Opinion / Columnist
Mbeki advised Mnangagwa to put 'best national interests above self'. Must reprimand Ramaphosa for interfering
22 Sep 2023 at 16:06hrs | Views
After the SADC election observers virtually said the 23 August 2023 Zimbabwe elections are not representative of popular opinion and submitted their report. It was then for SADC to decide," commented Former SA President Thabo Mbeki.
He then went on to explain that an identical scenario had indeed arisen when Zimbabwe's 2008 elections had failed to produce a legitimate result because of the blatant cheating after the March vote and the wanton violence during the presidential runoff.
"Zimbabweans then came together and agreed on a Government of National Unity (GNU). It was a response to what had happened in the elections that had failed to produce a legitimate winner," he explained.
"As a national leader, what must inspire you is to act in the best interest of the nation and not what is good for you as leader.
"Zimbabwe's current leader must consider what is in the best interests of Zimbabwe is the situation of this kind?"
Very sound advice indeed!
There is no denying that the 23 August Zimbabwe elections were a sham. It is therefore treasonous arrogance that both Zanu PF and CCC have refused to accept this political reality by accepting the ZEC results, taking their respective oaths of office and taking their respective gravy train seats. This government is not legitimate because the elections process was so flawed and illegal it did not produce a legitimate result.
Pretending the election was free, fair and credible and thus dragging the nation deeper and deeper into this political crisis is certainly NOT in Zimbabwe's best interest.
A new GNU is the way out just as it was the way out in 2008. With one qualification; whilst the 2008 to 2013 GNU failed to implement even one token democratic reform to stop the repeat of the 2008 blatant cheating and wanton violence, hence the reason why we had the shameful flaws and illegalities; no stone must be left unturned to ensure all the democratic reforms are implemented without failure!
Here is a piece of advice to former President Mbeki; please advise your blundering ANC colleagues to stop poking their big noses in Zimbabwe's business.
Last year the party made an ANC party congress resolution "not to allow regime change in Zimbabwe"! What the devil was this about? It is the people of Zimbabwe alone, in a free, fair and credible elections who decide who governs the country. What right does ANC have in interfering in Zimbabwe's democratic process?
Worst of all, it is now clear that ANC is hell bent on interfering in Zimbabwe's electoral process to fulfil its party resolution to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and keep Zanu PF in power regardless of the people of Zimbabwe's democratic wish.
Whilst the SADC and AU election reports were clear and unambiguous in their condemnation of the 23 August elections as a sham that did not produce a legitimate winner. President Mbeki agrees on this point. It therefore beggars belief why SA present President, Cyril Ramaphose, and the full compliment of ANC government and party leaders attended Mnangagwa's swearing in ceremony. He was one of only three Heads of State to grace this otherwise illegal process.
Worse still President Ramaphosa has dismissed the damn flaws and illegalities in the SADC election report as "challenges that have occurred anywhere including America". This is a deliberate and calculated attempt to water down the report and grant this illegitimate Zimbabwe government legitimacy. ANC is doing this for one purpose and one purpose only, to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and fulfil its November 2022 party resolutions.
Zimbabwe is a failed state. 43 years stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF regime complete its the entourage of corrupt and incompetent opposition parties have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis. The only sure way out of this mess if for the country to implement the democratic reforms and cure ourselves of this curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
By rightly condemning the 23 August 2023 elections as a farce SADC and the AU were giving Zimbabwe another chance to have a new GNU and implement the democratic reforms. President Ramaphosa is sanitising the SADC report for the sake of imposing Zanu PF as the legitimate government and thus denying Zimbabwe the chance to implement the reforms.
ANC is hell bent to stop regime change in Zimbabwe purely for selfish purposes. The party is facing elections in SA next year, 2024, and is concerned that a regime change in Zimbabwe, especially if it was followed by some economic recover, would set a precedence South African voters may want to follow and thus end ANC's rule after 30 years.
There is absolutely nothing for Zimbabwe to gain from the imposition of Zanu PF on the nation but every thing to lose by perpetuating the failed state and, worst of all, snatching away the chance to implement reforms.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC friend are imposing Zanu PF on the people of Zimbabwe for selfish political gain. The people of Zimbabwe are nothing more than pawns in ANC's selfish political games. This SA government is sowing the seeds of enmity between our two nations. Stop it! For heaven sake, stop it!
