Opinion / Columnist
Civil War has technically started in Zimbabwe
20 Jun 2021 at 15:10hrs | Views
After the November 2017 coup, President Mnangagwa (ED) does not only have the colonial instruments of repression but also improved means of controlling population movements, geographical reach-thanks largely to COVID-19. Under ED, the oppression and exploitation of the Zimbabwean people continues unabated. As soon as ED assumed power, he seized control of the key state institutions and packed them with his supporters, allies, and cronies, subverting the institutions to serve his interests, not those of the people. Ordinary people have lost all civil liberties-people disappear with no trace even that of fresh graves.
We have seen a variety of tactics used to deal with the opposition: bribery and co-optation divide and conquer, and infiltration and destroying the opposition from within or simply crushing it. However, just as Mugabe rule did not endure, neither will ED. Eventually the ED's regime will self-destruct from within, largely owing to internal contradictions and divisions as its already happening.
On the other hand the subjugated people are rising up and revolting. The process is predictable. The economy is in the dustbin. ED's continued incendiary rhetoric and policy zigzags are taking a toll on investment, and nationalization of commercial properties sending investors scurrying away. The economy faltering-there is little production except the daily empty promises, goods are disappearing from the shelves, and prices have risen almost 30 percent in the past month alone.
The youths throughout the country have taken measures into their own hands and steal anything they can get their hands on and kill anyone who tries to resist in the process.
The President is taking desperate measures to manage the situation-introducing stringent forex controls -but because ED's government has power concentrated at the center, he is definitely out of touch with reality while people around him continues to lie to him. These measures are only exacerbating the situation; commodity prices have shot up by almost 40 percent three weeks after ED uttered the word 'forex'.
The man has lost all credibility and has lost the ability to control anything and the youth are fed up with the deteriorating economic conditions and rampant corruption. They are taking their frustration and anger to property owners. Today, a basic dura wall will not protect anyone from these angry youths and the only sensible thing for property owners is to arm themselves for protection. Such responses often degenerate into civil wars with devastating consequences and in Zimbabwe civil war has started. Usually these civil wars will become real threat decades later but in the case of Zimbabwe, we are already suffering from the consequences of civil war. Property owners are arming themselves and naturally, in this competitive sport, the group with the biggest bazooka comes out on top.
We have seen a variety of tactics used to deal with the opposition: bribery and co-optation divide and conquer, and infiltration and destroying the opposition from within or simply crushing it. However, just as Mugabe rule did not endure, neither will ED. Eventually the ED's regime will self-destruct from within, largely owing to internal contradictions and divisions as its already happening.
On the other hand the subjugated people are rising up and revolting. The process is predictable. The economy is in the dustbin. ED's continued incendiary rhetoric and policy zigzags are taking a toll on investment, and nationalization of commercial properties sending investors scurrying away. The economy faltering-there is little production except the daily empty promises, goods are disappearing from the shelves, and prices have risen almost 30 percent in the past month alone.
The youths throughout the country have taken measures into their own hands and steal anything they can get their hands on and kill anyone who tries to resist in the process.
[08:15, 6/12/2021] +263 77 2xx xxxx: Ruwa Police inokumbira kuti mufambe kwakachena. Kune matsotsi vari kurova vanhu nekuvabira panguva dzemanheru. So ngatifambei kwakachena nekuti upenyu hwedu hwakakosha. Tasangana nemhosva dzakadai dzakawanda uye tine urombo kuti upenyu hwevamwe vakabatwa nematsotsi aya hwakadamburirwa panzira.When such statements are coming from the police then please take note-the ruling government has lost control of the country.
The President is taking desperate measures to manage the situation-introducing stringent forex controls -but because ED's government has power concentrated at the center, he is definitely out of touch with reality while people around him continues to lie to him. These measures are only exacerbating the situation; commodity prices have shot up by almost 40 percent three weeks after ED uttered the word 'forex'.
The man has lost all credibility and has lost the ability to control anything and the youth are fed up with the deteriorating economic conditions and rampant corruption. They are taking their frustration and anger to property owners. Today, a basic dura wall will not protect anyone from these angry youths and the only sensible thing for property owners is to arm themselves for protection. Such responses often degenerate into civil wars with devastating consequences and in Zimbabwe civil war has started. Usually these civil wars will become real threat decades later but in the case of Zimbabwe, we are already suffering from the consequences of civil war. Property owners are arming themselves and naturally, in this competitive sport, the group with the biggest bazooka comes out on top.
[08:15, 6/12/2021] +263 77 2xx xxxx: Mangwanani.Nezuro kuma 7pm tine munhu akopodwa pa George ( Ruwa service station).Uyezve vamwe vanhu vaviri vaka podwa around same time pakati pe Mabvuku ne Ruwa.This makes me sad because armed robberies by these youths will not solve Zimbabwe's economic meltdown and can only head the Somali way. The bootlickers around ED will definitely degenerate into war load scenarios and ED cannot put them down. We are faced with wanton destruction, chaos, and high number of deaths as a result of the ongoing civil war. History has shown us that civil wars destroy infrastructure and hasten the collapse of the entire state, resulting in a failed or collapsed state, as happened in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Somalia.
Source - Sam Wezhira
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