Opinion / Columnist
'I pledge to be peaceful!' twittered Minister Moyo - how naïve, cannot have peace without justice
17 Aug 2018 at 14:09hrs | Views
Yesterday there was a report of Home Affairs Minister, Obert Mpofu saying "Zimbabweans should be guided by the culture of Ubuntu which is embedded on love, peace and harmony saying elections are not war and as such people should be able to move forward in oneness for development to take place."
Today it is Foreign affairs minister, Sibusiso Moyo, preaching the same message.
"It is important for us as leaders to advocate for peace in everything we say and do! Let's continue on this peaceful road! Yes, it does begin with me and today I pledge to be peaceful in my conduct. Retweet if you pledge to remain peaceful," he tweeted.
The regime is stage one of its all-out charm offensive, this time, to promote peace when it is the one that has just rigged the elections and thus blowing the country's chances of economic recovery and peace.
After last November's military coup, the junta made a big song and dance about the new democratic era, a new dispensation, and promised to hold free, fair and credible elections. When people asked President Mnangagwa to implement the democratic reforms; which everyone in 2008 agreed were a prerequisite for free and fair in the wake of that year's blatant cheating and wanton violence; he dismissed them as barking dogs.
"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igo tonga! Imi muchingohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) boasted President Mnangagwa.
Whilst the elections were conducted in relative peace, at least compared to the barbarism of 2008 no one in their right mind would ever say the elections were free, fair and credible. How can they be when there was no free public media. 2 to 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote; the authorities could have charge a fee to cover all expenses, so cost was just a feeble excuse. ZEC failed to produce a clean verified voters' roll, this was the smoking gun to all manner of vote rigging shenanigans.
Zanu PF robbed the nation blind to bankroll its vote rigging and vote buying schemes. In a country where many of its provincial hospitals do not have a reliable ambulance service; it is disheartening that Zanu PF bought each of its 30 parliamentary and senatorial candidates and 30 local Chiefs a brand new vehicle! And the list goes on.
By failing to hold free, fair and credible elections President Mnangagwa and his junta have just scuttled all hope of an meaningful economic recovery. The much talked about and hoped for flood of foreign direct investment will never happen because investors and lenders do not do business with pariah states ruled by vote-rigging thugs.
With unemployment sitting at a nauseating 90%, with 75% of the population living on US$1.00 a day, most basic services such as supply of clean running water and health care all but collapse, etc. it goes without saying that Zimbabwe is in serious economic trouble. Of course, the people are getting restless and when they realise that the economic recovery they have been hoping for will never happen, you can bet the people will feel betrayed and they will be justifiable angry.
This Zanu PF regime had the opportunity to hold free, fair and credible elections and thus end the country's pariah state status and put the nation back on track for economic recovery an end the tragic human misery. The regime refused to embrace change for selfish reasons of holding on to absolute power at all cost.
The regime knows the people are getting increasingly restless at the injustice of a system that has produced a few filthy rich ruling elite at the expense of a filthy poor majority. The impoverish majority are inflamed by the patronising indifference of the ruling elite who preach peace by day but continue to rig elections and loot the nation blind by night!
The over the top "shot to kill" response to the 1st August street protest was a foretaste of what the regime will do to silence all dissent to its increasingly autocratic and tyrannical rule. The regime is seeking peace but on its very strict terms – it has and wants to keep its boot on the neck of the downtrodden majority grovelling in the dirty. Only a fool would see that as a basis for lasting peace!
"I pledge to be peaceful in my conduct!" twittered Minister Moyo. Well you were not so peaceful in your conduct in November 2017 when stage the military coup or rigged one election after another these last 38 years!
"I pledge to be peaceful!" Nonsense! Try, "I pledge to be just and peaceful!" History teaches us, there will never be peace without justice. There will never be peace in Zimbabwe in the face of the glaring injustice of grinding poverty and ruthless oppression of the downtrodden majority. Never ever!
Today it is Foreign affairs minister, Sibusiso Moyo, preaching the same message.
"It is important for us as leaders to advocate for peace in everything we say and do! Let's continue on this peaceful road! Yes, it does begin with me and today I pledge to be peaceful in my conduct. Retweet if you pledge to remain peaceful," he tweeted.
The regime is stage one of its all-out charm offensive, this time, to promote peace when it is the one that has just rigged the elections and thus blowing the country's chances of economic recovery and peace.
After last November's military coup, the junta made a big song and dance about the new democratic era, a new dispensation, and promised to hold free, fair and credible elections. When people asked President Mnangagwa to implement the democratic reforms; which everyone in 2008 agreed were a prerequisite for free and fair in the wake of that year's blatant cheating and wanton violence; he dismissed them as barking dogs.
"Zanu PF ichatonga! Igo tonga! Imi muchingohukura! Nokuhukura!" (Zanu PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) boasted President Mnangagwa.
Whilst the elections were conducted in relative peace, at least compared to the barbarism of 2008 no one in their right mind would ever say the elections were free, fair and credible. How can they be when there was no free public media. 2 to 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora were denied the vote; the authorities could have charge a fee to cover all expenses, so cost was just a feeble excuse. ZEC failed to produce a clean verified voters' roll, this was the smoking gun to all manner of vote rigging shenanigans.
Zanu PF robbed the nation blind to bankroll its vote rigging and vote buying schemes. In a country where many of its provincial hospitals do not have a reliable ambulance service; it is disheartening that Zanu PF bought each of its 30 parliamentary and senatorial candidates and 30 local Chiefs a brand new vehicle! And the list goes on.
By failing to hold free, fair and credible elections President Mnangagwa and his junta have just scuttled all hope of an meaningful economic recovery. The much talked about and hoped for flood of foreign direct investment will never happen because investors and lenders do not do business with pariah states ruled by vote-rigging thugs.
With unemployment sitting at a nauseating 90%, with 75% of the population living on US$1.00 a day, most basic services such as supply of clean running water and health care all but collapse, etc. it goes without saying that Zimbabwe is in serious economic trouble. Of course, the people are getting restless and when they realise that the economic recovery they have been hoping for will never happen, you can bet the people will feel betrayed and they will be justifiable angry.
This Zanu PF regime had the opportunity to hold free, fair and credible elections and thus end the country's pariah state status and put the nation back on track for economic recovery an end the tragic human misery. The regime refused to embrace change for selfish reasons of holding on to absolute power at all cost.
The regime knows the people are getting increasingly restless at the injustice of a system that has produced a few filthy rich ruling elite at the expense of a filthy poor majority. The impoverish majority are inflamed by the patronising indifference of the ruling elite who preach peace by day but continue to rig elections and loot the nation blind by night!
The over the top "shot to kill" response to the 1st August street protest was a foretaste of what the regime will do to silence all dissent to its increasingly autocratic and tyrannical rule. The regime is seeking peace but on its very strict terms – it has and wants to keep its boot on the neck of the downtrodden majority grovelling in the dirty. Only a fool would see that as a basis for lasting peace!
"I pledge to be peaceful in my conduct!" twittered Minister Moyo. Well you were not so peaceful in your conduct in November 2017 when stage the military coup or rigged one election after another these last 38 years!
"I pledge to be peaceful!" Nonsense! Try, "I pledge to be just and peaceful!" History teaches us, there will never be peace without justice. There will never be peace in Zimbabwe in the face of the glaring injustice of grinding poverty and ruthless oppression of the downtrodden majority. Never ever!
Source - zsdemocrats.blogspot.co.uk
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