'EU turns to Zanu-PF as prospect of opposition govt fades' - we only have ourselves to blame for this

"EU turns to Zanu-PF as prospects of opposition govt fades" screamed the headlines in Bulawayo24. Of course, every thinking Zimbabwean out there must be disappointed the EU has given up the fight end the Zanu PF dictatorship article. The re-engagement is taking place on the ever of the 2023 elections which Zanu PF was rigging and will therefore take the EU's willingness to do business regardless of the regime's failure to hold free and fair elections as a green light to rig 2023 elections!

"Particularly noteworthy is the remarkable diplomatic warmth now between us and the European Union (EU), achieved in so short a time (since the 2017 military coup)," the article quoted Mnangagwa's letter in The Sunday Mail.

"Only last week, the EU bloc launched its 'Team Europe', a new rubric under which the 27 countries comprising the bloc will coordinate and consolidate relations with us, this time through Government, and in line with, and in support of our priorities under Government's National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

"This is the first time that the EU has disbursed directly to Zimbabwe through structures of our Government.

"All along, relations were being conducted asymmetrically and unconventionally through non-governmental organisations."

This very disappointing but comes as no surprise to any thinking Zimbabwean out there. Lest the EU has forgotten the sanctions were imposed on the Zanu PF regime for failing to hold free and fair elections. The regime has failed to hold free elections as the 2018 elections showed. The 246 man-strong EU Election Observer Mission condemned Zimbabwe's 2018 elections.

"Notably, major shortcomings in the pre-election environment impacted on the free expression of the will of electors, state resources were misused in favour of the incumbent and coverage by state media was heavily biased in favour of the ruling party," reads the EU Mission final report.

"Further, the electoral commission lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability. Finally, the restrictions on political freedoms, the excessive use of force by security forces and abuses of human rights in the post-election period undermined the corresponding positive aspects during the pre-election campaign.

"As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards."
The MEU mission made 23 recommendations the Zanu PF regime was asked to implement to bring Zimbabwe's elections to accepted international standards. Not even one of the recommendations has been implemented. Not one!

The last thing for anyone to do is to ease pressure on this Zanu PF regime to hold free and fair elections. And yet that is exactly what the EU is doing; first by lifting the economic sanctions imposed on the regime and now by normalising relationship with the regime. No wonder President Mnangagwa is over the moon about it!

The timing for the EU to be welcoming the Zanu PF regime could not have been worse than doing on the eve of fresh elections which we already know Zanu PF is rigging already. There is overwhelming evidence that Zanu PF is rigging the upcoming 2023 elections; failure to implement even one EU reform recommendation, no verified voters' roll, soaring cases of Zanu PF political violence, etc.

The EU decision to re-engage with the Zanu PF regime can only one thing, the EU has given up the fight to force Zanu PF to dismantle the corrupt and tyrannical one-party dictatorship because they realise the dismantling will have to be done by Zimbabwe's opposition and not outsiders. The West imposed the sanctions 20 years ago and the local opposition has failed to implement even one reform in that period.
 
Like it or not the MDC/CCC has proven beyond all doubt that they are corrupt and breathtakingly incompetent. The late Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDEC friends had the golden opportunity to implement democratic reforms and end the Zanu PF dictatorship during the 2008 to 2013 GNU and they wasted it. And ever since the GNU debacle MDC/CCC have participated in flawed elections, ignoring the SADC, EU and others' advice to implement reforms first, to give Zanu PF legitimacy.

By re-engaging with the vote rigging Zanu PF regime the EU is simply acknowledging a political reality - that there is no competent opposition in Zimbabwe push through democratic changes in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is stuck with this corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF regime and the EU might as well accept that reality and normalize its relationship with Zanu PF.

As a rule of thumb, nations get the government they deserve. We in Zimbabwe deserve this Zanu PF autocracy complete with its coterie of corrupt and utterly useless opposition parties. MDC/CCC have sold out of reforms and yet even now with the benefit of hindsight many Zimbabweans are not even aware of this hence the reason they continue to support Chamisa and company blindly like sheep.

Of course, there is no hope of a democratic government because MDC/CCC sold out on implementing the necessary reforms to end the dictatorship. The present political situation is hopeless as CCC are participating in flawed elections to give Zanu PF legitimacy and thus perpetuating the dictatorship.
Of course, we the people of Zimbabwe are to blame there will be no meaningful democratic change in Zimbabwe. We have been so naïve and gullible not to notice MDC/CCC leaders are selling out on reforms and free elections. And there will be no meaningful democratic changes and good governance until we open our eyes and minds to such the political realities as the opposition selling out!