Opinion / Columnist
EDfor2030 is a Zanu PF sting operation to draw attention away from rigged elections and illegitimacy. It is working!
7 hrs ago | Views
What if I tell you that the EDfor2030 hoo-haaa was a decoy to draw attention away from the more pressing matter that Zanu PF was illegitimate because both SADC and AU had condemned Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections as flawed and illegal. Well the EDfor2030 was indeed a decoy!
"ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has disclosed that the recent push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms was largely driven by external forces attempting to destabilize his leadership. Speaking to journalists after the party's 21st Annual National People's Conference in Bulawayo on Saturday, Mutsvangwa emphasized that the slogan advocating for Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 was a direct response to these perceived threats," it was reported
"While Mutsvangwa refrained from identifying the specific external actors allegedly seeking to unseat Mnangagwa, he expressed frustration over what he described as unwarranted interference in ZANU-PF's internal affairs. He asserted that party members were outraged by attempts to orchestrate a leadership change from outside the party."
Trust the regime to milk the EDfor2030 campaign for all it is worth!
Still the EDfor2030 campaign was launched soon after the 2023 elections result were out to take the sting out of the political reality that Mnangagwa rigged the election and therefore was illegitimate. The regime did not want the nation asking the awkward questions as to why SADC and the AU had done nothing to punish him although both institutions had publicly accepted the damning elections report.
Mnangagwa knew that as much as people were angry that he had rigged the elections to extend his say in power, the prospect of him seeking to stay on beyond 2028 was unthinkable. The people’s reaction was predictable - they forgot about his current illegitimacy problem is the fight to stop him extending it even further.
The EDfor2030 lure has been so irresistible to the ignorant and gullible they have not only forgotten that Mnangagwa is illegitimate but better still they have given him brownie points each said he will not extend his stay in power beyond 2028.
"I respect the rule of law. I am a constitutionalist!" Mnangagwa has said repeatedly. All nonsense, of course. Where in the constitution does it say one can stage a military coup or blatantly rig elections? It will come as no surprise if Mnangagwa was to brush aside all these legal constrains stopping him staying in power beyond 2028. After all brushing aside a constitutional clause is nothing compared to staging a military coup.
The truth is Zanu PF will rig the 2028 elections whether Mnangagwa or some one else is the party’s presidential candidate. If we had not been so easily lured by the EDfor2030 mantra and kept our eyes fixed of Zanu PF rigged the 2023 elections and is therefore illegitimate, we might have made some progress in getting democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging elections implemented.
So the EDfor2030 lure has worked like a charm for Zanu PF, the people has been focusing on stopping Mnangagwa extending his stay in office beyond 2028 they forgot the regime rigged 2023 elections and, worst of all, that without reforms will rig 2028 elections. As for Mnangagwa standing in 2028; there is nothing the people can do to stop him!
In short, Zimbabweans should have kept their eyes on the ball - condemning Zanu PF for rigging 2023 elections and making sure all the democratic reforms are finally implemented to stop the regime rigging all future elections.
Sadly, this is not the first time Zanu PF has thrown a meatless bone - stopping Mnangagwa extending his rule beyond 2028 - at us to draw our attention away from what real matters - ensuring free and fair elections. The regime pulled a similar fast one on the nation in 2017 when attention was diverted to Mugabe must go when the nation should have demanding not just the dictator Mugabe to go but that the whole Zanu PF dictatorship itself to be totally dismantled. We never learn!
"ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has disclosed that the recent push to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa's tenure beyond the constitutionally mandated two terms was largely driven by external forces attempting to destabilize his leadership. Speaking to journalists after the party's 21st Annual National People's Conference in Bulawayo on Saturday, Mutsvangwa emphasized that the slogan advocating for Mnangagwa to remain in office until 2030 was a direct response to these perceived threats," it was reported
"While Mutsvangwa refrained from identifying the specific external actors allegedly seeking to unseat Mnangagwa, he expressed frustration over what he described as unwarranted interference in ZANU-PF's internal affairs. He asserted that party members were outraged by attempts to orchestrate a leadership change from outside the party."
Trust the regime to milk the EDfor2030 campaign for all it is worth!
Still the EDfor2030 campaign was launched soon after the 2023 elections result were out to take the sting out of the political reality that Mnangagwa rigged the election and therefore was illegitimate. The regime did not want the nation asking the awkward questions as to why SADC and the AU had done nothing to punish him although both institutions had publicly accepted the damning elections report.
Mnangagwa knew that as much as people were angry that he had rigged the elections to extend his say in power, the prospect of him seeking to stay on beyond 2028 was unthinkable. The people’s reaction was predictable - they forgot about his current illegitimacy problem is the fight to stop him extending it even further.
"I respect the rule of law. I am a constitutionalist!" Mnangagwa has said repeatedly. All nonsense, of course. Where in the constitution does it say one can stage a military coup or blatantly rig elections? It will come as no surprise if Mnangagwa was to brush aside all these legal constrains stopping him staying in power beyond 2028. After all brushing aside a constitutional clause is nothing compared to staging a military coup.
The truth is Zanu PF will rig the 2028 elections whether Mnangagwa or some one else is the party’s presidential candidate. If we had not been so easily lured by the EDfor2030 mantra and kept our eyes fixed of Zanu PF rigged the 2023 elections and is therefore illegitimate, we might have made some progress in getting democratic reforms to stop Zanu PF rigging elections implemented.
So the EDfor2030 lure has worked like a charm for Zanu PF, the people has been focusing on stopping Mnangagwa extending his stay in office beyond 2028 they forgot the regime rigged 2023 elections and, worst of all, that without reforms will rig 2028 elections. As for Mnangagwa standing in 2028; there is nothing the people can do to stop him!
In short, Zimbabweans should have kept their eyes on the ball - condemning Zanu PF for rigging 2023 elections and making sure all the democratic reforms are finally implemented to stop the regime rigging all future elections.
Sadly, this is not the first time Zanu PF has thrown a meatless bone - stopping Mnangagwa extending his rule beyond 2028 - at us to draw our attention away from what real matters - ensuring free and fair elections. The regime pulled a similar fast one on the nation in 2017 when attention was diverted to Mugabe must go when the nation should have demanding not just the dictator Mugabe to go but that the whole Zanu PF dictatorship itself to be totally dismantled. We never learn!
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
