Violence is the only language that Mugabe understands

The political landscape in Zimbabwe has been of late been characterised by peaceful protests by all sections of the society over the ever-worsening economic and political situation, which have been met by gross police brutality from the President Robert Mugabe's regime.

Such a violent response by Mugabe to any form of dissent is nothing new, as that has been the norm ever since Zimbabwe's liberation struggle.

Mugabe is wifely believed to have highjacked a genuine struggle for Zimbabwe's freedom, as he removed anyone standing in his way to total power through downright murder.

At the formation of ZANU, as a splinter organisation from ZAPU in 1963, Mugabe always harboured presidential ambitions, although he was only elected to the position of Secretary General.  

He then sought to eliminate anyone in his way to the top.

Up to today, no one can adequately explain what happened to Herbert Chitepo, who was a he chairman of ZANU.

His was killed in Zambia when his car booby-trapped with a bomb, resulting in a number of ZANU officials being arrested by the then Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, as he correctly suspected that it was an inside job.

Similarly, after Mugabe managed to usurp power by plotting a palace coup over ZANU's first president Ndabaningi Sithole, which was purely s tribalistic plot by the Zezurus, with Mugabe and Nathan Shumuyarira as the main architects - he sought to eliminate the only other challenge to his power - ZANLA commander Josiah Tongogara, who had all the support of the combatants.

The death of Tongogars in a mysterious car accident on the eve of Zimbabwe's independence speaks volumes of Mugabe's cruelty and murderous nature.

After independence, Mugabe knew that ZAPU president Joshua Nkomo was actually very popular and could easily defeat him in a free and fair election.

In fact, it is widely suspected that the 1980 elections were not free and fair as Mugabe and his ZANLA forces declared most of Zimbabwe as no-go areas to any other parties.

Mugabe resorted to killing about 50,000 Ndebele people from Matabeleland and Midlands, resulting in Nkomo fleeing to the United Kingdom, as he feared for his life.

Since then, Mugabe has continued his murderous trait, with the death and abduction of numerous opposition activists.

So the question is, why do those engaged in these so-called peaceful protests think that such an approach will yield any results?

Mugabe will never be moved by such protests, as he will always crush them with his goons in the police force.

Today, as I write this article, there are reports streaming into the UK, where I am based, that the police are busy brutalising MDC youth who were protesting in Harare.

Last week the same police were brutalising peaceful protestors from the Tajamuka movement.

If we truly want change in Zimbabwe, we need to acknowledge that peaceful protests will never move a murderer like Mugabe.

The only language he understands is violence.

As the saying goes, violence begets violence.

Mugabe chose the route of violence, so it should also beget violence.

It is time that we also answered tear gas with tear gas, fire with fire, bullet with bullet - there is no other way.

Already the peaceful protestors are being labeled as terrorists, so it won't make a difference to our image if we also resort to violence.

We should truly shoe Mugabe that enough is enough, and we can't be bullied anymore.

We will fight him, as he is the one who started fighting us.

We had chosen the peaceful route, but it clear that he has no respect for us, so let us demand that respect, the sane way he demands respect from us.

He is not a god, but just a greedy, cruel murderer, and he deserves the same treatment.

He needs a taste of his own medicine, and we need to show him that we are not afraid of him.

Bullies are cowards, a d need to be shown that we don't fear them, and once they see that, they usually run away crying like little children.

Let every Zimbabwean have a weapon of their choice, and take them to those protests so that when the police confront them, they also confront the police.

However, let us not harm the ordinary people, but focus on Mugabe and his goons.

This also included ZANU PF youth who think that the whole county should fear them, but we will show them that we don't fear such wayward and uneducated brats.

This is the time for the people of Zimbabwe to fight Mugabe, a d remove him from office, not by begging him, but by the barrel of the gun, as they is the only way he will go.

Anyone who harbours some fantasy that there will be free and fair elections in 2018 is a dreamer.

Mugabe will rig the elections, or as in 2008, he will simply refuse to vacate office.

What will we do then?

Action is needed today. We can't wait for 2018, as that will be too late - the economy will be dead by then, and too late to recover.

Let each man take up his arms, as there is no room for cowards, because we can't allow this murderous dictator to brutalise us whilst we fold our arms.

* Kusakwashe Marangwanda is a UK based activist.