Opinion / Columnist
Mnangagwa has managed to make Zimbabweans hate SADC!
09 Aug 2024 at 12:37hrs | Views
Hosting international events is usually met with much joy and pride by the local citizenry.
I can just imagine the anticipation and excitement that gripped the people of France as they eagerly counted down to the XXXIII 2024 Paris Olympics.
With each passing day, I am quite sure this anticipation and excitement only grew larger and larger.
Now that the long-awaited event is underway, not only are the French over the moon that the Olympics are being held on their soil (for the sixth time) but are filled with profound national pride.
Who wouldn't?
There is every reason for citizens to be driven by an intense sense of patriotism when awarded the honour to host an international event.
The same can not be said for Zimbabweans, however.
As we brace ourselves to host the 44th Ordinary SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, one would have expected Zimbabweans to experience heightened patriotic fervour and national pride.
Why wouldn't we be?
How often does a country get the chance to welcome so many heads of state and government at the same time?
This was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world what we were made of as Zimbabweans.
The international community had to see how loving, friendly, and united we were as a nation.
We were expected to maximize on this event so as to bring a usually polarized nation together whilst simultaneously undoing the longstanding narrative of Zimbabwe as an undemocratic oppressive society.
Above all this, as Zimbabweans ourselves, we were meant to look forward to this SADC Summit with excitement and anticipation.
We should have all been so eager to see all those regional leaders as they converged on our capital city, Harare.
Yet, that is not the case.
Far from it.
If anything, the generality of ordinary Zimbabweans now wants the meeting to be over with.
We can not wait for it to come and go as quickly as possible.
Maybe that way, we can have our lives back to normal.
Why would we not want this SADC Summit gone when the country now appears like a war zone?
How are we supposed to feel when hoardes of military personnel and their hardware now flood our towns and cities as if the country was preparing for some form of military conflict?
One would be excused for thinking the visiting heads of state and government were actually coming with their own armies to invade Zimbabwe!
Ordinary Zimbabweans now live in fear of their own government in a tense environment of uncertainty.
Why do we have these heavily-armed people all around us?
Surely, is this all about a few people who may decide to demonstrate during the SADC Summit?
As I have said before, Zimbabweans are fearful people, and there is no way they will ever dare protest against a regime that is notorious for its barbarity and brutality.
Besides, the opposition is now quite weak, fragmented, and ineffectual to seriously be expected to mobilize people into demonstrating in their huge numbers.
So, what is really going on here?
Be that as it may, over the past two months, we have witnessed a substantial increase in the crackdown on any voices of dissent in Zimbabwe.
Human rights defenders Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Vusumuzi Moyo, and Samuel Gwenzi were recently forced off an airplane - after which they were reportedly savagely tortured, whilst being held incommunicado, and then handed over to the police.
Let's not forget that torture is prohibited by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Torture is also listed as one of the crimes that constitute a 'grave breach' of the 1949 Geneva Conventions on the treatment of victims of war.
Then, there are the 78 opposition supporters who are still languishing in remand prison after being arrested at a private residence (of their leader, Jameson Timba) as they commemorated the Day of the African Child on 16th June 2024.
One was arrested and is currently incarcerated with her one-year-old baby, whilst the other (Tambudzai Makororo) required emergency surgery on her leg after an alleged barbaric attack by the police during their arrest.
Just a week ago, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was also arrested, on spurious charges of attending the same meeting as the 78.
We have had other voices of dissent - such as members of the Job Sikhala-led NDWG (National Democratic Working Group) and the ZINASU (Zimbabwe National Students Union) - maliciously arrested.
In fact, according to some reports, over a hundred people have been arrested so far over the past two months.
All these individuals and groups are accused of 'holding unsanctioned meetings' for the purpose of 'planning illegal demonstrations'.
Nonetheless, what is an 'unsanctioned meeting' when these were private gatherings - which are permissible under the law without the need for any police clearance?
Besides, is freedom of assembly and association not protected under section 58 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe?
In the same vain, what is 'planning illegal demonstrations' - when the right to demonstrate is enshrined under section 59 of the country's supreme law?
Let us remember that these people were not arrested as they embarked on a supposed 'illegal demonstration' but for 'planning an illegal demonstration'?
How exactly does one 'plan an illegal demonstration'?
Any demonstration needs to be planned first, before the legal requirements - such as informing the police, as stipulated under MOPA (Maintenance of Order and Peace Act ) - are followed.
So, at what point did the police determine that these people were planning 'illegal demonstrations'?
Did the regime ever wait to ascertain whether these people - if they were indeed planning demonstrations - were going to follow laid down legal procedures?
Let's remember that they are being accused of planning to stage demonstrations during the SADC Summit, which is slated for 17th August 2024.
This is still over a week away!
Yet, some of these people, such as the 78 opposition activists, were arrested nearly two months ago!
This is not all.
Now, events - which would have ordinarily appeared innocent - are being postponed due to this SADC Summit.
One of those is the Midlands Agricultural Show - which was originally scheduled for 15th to 18th August 2024 - but has been moved to 22nd to 25th August, ostensibly 'due to the SADC Summit'.
What has a business expo in the city of Gweru got to do with the SADC Summit to be held some 280 kilometres away in Harare?
In a nutshell, Zimbabwe has become an uneasy and frightening place to live - especially with the impending SADC Summit.
The paranoia on the part of the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa regime has definitely gone out of hand.
We now hate this event and want it to be over with as soon as possible.
It has brought the people of Zimbabwe nothing but misery.
We no longer feel safe in our own country and even our own homes simply because we will be hosting the SADC Summit!
