Opinion / Columnist
Postponing 2028 elections tantamount to usurping people's power over politicians for all time - that's dangerous & high treason!
3 hrs ago | Views
Zanu PF has always wanted to impose a de jure one-party state in independent Zimbabwe, the party's prize for spear heading the liberation war. Mnangagwa is hell bent on getting his wish. Or is he!
Zapu and Zanu, the two parties with freedom fighters on the ground, were rivals ever since the break away of some leaders from Zapu to form Zanu in the 1960s. The rivalry was so intense that bilious scuffles between their overzealous members were very common. The ordinary people, povo, were forced to have fully paid membership cards of both Zanu and Zapu for their own safety, ease money for the leaders!
There are many stories of the armed freedom fighters of the two parties fighting and killing each other before and after independence.
There have been several attempts reconcile and unit the two parties to facilitate the one-party state ambition. They attended the 1979 Lancaster House Talks as one party, Patriotic Front (PF), although it was clear this unity was not going to last. It did not last; the two contested the 1980 elections as PF Zapu led by Dr Joshua Nkomo and Zanu PF led by Robert Mugabe.
In the 1980 elections Zanu PF deployed many of its freedom fighters, contrary to the Lancaster House agreement to have them withdrawn into assembly points, and their campaign message was that if Zanu PF did not win the elections the bush war would continue.
Of course, the people voted to end the bush war or so they thought. Three years after independence the nation was back on a war footing as Mugabe sort to consolidate his grip on power.
The 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre, massacre of 20 000 PF Zapu supporters including unarmed civilians, was Robert Mugabe brow beating his PF Zapu rivals into submission. The massacre stopped with the signing the 1987 Unity Accord in which the two parties merged to form Zanu PF; paving the way for the imposition of the de facto one-party dictatorship that has ruled Zimbabwe to this day.
Zanu PF has rigged elections to remain in office these last 44 years under the pretext that all attempts at regime change were inspired by foreigners and threatened the nation's hard-won independence, peace, unity and development. Bulls***t! Four decades of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and tyrannical oppression have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis.
The nation's attempt to elect opposition leaders who would implement the democratic reforms and thus end the Zanu PF dictatorship have come to naught. MDC/CCC leaders have failed to implement even one token reform in 24 years, including 5 GNU years when they had the golden opportunity to do so.
Zanu PF has bribed the MDC/CCC leaders with the trappings of high office and, in return, they have not only forgotten about the reforms but have connived to keep the regime in power for a share of the spoils of power.
Indeed, MDC/CCC leaders are cooperating fully with Zanu PF in usurping the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. The people risk all to vote them into office to restore the people's rights not to abolish them. Talk of being betrayed by a friend with a kiss!
Zimbabwe's worsening economic situation, millions are living in abject poverty, is making the people restless for meaningful political and economic change. There is growing pressure to implement reforms and restore the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. Mnangagwa is felling this pressure and his response is take away the people's right to regular elections, rigged or otherwise!
Rigging elections is bad enough postponing and cancelling elections is another kettle of fish! After a life-time of crossing the double yellow line by rigging elections Mnangagwa is now going for the biggie crossing the double red-lines by taking away the people's right to vote.
Zimbabwe is a failed state because Zanu PF has rigged elections to impose the corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical regime on the nation. This has cause tragic human suffering and social and political instability. Taking away the people's right to vote will only sink the nation into even deeper economic trouble and political instability. No one should ever be allowed to drag the nation into such a mess for selfish reason. No one!
Postponing and/or cancelling the 2028 elections will be high treason. Period! It would be unforgivable for this generation was to allow those responsible for such a heinous act get away with it setting a dangerous precedence!
It is very likely that Zanu PF will push hard the threat to postpone 2028 elections only to drop the idea the last minute as a magnanimous concession and hold the 2028 elections with no reforms implemented, which is what the regime was planning to do all along. Watch out!
