'Zanu PF media ad hominem attacks on ambassadors is insulting' - remain focused and tighten screw

"President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government appeared determined to commit diplomatic hara-kiri - ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword, which used to be practised in Japan - with its officials and supporters continuing to act rashly to Zimbabwe's detriment," reported Bulawayo24.

"According to the Daily News, this comes as forthright European Union (EU) ambassador to Zimbabwe, Tim Olkkonen, was left seething at the weekend after incessant and ill-advised attacks in State media on the equally outspoken United States ambassador to Harare, Brian Nichols."

"On other news I find these continued ad hominem attacks on my esteemed colleague Brian Nichols very insulting and in extremely bad taste," Olkkonen wrote on social media in response - suggesting a further deterioration in the relationship between Harare and the West

No one should be surprised by this Zanu PF regime's vicious personal attack on Ambassador Brian Nichols, Ambassador Tim Olkkonen and every one else who has dared to criticize the regime. The regime knows these critics are right and since the regime cannot answer back on the substantive issues brought up by the critics it attacks the messenger and not the message. Zanu PF fights dirty, we all know that! Fortunately, for our diplomatic friends, all the regime can do is use foul language!

Sadly, the same cannot be said about the ordinary Zimbabwean critics and opponents of the regime; they are at the mercy of the regime and it is no-holds barred. Zanu PF rigged last year's elections, the party has since failed to rig economic recovery and is using brute force to remain in power regardless of the tragic human suffering and deaths the worsening economic situation has brought.

At the heart of Zimbabwe's economic crisis is the political paralysis. Zimbabwe is a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent, vote rigging and murderous thugs. The country's economy has been in free fall for the last 20 years, at least, because it has been near impossible to do business with these thugs.

The economic activities have all but ground to a halt, unemployment has soared to 90%, inflation is soaring back to the 2008 levels when it peaked at 500 billion per cent, etc. The economic situation is socially, politically and morally unsustainable. Fix the economy or the country will slide into social unrest or worse!

As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state the economic meltdown will only get worse.

The only sure way to sponge out the pariah state is for the illegitimate Zanu PF regime to step down to allow for the appointment of an interim administration committed to implementing the reforms and end the curse of rigged elections. The proposed solutions in which Zanu PF will remain in office are a waste of time because everyone will know Zanu PF will be running the show and Zimbabwe will remain a pariah state.

The West condemned last year's elections as a sham, it is high time they openly called for this illegitimate Zanu PF regime to step down!

Regime change is now a certainty, the writing is on the wall. Even the Zanu PF hardliners know their iron grip on power is being broken off one hammer blow at a time. They are not going quietly, of that we can be certain.

My advice to ambassador Olkkonen is to remain focused on the substantive issues and tighten the screw a turn or two every time the regime utters an obscenity!