Opinion / Columnist
SADC Summit turns Mnangagwa govt into a joke!
20 Jul 2024 at 21:40hrs | Views
One simply needs to tune into or read the state-controlled media in Zimbabwe to discover how the country has become a huge circus.
All this simply because of the opportunity to chair the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in August this year.
One would be excused for assuming that this was some great honour, which is the preserve of only the most outstanding nations in the southern African region.
In fact, this is not even portrayed as Zimbabwe, the country, assuming the chair, but packaged as a personal victory for President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
The term 'elected as SADC chair' is played around with, with reckless abandon, in a mischievous attempt at creating a deceptive impression of Mnangagwa having won an election against fellow SADC leaders to chair the summit.
Wow, talk about desperation!
No one is ever told that the SADC chair is a rotational position, which goes around from one member state to another.
In fact, after coming across another 'Zimbabwe is hosting the SADC Summit' report in state-controlled media this morning, I decided to do a quick Google search.
I wanted to see just how other countries that have hosted the same summit treated this gathering of regional heads of state and government.
After the Google search, I felt so embarrassed for my country, Zimbabwe.
Those who hosted the summit in the recent past have hardly made a big hullabaloo over the whole event.
There was practically very little excitement in Angola, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Malawi, or Mozambique, who hosted the 43rd, 42nd, 41st, and 40th SADC summits respectively.
The only information I found were the official communiques, which were released after the meetings, and some of the speeches delivered by the various heads of state and government in attendance.
Nonetheless, when it came to Zimbabwe hosting the 44th SADC Summit, it was a completely different story.
I came across news headlines as: 'All systems go for 44th SADC Summit', 'SADC Summit preparations on course', 'SADC Summit – business community eyes boom', 'Zimbabwe poised for memorable 44th SADC Summit', and 'Zimbabwe to host unique SADC Summit', amongst numerous others.
One thing about these headlines is 100 percent accurate.
Zimbabwe is hosting a unique SADC Summit for sure!
The country – to be more accurate, the Mnangagwa administration – is acting like a child left alone in a toy and candy shop.
It is as if this were the first time Zimbabwe had hosted and chaired the regional body.
Yet, it obviously isn't!
For an organization that was founded in 1980 – a good 44 years ago, which is why this year's summit is the 44th – and whose chairmanship is rotational, it is clear that Zimbabwe has hosted and chaired SADC a couple of times before.
Zimbabwe hosted the then SADCC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference) meeting held in Harare on 20th July 1981.
The country also hosted the SADC Summit in August 2014.
One would have thought, by now, the country had become accustomed, and thus calmer, with not only hosting SADC summits but also chairing the regional body.
So, why this continued excitement?
I am reminded of the time Mnangagwa was invited, amongst over a hundred other word leaders, to the UK for the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
The man was over the moon as if he had been invited to see God Himself!
Why all this madness surrounding this year's SADC Summit?
Well, I have my own hypotheses.
For starters, Mnangagwa lacks legitimacy as the President of Zimbabwe.
His election victory last year was tainted with allegations of electoral fraud, widespread intimidation of voters, biased state media, a compromised electoral body, and a brutal crackdown on the opposition.
These shameful, dastardly acts were even captured and recorded in SADC's own election observer mission (SEOM) official report.
The August 2023 plebiscite was characterized as falling short of regional principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
As much as the region heads of state failed to take any concrete action on the damning report, Mnangagwa, nonetheless, is fully aware that he is not regarded as the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe even by his own fellow counterparts in SADC.
Therefore, becoming the chair of this body and hosting the summit is, to him, a way of packaging himself as a legitimate president who has been recognized by fellow SADC leaders.
The noise and circus around this meeting of SADC heads of state and government is designed to somehow counter the damning SEOM election report.
He also wants Zimbabweans to see that he has been accepted as the legitimate leader of the country.
Another reason for this hullabaloo is that Mnangagwa has failed as the Zimbabwe president.
He has presided over the further impoverishment of the vast majority of ordinary Zimbabweans.
This is a country in which an estimated 49 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty — earning, according to the 2023 UN classification, less than US$2,57 a day, which is the international poverty line.
I actually believe that those falling in this category are far more than the 49 percent official figure since this was for 2020 when the economy was faring relatively better than it is today.
Even if we were to work with the 49 percent figure, this is disturbing enough.
Not only that, but this only refers to those living in 'extreme poverty' and does not include the millions experiencing poverty that may not necessarily be classified as 'extreme'.
In March 2024, a person was considered to be poor if they earned below US$2,700 (net earning) per month (Consumption Poverty Line).
With this unsettling figure in mind, each Zimbabwean can ask himself if he is poor or not!
