We have a clueless Opposition Movement in Zimbabwe that's all!

The only problem we have in Zimbabwe is that we have an inept if not clueless opposition movement who give Zanu pf too much lee-way by agreeing on almost everything which comes out of the mouth of Zanu Pf. Let's talk about the Diaspora vote, its enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe but Zanu pf is reluctant to pursue it not because of money or logistics but because of fear that they will lose an election. Zanu always says they don't have money to allow Zimbabweans in SA, Bots, UK, America, and Canada to vote but didn't we see Grace spending almost US$2m on a ring to put on her small finger. Didn't we see his son Russell importing two Rolls Royce limousines worth 5 million US dollars, what job does Russell do, what qualification does he have? Where does he work? Surely this is blatant ill-gotten wealth which needs to be challenged by any opposition party which is really serious about change and fighting for equality and justice.

Let's talk about his ill-disciplined half-brothers Chatunga and Robert.  It's in the public domain that the two unruly elements in the Mugabe clan were slapped with an R780 000 ($60 000) bill after leaving a trail of destruction at the Sandton penthouse they were evicted from following a dramatic and violent brawl in July 2017. Who paid that money? Its taxpayer's money stupid. Let's talk about the father, again it's in the public domain that he reportedly arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly with a bloated entourage of over 70 people, including his family and true to their character, the son was spotted in New York on Tuesday in a shopping extravagance at a time when most Zimbabweans back home can hardly put food on their tables. It's said Mugabe took a 70-member delegation to the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly with each of his delegate gobbling $1 500 per day during their 10-day stay in the United States while most Zimbabweans are surviving on less than one US dollar per day and you tell me you don't have money to set up structures so that Zimbabweans in the diaspora can vote, Seriously??

In 2016, Robert Mugabe made an astonishing confession, he revealed that diamonds worth more than $15 billion was looted in the eastern mining area of Mutare. Mugabe was speaking in a belated 92nd birthday interview on state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on a Thursday night, he said the state treasury received less than $2 billion from the diamonds in Mutare. So, if 15 billion was looted (by the way I believe 15 billion is an understatement), then it's beyond reasonable doubt that the US$15bn went into someone's pocket.  Whose pocket is my question? I don't have an answer but I believe employees stationed at that old dilapidated structure close to Rotten Row Courts called Jongwe House in Harare has the answers. US$15 billion is almost equivalent to our GDP and losing it must have been condemned. In a proper democracy, a commission of inquiry would have been set up but not in my Zimbabwe. The story started from a birthday party and was talked on facebook, went to bars and pubs and it ended like that. The opposition instead of fighting for accountability and justice decided to use the missing US$15 billion story as a campaign gimmick in their rallies, Seriously??

Transparency International, a global anti-corruption think tank in October 2016 made a famous statement which sadly fell on deaf ears, they said Zimbabwe is losing at least $1 billion annually to corruption, with police and local government officials among the worst offenders. Is this a lie? Let's quickly talk about the recent looting of Zimdef funds. The Chairman of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) investigations committee, Goodson Nguni told journalists last year that Jonathan Moyo, in cahoots with officials from his ministry, diverted $430,000 from the fund to finance personal activities. What happened to the story? Oh, it just died a natural death. We have 430 thousand US dollars just disappearing without a trace and no one is held accountable and that same party comes to us and makes a statement that we don't have money to set up electoral systems and structures so that every Zimbabwean regardless of his physical location can be given a chance to vote. And again, our clueless opposition movement just hears about this issue and instead of fighting for accountability and justice they decide to use it in their campaign rallies. Tiri munhamo zveshuwa - sisenkingeni enkulu"

Let's talk about the so-called devout Seventh Day Adventist member who I believe should be dismembered by his church for extravagancy in a time when millions are jobless, hungry and can't afford to have one decent meal daily. I'm talking about our dear Vice President Mr. Phelekezela Mphoko who reportedly left the Rainbow Towers Hotel (formerly Sheraton Hotel) in August 2016 after spending 613 days in the presidential suite, arguing that he had no suitable accommodation in Harare. According to reports, the vice-president blew at least $620,000 in hotel bills after he checked in on December 10, 2014, only to leave in August 2016 to stay in a $2 million mansion. Is this not taxpayer's money? And again, you tell me that the government is broke to give Zimbabweans the right to vote regardless of their location. Does this make sense? Again, I never saw MDCT or any political party coming out from their cocoons and demanding justice and accountability. The MDCT decided to talk about this issue in their rallies instead.

It's sad to realize the simple fact that our opposition is deeply docile and inept. They think challenging Zanu pf is ridiculing Zanu pf cadres in parliament No it's not. You fight Zanu pf by challenging every decision, policies made by Zanu which doesn't embrace democracy, common sense and constitutionalism. We know since 1980 all our armed forces have been voting under the watchful eye of all the Zanu pf chiefs and this means that before everyone goes to vote on an election day, Zanu pf will be leading by at least 200k. Now my question is, what have we done so that this won't happen in 2018? In 2013 Morgan Tsvangirai made a statement in response to allegations of rigging by Zanu Pf.  He acknowledged and accepted that rigging will be there but he said the people of Zimbabwe will overwhelm the whole rigging machinery. To me that bullshit, accepting that Zanu pf rigs is to me a gross acceptance by MT that Zanu pf rigging strategies cannot be stopped so that the people of Zimbabwe for once can be able to be given a chance to choose a leader of their choice. If you can't stop Zanu pf from rigging then you are not worth to be an opposition leader.

 Fellow Zimbabweans, our opposition need to start fighting for an inclusion of all Zimbabweans to exercise their voting right regardless of their physical location. We just can't accept what Zanu pf says without even fighting. As Voter registration is happening right now, Zimbabweans in the diaspora need to be given a chance also, it's a combination of gross stupidity to think that a person who fled Zimbabwe can come back and register to vote and go back to his base, seriously is that possible? Why can't ZEC create registration centers in Gaborone, Johannesburg, Cape town, Durban UK, USA etc so that everyone can register, why do people have to come to Zimbabwe to register? Rwanda did it, Kenya did it so why can we not do it also.

Lastly let me say this, the battle for the emancipation of Zimbabwe will not be won in the Zimbabwean courts because we know that even the so-called independent judiciary in Zimbabwe was Zanufied a long time ago. The battle to force ZEC and Zanu pf to reform will be won on the streets. They are those who think what happened in Kenya where the Kenyan Judiciary nullified the Presidential election results can also happen in Zimbabwe. Let's not fool ourselves, if Zanu pf rigs and wins next year then that's the end of it, this is why it's important to fight and demand justice, reform and accountability today.

If Zanu pf and Mugabe went to war to fight so that everyone can vote, then why can we not be allowed to vote today. Fellow Zimbabweans I still believe that the time to fight for reforms and change is still there. Let us not be force-marched into another stolen election again. They have robbed us of our livelihood and have made us a laughing stock in the region, they simply need to go. We need to quickly mobilize and fight for every policy which directly and indirectly infringes on our human rights, democracy, common sense and constitution. We are a country with great potential and I believe we can and will rise again.

Umzukulu Ka Sitsha writes in his personal capacity and cannot be contacted.