ED sold himself as 'steady and firm hand' - unmasked, 'Mugabe mark 2'

"There have been other worrying signs. At the weekend, in a column for the Sunday Mail, Mnangagwa declared that illegal foreign currency trade had become a "security issue". Mangudya was also quoted in the press warning private companies illegally buying forex on the black market," reported newZWire.

"The Reserve Bank is increasingly unable to meet the forex demands of local companies, with the forex payments backlog at over $600 million. Mining firm RioZim has taken the unusual step of threatening a lawsuit because the central bank is not meeting its pledges to provide forex. Threats from Mnangagwa and Mangudya are therefore clearly out-of-place, as they both know there wouldn't be a black market if there was enough forex to go around."

NewZWire is 100% correct there; of course, there would be no black market trading in foreign currency if there was no forex shortage.

Indeed, it is nonsense to call it a black market. Zimbabwe is using a multi-currency system and therefore everyone is free to trade in anyone of the many currencies. Note, this free trade includes trading in the different currencies themselves. Until 2009 the Z$ was the only legal currency and only authorised dealers were allowed to sell and buy all other foreign currency.

"Mnangagwa has sold himself at home and abroad as the "steady and firm hand" that the country needs," continued NewZWire report.

Yes, he did but has already proven that he is not to be trusted. Mnangagwa promised to end corruption and has done very little about it. Like Mugabe before him, he has proven to be a reckless spender. Zimbabwe's present forex shortage resulting in the shortage of basic commodities such as food, fuel and drugs is Mnangagwa's own making in that ever since coming to power he has been spending money on new cars for Chiefs and Zanu PF officials, he squandered $1.4 million on a chartered plane for Grace Mugabe, etc.

When Mnangagwa failed to hold free, fair and credible election, as promised, that was the last straw that broke the camel's back as far as the international community and the would-be investors and lenders were concerned.

He and his cronies can continued to crow "Zimbabwe is open for business!" in their colourful trademark scarfs. They are just wasting their breathe; the much hoped for flood of investors they are expecting would never happen. Investors do not do business in a pariah state in which the next regime change has to be yet another military coup or violent street protests.

Mnangagwa has shown himself to be just another corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging tyrant, another Robert Mugabe in all but name, as one UK MP, Kate Hoey, rightly pointed out.

"Without doubt the election has been cleverly rigged but even worse is the fact that it is the military that is behind the regime and they are now unleashing a similar fear and terror campaign on leading opposition activists and curbing all protests by killing and arresting innocent Zimbabweans," wrote MP Hoey, following her trip to Zimbabwe to observe the elections.

 "The courage and self-sacrifice of the Zimbabwean people is humbling to behold. We, in the international community cannot accept the result of the election and the UK government must take a lead to ensure that the Zimbabwean government is seen for what it is a mark 2 Mugabe regime and one that deserves no support whatsoever."

The real tragedy here is President Mnangagwa and his regime are dragging the nation through yet another period of tough economic turmoil of hyperinflation, commodity shortages, etc. The economic chaos is causing heart-breaking human suffering and hardships. Sadly, it is all for nothing, there will be no meaningful economic recovery; not as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state.

After 38 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF rule that has brought economic ruin and human misery we must now admit this is not working and address the elephant in room – the vote rigging Zanu PF dictatorship.

By rigging elections, Mnangagwa et al dragged us back into this pariah state mess of Mugabe years. They are holding the nation hostage. They are committing high treason and they must held to account. No one, absolutely no one, is above the law. And this time we must hold them to account or there is no end to this nightmare.

If Mnangagwa and his junta are allowed to stay in power to the next election in 2023; they will rig those elections too and extend their stay in power. Zanu PF will never "reform itself out of office" as Professor Jonathan Moyo once admitted.

Zanu PF rigged the 30 July 2018 elections, this regime is, per se, illegitimate. The regime must step down to allow the implementation of democratic reforms, the holding of fresh free, fir and credible elections and thus allow the nation to finally shed off its pariah state curse!

We must end the political insanity of Zanu PF thugs ridding roughshod over our freedoms, rights, hopes and dreams of a life with dignity! Mnangagwa and his thugs are mortals, not Gods, and the idea that they can commit treason repeatedly and get away with it is an outrage that must not be allowed to continue another day!