Latest News Editor's Choice


Opinion / Columnist

A peaceful coup in Zimbabwe

21 Nov 2017 at 14:26hrs | Views
President R.G. Mugabe, Dr Masimba Mavaza shake hands
There was real jubilation in the streets OF Zimbabwean towns as for the first time in 37 years there was going to be a change in government. The army action was calculated and famous for its civility. People have a wonderful pictures standing in between soldiers. Soldiers on tanks and those on foot, for the first time the towns are filled with armed men who are not asking for a bribe. People are holding signs which are saying Free at Last." From the outside [of the country] it appeared different from what we saw inside. The outside world was expecting blood and gunfire. The Zimbabwean defence forces have shown the world the form of Zimbabwean civilisation. Zimbabwe experienced a coup like no other. In an era characterized by the clash of ideologies and power players, the nearly bloodless revolution became known as the Restoring Legacy Operation. What began as a military revolution led by the soldiers quickly became a mass movement of civil peaceful unrest.

The President comrade Robert Mugabe resisted the independence the country for as long as possible, forcing soldiers to take freedom efforts into their own hands. Much of the planning for the revolution took place outside the country The revolution is expected to end in the peaceful overthrow of President Mugabe, who has been the rock of Zimbabwe for thirty seven years, and was the longest surviving oldest leader in the world followed by the queen of England.

The army actions united all people from different parties to have one purpose of removing the president from the throne. The reason for this united front was the reckless talk and profane language and lose behaviour exhibited by the First Lady. The first lady went insane in her addresses and no one dared to control or rebuke her. The revolutionary party was reduced to be a social gathering of the drunkards where issues of great importance where dealt with in public. Where grown up man where paraded in front of jeering and cheering crowds' to be embarrassed. There was no respect left and the First Lady took pride in such village politics. Cde Kasukuwere served as the NPC , and Jonathan Moyo as the minister of Higher Education and Mnangagwa affairs. This describes the shift in the political atmosphere before the first lady entered in the fray of things. This brought distrust of the government, and the momentous decision to give the government a kick.

There was a clear capture of the party which reduced the party to a personal project and anybody with a different view was labelled a traitor and was removed. The party had two faces, one where people where fired without a hearing and the other where one person will have a presidential elected committee to deal with his matters.
 
Some criminals were acquitted at a rally presided by the almighty judge and no one should question. One person became both judge and jury and the office of the president was indeed taken over. It needed a bold move to restore order and sanity in the revolutionary party. The party slogan had changed to accommodate the comers and the chancers had taken full advantage of the lunacy of the day.
The situation soiled the legacy of the president as he was now surrounded by thieves who were now trying to erase the gains of freedom and removing any person with a war credentials. The History of the country was slowly abandoned and spoiled by those who got closer, most of them sang for their super and never kept quiet.

Zimbabwe was a quiet place, with no hints of the revolution to come. There was really no political opposition, as MDC had its own problems and a number of useless parties were mushrooming as we got closer to elections. Politically, things were routine, quiet until one day the soldiers became the soldiers
As people approached the town they saw this whole line of tanks along the tracks with troops with guns out on the top. People thought perhaps the troops were on manoeuvres or something. Some thought it was a routine process.

The country was caught flat-footed and had no inkling that the revolution was coming. The revolution was underway and indeed no sounding of a fire arm but an ire of silence and then jubilation as people gathered to show their support to the army. People gathered without anybody forcing them.

It was a fascinating time to be in Zimbabwe. The elite fled but some were arrested in their bedrooms or at a hiding place. The whole state security apparatus was rolled up some were arrested and others fled.. The soldiers snookered the whole government, taking over in a lightening blow with very few casualties.
This was at a time when the world was pressuring Zimbabwe to begin the democratic process.  People were dying and there seemed no end in sight few around the first lady built mansions and bought million dollar cars for showing off. The president was lied to by these thugs, so the army officers took matters into their own hands. The revolution was to speed up negotiations for a graceful exit of His Excellence the president, and improve socio-economic conditions at home.

The revolution scared our government, but was praised by the world over. Anyway, the world didn't like the reporting that was coming out from the Ambassadors that basically said this is not a coup but a nationalist realignment one, which stemmed from frustrations with Zimbabwe's policy and new political dispensation.

Zimbabwe is a very peaceful society and is not interested who is to take over, they just want peace and prosperity. People were fed up. They wanted to accelerate the process and end the hardships that has lasted for many years and only benefited the entrenched elite.

Finally, two things helped to bring it about. One was the expelling of the vice president Mnangagwa from both government and party in a very unfair procedure. His charges were not drafted well and his expulsion was hurried. The first lady had told two rallies that she was going to fire him. This irked the Zimbabweans who felt that the power of the president was taken by his wife.

Two it was the uncultured insults which characterised the youth interface, the programme which would have had been a better one to benefit the youth became an insulting stage. If there was any little respect left for the first lady it evaporated when she puked vulgar and showed great disrespect to elders favouring one against the other without showing fairness in her dealings with people. The country was reduced to gossiping circus and the dignity as we knew it was eroded.

In all this the name of the president was put into disrepute. Whatever the situation could be whatever people could say there is nothing which can take away the works which were done by Cde RG Mugabe. Indeed there were people who took advantage of his age and lied to him but his legacy will be echoed far and abroad.

Robert Mugabe remains the Hero of all Heroes and indeed the true son of the soil. Politics is very bad when the tide turns against you. Erasing the place of the President from the History of Zimbabwe is vindictive and surely unreasonable.

The president made a wrong choice in his married life but he remained the icon Zimbabwe must be proud of. He has led successful land redistribution, he has made us people and indeed without him Zimbabwe would have been different.

Politics is full of unforgiving people, and indeed some are busy trashing the legacy of the president, it is a painful exit for a man who gave his all to us and our children.

History will judge us harshly if we ever forget the work Mugabe did. We should ask why the whole world is happy that Mugabe is gone, it is because they are hoping for a puppet they can twist to their own good.
There will be no one who will be like Mugabe, but yes we will have one who will continue with his work.

The noble thing to do now for the Icon is to resign and take a rest till he is hundred. May God Bless President Mugabe? May God bless his successor? May God teach The first lady to be a real wife and not be fooled by vultures surrounding the president preying on her ignorance?
As for me and my children Mugabe remains our hero whatever his mistakes.

Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk


Source - Dr Masimba Mavaza
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.