He then went on to explain that an identical scenario had indeed arisen when Zimbabwe's 2008 elections had failed to produce a legitimate result because of the blatant cheating after the March vote and the wanton violence during the presidential runoff.
"Zimbabweans then came together and agreed on a Government of National Unity (GNU). It was a response to what had happened in the elections that had failed to produce a legitimate winner," he explained.
"As a national leader, what must inspire you is to act in the best interest of the nation and not what is good for you as leader.
"Zimbabwe's current leader must consider what is in the best interests of Zimbabwe is the situation of this kind?"
Very sound advice indeed!
There is no denying that the 23 August Zimbabwe elections were a sham. It is therefore treasonous arrogance that both Zanu PF and CCC have refused to accept this political reality by accepting the ZEC results, taking their respective oaths of office and taking their respective gravy train seats. This government is not legitimate because the elections process was so flawed and illegal it did not produce a legitimate result.
Pretending the election was free, fair and credible and thus dragging the nation deeper and deeper into this political crisis is certainly NOT in Zimbabwe's best interest.
A new GNU is the way out just as it was the way out in 2008. With one qualification; whilst the 2008 to 2013 GNU failed to implement even one token democratic reform to stop the repeat of the 2008 blatant cheating and wanton violence, hence the reason why we had the shameful flaws and illegalities; no stone must be left unturned to ensure all the democratic reforms are implemented without failure!
Last year the party made an ANC party congress resolution "not to allow regime change in Zimbabwe"! What the devil was this about? It is the people of Zimbabwe alone, in a free, fair and credible elections who decide who governs the country. What right does ANC have in interfering in Zimbabwe's democratic process?
Worst of all, it is now clear that ANC is hell bent on interfering in Zimbabwe's electoral process to fulfil its party resolution to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and keep Zanu PF in power regardless of the people of Zimbabwe's democratic wish.
Whilst the SADC and AU election reports were clear and unambiguous in their condemnation of the 23 August elections as a sham that did not produce a legitimate winner. President Mbeki agrees on this point. It therefore beggars belief why SA present President, Cyril Ramaphose, and the full compliment of ANC government and party leaders attended Mnangagwa's swearing in ceremony. He was one of only three Heads of State to grace this otherwise illegal process.
Worse still President Ramaphosa has dismissed the damn flaws and illegalities in the SADC election report as "challenges that have occurred anywhere including America". This is a deliberate and calculated attempt to water down the report and grant this illegitimate Zimbabwe government legitimacy. ANC is doing this for one purpose and one purpose only, to stop regime change in Zimbabwe and fulfil its November 2022 party resolutions.
Zimbabwe is a failed state. 43 years stuck with this corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical Zanu PF regime complete its the entourage of corrupt and incompetent opposition parties have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis. The only sure way out of this mess if for the country to implement the democratic reforms and cure ourselves of this curse of rigged elections and bad governance.
By rightly condemning the 23 August 2023 elections as a farce SADC and the AU were giving Zimbabwe another chance to have a new GNU and implement the democratic reforms. President Ramaphosa is sanitising the SADC report for the sake of imposing Zanu PF as the legitimate government and thus denying Zimbabwe the chance to implement the reforms.
ANC is hell bent to stop regime change in Zimbabwe purely for selfish purposes. The party is facing elections in SA next year, 2024, and is concerned that a regime change in Zimbabwe, especially if it was followed by some economic recover, would set a precedence South African voters may want to follow and thus end ANC's rule after 30 years.
There is absolutely nothing for Zimbabwe to gain from the imposition of Zanu PF on the nation but every thing to lose by perpetuating the failed state and, worst of all, snatching away the chance to implement reforms.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ANC friend are imposing Zanu PF on the people of Zimbabwe for selfish political gain. The people of Zimbabwe are nothing more than pawns in ANC's selfish political games. This SA government is sowing the seeds of enmity between our two nations. Stop it! For heaven sake, stop it!
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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