I bet over two-thirds of ordinary Zimbabweans do not take home anywhere near US$2,700 each month!
As such, it will be safe to estimate that around two-thirds of the population is poor.
All thanks to the Mnangagwa regime!
Yet, the country – which is richly endowed with nearly 60 precious minerals – is losing around US$2 billion annually to corruption and the looting of our national resources.
The Prosecutor-General Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo placed the figure at US$1.8 billion.
Irrespective of the figure, such levels of pillaging of our resources is an abomination that can not be allowed to continue unchallenged.
In all this, those connected to the head of state are treated as untouchable sacred cows who can not be held to account for their corrupt activities.
What has happened to the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) US$100 million scandal, in which Mnangagwa ally Wicknell Chivayo is alleged to be involved?
What was the fate of those who implicated themselves and the president in gold smuggling and money laundering schemes in the Gold Mafia Al Jazeera investigative documentary?
Nothing!
Of course, these are only the cases that have been brought to the public's attention through the leaking of information or undercover sleuthing.
How many more are we not aware of and may never know?
No wonder why the country is losing billions of dollars a year.
Yet, ordinary citizens can not make ends meet, and our hospitals are in a deplorable state, with everything else crumbling around us.
Which is exactly why Mnangagwa could not, and can not, win a truly free, fair, and credible election.
In so doing, the man is desperate for something that helps him shed off the 'failure tag' now haunting him.
He badly needs some form of success.
Hosting the SADC Summit and chairing the regional body, albeit only for one year, has come as a lifesaver for Mnangagwa.
No wonder all the feverish excitement in constructing and rehabilitating roads that have been neglected ever since the country attained independence in 1980.
Suddenly, a country that can not build any significant public hospitals or even equip them with cancer machines and basic medications has funds to build roads and luxury accommodation for the visiting dignitaries.
However, as undoubtedly shown by other SADC member states, there really isn't anything to write home about in hosting and chairing the grouping.
This is the reason these countries never made a huge deal over this opportunity.
Besides, as this is based on a rotational system, there is nothing to boast about as if this was some sort of victory.
Each of the 16 member states eventually get their turn.
The Zimbabwe regime is even prepared to deceptively tout Mnangagwa as having been 'elected SADC chair' as a way of creating an impression of actually having won something in the face of fraudulent elections in Zimbabwe.
This is how desperate Mnangagwa is for legitimacy!
He is willing to turn Zimbabwe into a circus simply because of a mere SADC summit!
● Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
All this simply because of the opportunity to chair the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit in August this year.
One would be excused for assuming that this was some great honour, which is the preserve of only the most outstanding nations in the southern African region.
In fact, this is not even portrayed as Zimbabwe, the country, assuming the chair, but packaged as a personal victory for President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.
The term 'elected as SADC chair' is played around with, with reckless abandon, in a mischievous attempt at creating a deceptive impression of Mnangagwa having won an election against fellow SADC leaders to chair the summit.
Wow, talk about desperation!
No one is ever told that the SADC chair is a rotational position, which goes around from one member state to another.
In fact, after coming across another 'Zimbabwe is hosting the SADC Summit' report in state-controlled media this morning, I decided to do a quick Google search.
I wanted to see just how other countries that have hosted the same summit treated this gathering of regional heads of state and government.
After the Google search, I felt so embarrassed for my country, Zimbabwe.
Those who hosted the summit in the recent past have hardly made a big hullabaloo over the whole event.
There was practically very little excitement in Angola, DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), Malawi, or Mozambique, who hosted the 43rd, 42nd, 41st, and 40th SADC summits respectively.
The only information I found were the official communiques, which were released after the meetings, and some of the speeches delivered by the various heads of state and government in attendance.
Nonetheless, when it came to Zimbabwe hosting the 44th SADC Summit, it was a completely different story.
I came across news headlines as: 'All systems go for 44th SADC Summit', 'SADC Summit preparations on course', 'SADC Summit – business community eyes boom', 'Zimbabwe poised for memorable 44th SADC Summit', and 'Zimbabwe to host unique SADC Summit', amongst numerous others.
One thing about these headlines is 100 percent accurate.
Zimbabwe is hosting a unique SADC Summit for sure!
The country – to be more accurate, the Mnangagwa administration – is acting like a child left alone in a toy and candy shop.
It is as if this were the first time Zimbabwe had hosted and chaired the regional body.
Yet, it obviously isn't!
For an organization that was founded in 1980 – a good 44 years ago, which is why this year's summit is the 44th – and whose chairmanship is rotational, it is clear that Zimbabwe has hosted and chaired SADC a couple of times before.
Zimbabwe hosted the then SADCC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference) meeting held in Harare on 20th July 1981.