In fact, we now wish this meeting had never come to Zimbabwe!
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +2637155667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
I can just imagine the anticipation and excitement that gripped the people of France as they eagerly counted down to the XXXIII 2024 Paris Olympics.
With each passing day, I am quite sure this anticipation and excitement only grew larger and larger.
Now that the long-awaited event is underway, not only are the French over the moon that the Olympics are being held on their soil (for the sixth time) but are filled with profound national pride.
Who wouldn't?
There is every reason for citizens to be driven by an intense sense of patriotism when awarded the honour to host an international event.
The same can not be said for Zimbabweans, however.
As we brace ourselves to host the 44th Ordinary SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, one would have expected Zimbabweans to experience heightened patriotic fervour and national pride.
Why wouldn't we be?
How often does a country get the chance to welcome so many heads of state and government at the same time?
This was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to show the world what we were made of as Zimbabweans.
The international community had to see how loving, friendly, and united we were as a nation.
We were expected to maximize on this event so as to bring a usually polarized nation together whilst simultaneously undoing the longstanding narrative of Zimbabwe as an undemocratic oppressive society.
Above all this, as Zimbabweans ourselves, we were meant to look forward to this SADC Summit with excitement and anticipation.
We should have all been so eager to see all those regional leaders as they converged on our capital city, Harare.
Yet, that is not the case.
Far from it.
If anything, the generality of ordinary Zimbabweans now wants the meeting to be over with.
We can not wait for it to come and go as quickly as possible.
Maybe that way, we can have our lives back to normal.
Why would we not want this SADC Summit gone when the country now appears like a war zone?
How are we supposed to feel when hoardes of military personnel and their hardware now flood our towns and cities as if the country was preparing for some form of military conflict?
One would be excused for thinking the visiting heads of state and government were actually coming with their own armies to invade Zimbabwe!
Ordinary Zimbabweans now live in fear of their own government in a tense environment of uncertainty.
Why do we have these heavily-armed people all around us?
Surely, is this all about a few people who may decide to demonstrate during the SADC Summit?
As I have said before, Zimbabweans are fearful people, and there is no way they will ever dare protest against a regime that is notorious for its barbarity and brutality.
Besides, the opposition is now quite weak, fragmented, and ineffectual to seriously be expected to mobilize people into demonstrating in their huge numbers.
So, what is really going on here?
Be that as it may, over the past two months, we have witnessed a substantial increase in the crackdown on any voices of dissent in Zimbabwe.
Human rights defenders Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Vusumuzi Moyo, and Samuel Gwenzi were recently forced off an airplane - after which they were reportedly savagely tortured, whilst being held incommunicado, and then handed over to the police.
Let's not forget that torture is prohibited by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Torture is also listed as one of the crimes that constitute a 'grave breach' of the 1949 Geneva Conventions on the treatment of victims of war.
Then, there are the 78 opposition supporters who are still languishing in remand prison after being arrested at a private residence (of their leader, Jameson Timba) as they commemorated the Day of the African Child on 16th June 2024.
One was arrested and is currently incarcerated with her one-year-old baby, whilst the other (Tambudzai Makororo) required emergency surgery on her leg after an alleged barbaric attack by the police during their arrest.
Just a week ago, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was also arrested, on spurious charges of attending the same meeting as the 78.
We have had other voices of dissent - such as members of the Job Sikhala-led NDWG (National Democratic Working Group) and the ZINASU (Zimbabwe National Students Union) - maliciously arrested.
In fact, according to some reports, over a hundred people have been arrested so far over the past two months.
All these individuals and groups are accused of 'holding unsanctioned meetings' for the purpose of 'planning illegal demonstrations'.
Nonetheless, what is an 'unsanctioned meeting' when these were private gatherings - which are permissible under the law without the need for any police clearance?
Besides, is freedom of assembly and association not protected under section 58 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe?
In the same vain, what is 'planning illegal demonstrations' - when the right to demonstrate is enshrined under section 59 of the country's supreme law?
Let us remember that these people were not arrested as they embarked on a supposed 'illegal demonstration' but for 'planning an illegal demonstration'?
How exactly does one 'plan an illegal demonstration'?
Any demonstration needs to be planned first, before the legal requirements - such as informing the police, as stipulated under MOPA (Maintenance of Order and Peace Act ) - are followed.
So, at what point did the police determine that these people were planning 'illegal demonstrations'?
Did the regime ever wait to ascertain whether these people - if they were indeed planning demonstrations - were going to follow laid down legal procedures?
Let's remember that they are being accused of planning to stage demonstrations during the SADC Summit, which is slated for 17th August 2024.
This is still over a week away!
Yet, some of these people, such as the 78 opposition activists, were arrested nearly two months ago!
This is not all.
Now, events - which would have ordinarily appeared innocent - are being postponed due to this SADC Summit.
One of those is the Midlands Agricultural Show - which was originally scheduled for 15th to 18th August 2024 - but has been moved to 22nd to 25th August, ostensibly 'due to the SADC Summit'.
What has a business expo in the city of Gweru got to do with the SADC Summit to be held some 280 kilometres away in Harare?
In a nutshell, Zimbabwe has become an uneasy and frightening place to live - especially with the impending SADC Summit.
The paranoia on the part of the President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa regime has definitely gone out of hand.
We now hate this event and want it to be over with as soon as possible.
It has brought the people of Zimbabwe nothing but misery.
We no longer feel safe in our own country and even our own homes simply because we will be hosting the SADC Summit!
In fact, we now wish this meeting had never come to Zimbabwe!
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +2637155667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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