Mnangagwa must heed voices from South Africa

There are press reports that the South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe,Mr. Mbete,said that Mnangagwa must have an External Credible Dialogue Facilitator.Elsewhere, a senior ANC member Fikile Mbalula is reported to have highlighted reasons why many Zimbabweans are in South Africa. The report says Mbalula mentioned tribalism by ZanuPF; their denial of real democracy and freedom of association to the people of Zimbabwe; and violence against the opposition. Mbalula also pointed out that the Junta regime side-lined the private sector in the economic development of the country, adopting a ‘Bambazonke' approach by its rapacious government officials. He further spoke about human rights violations and the absence of the rule of law.

Soon after the January protests, Zapu called for an all-inclusive dialogue that would culminate in the setting up of a Transitional Governing Authority. Zapu issued the statement by its leadership after widely consulting with various Civic Societies country wide. As usual, this was totally ignored by ZanuPF, and Mnangagwa handpicked political parties that endorsed his much contested election victory which was only given to him by a High Court Judge.

Some of the parties that had initially attended the meeting chickened out, mentioning various tendencies that have nothing to do with the seriousness of the prevailing socio-economic and political situation. To everyone who has been following events in the country: these ZanuPF engineered and destined dialogues will result in nothing other than the perpetuation of Zanuism under the pretext of ''development''. ZanuPF has had an opportunity to develop this country for 4 decades but the opposite of development - that is destruction - has systematically happened. Imagining development as a result of dialogues with the friendly political groups is just hallucinating.

Before the observation on dialogue by the South African Ambassador, Zanu PF had literally insulted the intelligence of the Zimbabwean people by claiming that they were repealing the fascist P.O.S.A when they were just using synonyms of the existing words of POSAin its''new '' bill. They convinced themselves that the world would believe their transparent lies.

And just before the dialogue, ZanuPF youth, chanting their party slogans, attacked the Ndebele Traditional Chief Ndiweni, making all sorts of accusations. His crime was to have simply said something against ZanuPF. The Herald, their mouth piece, was quick to farther castigate the chief, alleging that he had stage managed the attack.

The South African diplomat told them the wisest truth. Truth breaks no genuine friendship. Zimbabweans have been praying for truism to dawn, especially to SADC and South Africa in particular. The blind support of tyranny under the totally now distorted ''liberation struggle solidarity or comradeship'' has condemned thousands of Zimbabweans to this very painful predicament. Lindiwe Zulu tried during the Zimbabwean Government of National Unity, but the Jacob Zuma led leadership cautioned her and foolishly sided with the tyrant Robert Mugabe who just rejected what SADC had recommended. Mugabe had even insulted Lindiwe about her womanhood. All that was ignored by the South African Government and the ANC. We certainly hope that the Ambassador and Fikile Mbalula will not face the same wrath from their leadership.  

As Zapu we have experienced the pains of fighting against and defeating colonialism only to face the worst atrocities from our very own compatriots. We have also watched and listened painfully to history being deliberately twisted to suit alliances of luxury. Our people in the region expect the former liberation movements to give to them the genuine freedom that they sacrificed for, and to guarantee it for generations to come. This cannot be done when a government of a liberation movement becomes more atrocious to its own citizens than the colonizers forcing them to the streets of neighbouring countries.

Fikile Mbalula's words must lead to some very frank dialogue with the Junta in Zimbabwe. The ZanuPF leaders must make hay while the sun shines. It is not yet too late to go into an objective retrospect. There are many younger politicians in the region who vehemently share word for word what Fikile Mbalula said.

Zapu maintains that there has to be an honest willingness by the Mnangagwa regime to engage with everyone, not just to meet with those who agree with them at State House. Having dialogues that render the opposition irrelevant will not result in any convincing development. It is being interpreted as neutralising the opposition through a cup of tea at State House.
Mkhululi Zulu  is the  Zapu Presidential Spokesperson.