in cold blood to establish and retain the de facto one party dictatorship so he could ride roughshod over the people's freedoms, rights and dreams. Grace Mugabe wants her husband to name her his successor and thus impose her as the next dictator.
No one in Zanu PF is even concerned about next year's elections because they know the party will once again rig the vote to secure another landslide victory. With not even one democratic reform in place, so the party retains its undemocratic control over every aspect of the electoral process. The party's war chest full of cash, looted from the diamond bounty, to bankroll all its multifaceted and expensive vote rigging schemes; etc. Victory for Zanu PF in next year elections is given.
"As we approach the 2018 harmonised elections, the MDC would like to emphasize the need for the holding of free and fair elections to enable the people of Zimbabwe to choose a government that is legitimate and democratic," was Obert Gutu's, MDC-T spokesman, response to Grace Mugabe outburst.
"We will not tolerate the notion that Robert Mugabe, somehow, has got a God - given and sacred role to appoint whoever is going to be the next President of Zimbabwe. Indeed, Zimbabwe is not Robert Mugabe and Robert Mugabe is not Zimbabwe."
How utterly predictable and utterly stupid!
As long as President Mugabe continue to exercise his tyrannical powers; looting billions of dollars of State wealth to bankroll his vote rigging schemes whilst millions of people wallow in poverty and anguish; then, for all intent and purpose, Robert Mugabe is Zimbabwe. And, which is more, the tyrant is set to pass on his dictatorial powers to his success.
MDC-T could and should have ended Mugabe's tyrannical powers by implementing the reforms; they failed to get even one reform implemented in five years of the GNU.
By participating in the flawed July 2013 elections, Zanu PF blatantly rigged to stay in power; MDC-T gave the process the modicum of political legitimacy. SADC leaders warned Tsvangirai & co. that all these would happen and, literally begged they not to contested the elections but, of course, MDC paid no heed.
MDC-T and all their friends in the opposition camp are gearing themselves to contest next year's elections knowing fully well that not even one reform was implemented since the rigged July 2013 elections. They are doing this contrary to SADC leaders warning not to contest flawed elections and in disregard of the opposition's own "No reform, no election!" pledge.
What is the point of MDC-T claiming, "Zimbabwe is not Robert Mugabe" when the party is doing nothing to stop him doing as he please! Indeed, MDC leaders' blundering incompetence has helped Mugabe consolidate his iron grip on power and by continuing to contest flawed elections they are giving the vote rigging the veneer of legitimacy.
Zimbabwe is in a serious economic and political mess and, today, the threat of the country descending into social and political chaos is real and eminent. It has taken nearly four decades for the nation to get here, we should have done something about but wasted many opportunities to do so. We are staring down into the dark, dangerous and unforgiving abyss. This is our last-minute chance to step back and all we must do is make sure our next elections are free, fair and credible.
Zimbabwe is standing on the edge of the abyss. It is Zanu PF's insatiable greed for absolute power, wealth and influence that has not us into this mess. If the nation should tumble over the edge then it must be said it was MDC's blundering incompetence of participating in flawed elections, that pushed the nation over the edge.
Source - Patrick Guramatunhu
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