Zimbabweans must maintain the pressure demanding free and fair elections and an end to the curse of rigged elections and bad governance. After 44 years of rigged elections and bad governance Zimbabwe cannot afford Zanu PF rigging 2028 elections and getting away with it!
Zapu and Zanu, the two parties with freedom fighters on the ground, were rivals ever since the break away of some leaders from Zapu to form Zanu in the 1960s. The rivalry was so intense that bilious scuffles between their overzealous members were very common. The ordinary people, povo, were forced to have fully paid membership cards of both Zanu and Zapu for their own safety, ease money for the leaders!
There are many stories of the armed freedom fighters of the two parties fighting and killing each other before and after independence.
There have been several attempts reconcile and unit the two parties to facilitate the one-party state ambition. They attended the 1979 Lancaster House Talks as one party, Patriotic Front (PF), although it was clear this unity was not going to last. It did not last; the two contested the 1980 elections as PF Zapu led by Dr Joshua Nkomo and Zanu PF led by Robert Mugabe.
In the 1980 elections Zanu PF deployed many of its freedom fighters, contrary to the Lancaster House agreement to have them withdrawn into assembly points, and their campaign message was that if Zanu PF did not win the elections the bush war would continue.
Of course, the people voted to end the bush war or so they thought. Three years after independence the nation was back on a war footing as Mugabe sort to consolidate his grip on power.
The 1983 to 1987 Gukurahundi massacre, massacre of 20 000 PF Zapu supporters including unarmed civilians, was Robert Mugabe brow beating his PF Zapu rivals into submission. The massacre stopped with the signing the 1987 Unity Accord in which the two parties merged to form Zanu PF; paving the way for the imposition of the de facto one-party dictatorship that has ruled Zimbabwe to this day.
Zanu PF has rigged elections to remain in office these last 44 years under the pretext that all attempts at regime change were inspired by foreigners and threatened the nation's hard-won independence, peace, unity and development. Bulls***t! Four decades of gross mismanagement, rampant corruption and tyrannical oppression have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis.
Zanu PF has bribed the MDC/CCC leaders with the trappings of high office and, in return, they have not only forgotten about the reforms but have connived to keep the regime in power for a share of the spoils of power.
Indeed, MDC/CCC leaders are cooperating fully with Zanu PF in usurping the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. The people risk all to vote them into office to restore the people's rights not to abolish them. Talk of being betrayed by a friend with a kiss!
Zimbabwe's worsening economic situation, millions are living in abject poverty, is making the people restless for meaningful political and economic change. There is growing pressure to implement reforms and restore the people's right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. Mnangagwa is felling this pressure and his response is take away the people's right to regular elections, rigged or otherwise!
Rigging elections is bad enough postponing and cancelling elections is another kettle of fish! After a life-time of crossing the double yellow line by rigging elections Mnangagwa is now going for the biggie crossing the double red-lines by taking away the people's right to vote.
Zimbabwe is a failed state because Zanu PF has rigged elections to impose the corrupt, incompetent and tyrannical regime on the nation. This has cause tragic human suffering and social and political instability. Taking away the people's right to vote will only sink the nation into even deeper economic trouble and political instability. No one should ever be allowed to drag the nation into such a mess for selfish reason. No one!
Postponing and/or cancelling the 2028 elections will be high treason. Period! It would be unforgivable for this generation was to allow those responsible for such a heinous act get away with it setting a dangerous precedence!
It is very likely that Zanu PF will push hard the threat to postpone 2028 elections only to drop the idea the last minute as a magnanimous concession and hold the 2028 elections with no reforms implemented, which is what the regime was planning to do all along. Watch out!
Zimbabweans must maintain the pressure demanding free and fair elections and an end to the curse of rigged elections and bad governance. After 44 years of rigged elections and bad governance Zimbabwe cannot afford Zanu PF rigging 2028 elections and getting away with it!
Source - zimbabwelight.blogspot.com
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