Opinion / Columnist
'Unveiling Zimbabwe's Dark Secrets' Al Jazeera documentary Truth is finally coming out. 'Rinemanyanga hariputirwi!'
02 Mar 2023 at 15:17hrs | Views
Starting tonight, 10 pm UK time, Al Jazeera will broadcast a four-part documentary titled Unveiling Zimbabwe's Dark Secrets: Al Jazeera Exposes Looting, Plunder and Money Laundering.
The Zanu PF regime knows what is coming and the damage limiting exercise has already started.
"Is there corruption in Zimbabwe? Yes. Is there smuggling of minerals and forex out of the country? Yes. Is there money laundering in Zimbabwe? Yes, including by non-governmental (organisations.) Is the government fully committed to getting rid of all the above ills? That is a fact," tweeted Nick Mangwana Information and Publicity ministry secretary.
It is one thing to admit there is corruption in Zimbabwe and then sweep the problem with the usual counter claim of we are not the only country it's corrupt or we are dealing with the problem; when the details of the corruption are sketchy. The Al Jazeera documentary is putting the flesh to the bones and defining the level of corruption in graphic details; dismissing corrupt now is mission impossible.
In 2019 Dr John Mangudya, RBZ Governor, revealed that Zimbabwe was losing US$1.2 billion per year to gold smugglers alone (forget the leaks in diamonds, lithium and all the other corruption and cartel activities). He admitted that Zimbabwe would not need to borrow money from outside to buy essentials such as covid 19 equipment then or to fund the country's development.
The smuggled US$1.2 billion constitute 30% and 12% of the nation's US$4 billion budget and US$10 billion GDP respectively. What other nation was making comparable loses?
Zimbabwe is a failed state unable to provide basic services such as education and health care, clean running water and electricity, the country's once upon a time robust economy has collapsed and 50% of our people are now living in abject poverty. This is not surprising given the burden on the economy of 43 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption.
Yes, corruption is a problem the world over but how many other countries out there are failed states? And is this the rat race to the bottom we want to join much less want to win!
"What is lamentable in this case is that the overriding purpose of the documentary is to interfere with the electoral process of a sovereign state. We cannot afford to have foreign news media attempting so grossly to interfere with the outcome of our election. Al Jazeera would not dare do the same thing in Japan, in Asia, in America or in Europe. Zimbabweans must choose their destiny with no interference from foreigners. Al Jazeera's interference is as brazen as it is nauseating," chipped in UK based Dr Maimba Mavaza, writing in the Zanu PF control Herald.
How typical!
The primary purpose of the documentary is to inform the people of Zimbabwe of the true nature of this ugly creature called corruption. The country's public media's express purpose has been to brainwash the people and keep them ignorant. The private media has largely been harassed and brow-beaten into silence.
Democracy, a government of the people for the people and by the people, only works if the said people are informed and educated. A free and independent media is therefore essential. It is therefore regrettable that the people of Zimbabwe should have to rely on a foreign media house to inform and educate them!
"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," stated the EU 2018 Election Observer Mission Final Report.
"Further, The electoral commission (ZEC) 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.
"As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards."
The EU made 23 recommendation to ensure future elections are free, fair and credible. Not even one of these recommendations have seen the light of day.
The Al Jazeera documentary has left President Mnangagwa and his cronies feeling as sick as a parrot for three main reason:
people had only seen the ears of the hippo or dark shadows in the dark and, for once, they see the creature in its full ugliness
and, most important of all, who created and milk this monster; President Mnangagwa and his cronies cannot only deny benefiting but being the godfathers of corruption.
it is clear why Zanu PF rigged 2018 and is rigging 2023 election, a regime this corrupt cannot afford the luxury of holding free, fair and credible elections. The electorate are simple people but they are not stupid, especially when they have the mountain of evidence of corruption before their own eye.
"Renemanyanga hariputirwi!" (The truth will always come out!) so goes the Shona adage. The truth about Zanu PF corruption and abuse of power is finally coming out and no wonder the regime is worried sick.
The Zanu PF regime knows what is coming and the damage limiting exercise has already started.
"Is there corruption in Zimbabwe? Yes. Is there smuggling of minerals and forex out of the country? Yes. Is there money laundering in Zimbabwe? Yes, including by non-governmental (organisations.) Is the government fully committed to getting rid of all the above ills? That is a fact," tweeted Nick Mangwana Information and Publicity ministry secretary.
It is one thing to admit there is corruption in Zimbabwe and then sweep the problem with the usual counter claim of we are not the only country it's corrupt or we are dealing with the problem; when the details of the corruption are sketchy. The Al Jazeera documentary is putting the flesh to the bones and defining the level of corruption in graphic details; dismissing corrupt now is mission impossible.
In 2019 Dr John Mangudya, RBZ Governor, revealed that Zimbabwe was losing US$1.2 billion per year to gold smugglers alone (forget the leaks in diamonds, lithium and all the other corruption and cartel activities). He admitted that Zimbabwe would not need to borrow money from outside to buy essentials such as covid 19 equipment then or to fund the country's development.
The smuggled US$1.2 billion constitute 30% and 12% of the nation's US$4 billion budget and US$10 billion GDP respectively. What other nation was making comparable loses?
Zimbabwe is a failed state unable to provide basic services such as education and health care, clean running water and electricity, the country's once upon a time robust economy has collapsed and 50% of our people are now living in abject poverty. This is not surprising given the burden on the economy of 43 years of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption.
Yes, corruption is a problem the world over but how many other countries out there are failed states? And is this the rat race to the bottom we want to join much less want to win!
"What is lamentable in this case is that the overriding purpose of the documentary is to interfere with the electoral process of a sovereign state. We cannot afford to have foreign news media attempting so grossly to interfere with the outcome of our election. Al Jazeera would not dare do the same thing in Japan, in Asia, in America or in Europe. Zimbabweans must choose their destiny with no interference from foreigners. Al Jazeera's interference is as brazen as it is nauseating," chipped in UK based Dr Maimba Mavaza, writing in the Zanu PF control Herald.
How typical!
The primary purpose of the documentary is to inform the people of Zimbabwe of the true nature of this ugly creature called corruption. The country's public media's express purpose has been to brainwash the people and keep them ignorant. The private media has largely been harassed and brow-beaten into silence.
Democracy, a government of the people for the people and by the people, only works if the said people are informed and educated. A free and independent media is therefore essential. It is therefore regrettable that the people of Zimbabwe should have to rely on a foreign media house to inform and educate them!
"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," stated the EU 2018 Election Observer Mission Final Report.
"Further, The electoral commission (ZEC) 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.
"As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standards."
The EU made 23 recommendation to ensure future elections are free, fair and credible. Not even one of these recommendations have seen the light of day.
The Al Jazeera documentary has left President Mnangagwa and his cronies feeling as sick as a parrot for three main reason:
people had only seen the ears of the hippo or dark shadows in the dark and, for once, they see the creature in its full ugliness
and, most important of all, who created and milk this monster; President Mnangagwa and his cronies cannot only deny benefiting but being the godfathers of corruption.
it is clear why Zanu PF rigged 2018 and is rigging 2023 election, a regime this corrupt cannot afford the luxury of holding free, fair and credible elections. The electorate are simple people but they are not stupid, especially when they have the mountain of evidence of corruption before their own eye.
"Renemanyanga hariputirwi!" (The truth will always come out!) so goes the Shona adage. The truth about Zanu PF corruption and abuse of power is finally coming out and no wonder the regime is worried sick.
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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