The country also hosted the SADC Summit in August 2014.
One would have thought, by now, the country had become accustomed, and thus calmer, with not only hosting SADC summits but also chairing the regional body.
So, why this continued excitement?
I am reminded of the time Mnangagwa was invited, amongst over a hundred other word leaders, to the UK for the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
The man was over the moon as if he had been invited to see God Himself!
Why all this madness surrounding this year's SADC Summit?
Well, I have my own hypotheses.
For starters, Mnangagwa lacks legitimacy as the President of Zimbabwe.
His election victory last year was tainted with allegations of electoral fraud, widespread intimidation of voters, biased state media, a compromised electoral body, and a brutal crackdown on the opposition.
These shameful, dastardly acts were even captured and recorded in SADC's own election observer mission (SEOM) official report.
The August 2023 plebiscite was characterized as falling short of regional principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
As much as the region heads of state failed to take any concrete action on the damning report, Mnangagwa, nonetheless, is fully aware that he is not regarded as the legitimate leader of Zimbabwe even by his own fellow counterparts in SADC.
Therefore, becoming the chair of this body and hosting the summit is, to him, a way of packaging himself as a legitimate president who has been recognized by fellow SADC leaders.
The noise and circus around this meeting of SADC heads of state and government is designed to somehow counter the damning SEOM election report.
Another reason for this hullabaloo is that Mnangagwa has failed as the Zimbabwe president.
He has presided over the further impoverishment of the vast majority of ordinary Zimbabweans.
This is a country in which an estimated 49 percent of the population lives in extreme poverty — earning, according to the 2023 UN classification, less than US$2,57 a day, which is the international poverty line.
I actually believe that those falling in this category are far more than the 49 percent official figure since this was for 2020 when the economy was faring relatively better than it is today.
Even if we were to work with the 49 percent figure, this is disturbing enough.
Not only that, but this only refers to those living in 'extreme poverty' and does not include the millions experiencing poverty that may not necessarily be classified as 'extreme'.
In March 2024, a person was considered to be poor if they earned below US$2,700 (net earning) per month (Consumption Poverty Line).
With this unsettling figure in mind, each Zimbabwean can ask himself if he is poor or not!
I bet over two-thirds of ordinary Zimbabweans do not take home anywhere near US$2,700 each month!
As such, it will be safe to estimate that around two-thirds of the population is poor.
All thanks to the Mnangagwa regime!
Yet, the country – which is richly endowed with nearly 60 precious minerals – is losing around US$2 billion annually to corruption and the looting of our national resources.
The Prosecutor-General Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo placed the figure at US$1.8 billion.
Irrespective of the figure, such levels of pillaging of our resources is an abomination that can not be allowed to continue unchallenged.
In all this, those connected to the head of state are treated as untouchable sacred cows who can not be held to account for their corrupt activities.
What has happened to the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) US$100 million scandal, in which Mnangagwa ally Wicknell Chivayo is alleged to be involved?
What was the fate of those who implicated themselves and the president in gold smuggling and money laundering schemes in the Gold Mafia Al Jazeera investigative documentary?
Nothing!
Of course, these are only the cases that have been brought to the public's attention through the leaking of information or undercover sleuthing.
How many more are we not aware of and may never know?
No wonder why the country is losing billions of dollars a year.
Yet, ordinary citizens can not make ends meet, and our hospitals are in a deplorable state, with everything else crumbling around us.
Which is exactly why Mnangagwa could not, and can not, win a truly free, fair, and credible election.
In so doing, the man is desperate for something that helps him shed off the 'failure tag' now haunting him.
He badly needs some form of success.
Hosting the SADC Summit and chairing the regional body, albeit only for one year, has come as a lifesaver for Mnangagwa.
No wonder all the feverish excitement in constructing and rehabilitating roads that have been neglected ever since the country attained independence in 1980.
Suddenly, a country that can not build any significant public hospitals or even equip them with cancer machines and basic medications has funds to build roads and luxury accommodation for the visiting dignitaries.
However, as undoubtedly shown by other SADC member states, there really isn't anything to write home about in hosting and chairing the grouping.
This is the reason these countries never made a huge deal over this opportunity.
Besides, as this is based on a rotational system, there is nothing to boast about as if this was some sort of victory.
Each of the 16 member states eventually get their turn.
The Zimbabwe regime is even prepared to deceptively tout Mnangagwa as having been 'elected SADC chair' as a way of creating an impression of actually having won something in the face of fraudulent elections in Zimbabwe.
This is how desperate Mnangagwa is for legitimacy!
He is willing to turn Zimbabwe into a circus simply because of a mere SADC summit!
● Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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