Monday, 16 May 2016
If we could forgive Ian Smith, why can we not work with Mujuru?
A
week ago I had a conversation with a good friend of mine, who in my eyes seemed
to be doing quite well for himself. I was shocked to learn that he was planning
to relocate to some foreign country in the near future. Even though his
business was relatively successful, putting food on the table, he could not
imagine the economy recovering any time soon in the hands of Zanu PF. He
bemoaned that it was becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet. With
the current cash shortages and the re-introduction of a Zimbabwean currency
under some dubious name, rest assured that many people share my friend’s gloomy
economic outlook. It does not require a highly imaginative or intellectual mind
to see where Zimbabwe is heading. I foresee the country plunging into an
economic crisis, an economic crisis even deeper than the one we experienced in
the year 2008.
Dear
reader, I do not say these things lightly nor do I intend to frighten you. But I
say these things to make you realize and appreciate the fact that we have no
choice but to continue having these honest and frank discussions. Discussions
centred around removing Zanu PF from power and turning around the fortunes of
our country.
In
the spirit of dialogue, this short article is devoted to respond to some of the
comments and reservations people expressed on various platforms in reaction to
the article I wrote two weeks ago, which can be found here. The article was so bold to declare that the
opposition will lose in 2018 unless if it unites and fights Zanu PF from one
front.
As
a result of the article, I received both compliments and insults in equal
measure. Compliments from those who share the view that we must unite for us to
have a realistic chance of winning the 2018 elections. Insults from those who
found the idea of a coalition with people from Zimbabwe People First repugnant.
Insults came even from friends I regard as family. I was called all sorts of
names, given labels; labels I thought were reserved exclusively for Zanu PF
thugs. I would be a liar, if I were to say I do not understand why people
reacted in such a manner. For surely I know that this topic brings with it vile
emotions. Some, in the years gone by, have lost loved ones, relatives, friends,
property and livelihoods, all at the hands of Zanu PF.
It
is the least of my intentions to wake up and stir these emotions. I am a victim
of Zanu PF too. I was arrested and detained on numerous occasions, expelled from
university for challenging and confronting the university authorities and the
government. To cut a long story short, I do appreciate where people are coming
from. I understand their feelings, feelings of bitterness, anger, revulsion, betrayal
even. I can only but hope that members of Zimbabwe People First understand where
these feelings and emotions come from. They have a lot of apologizing to do,
unfortunately even that will not be enough for some.
Due
to time constraints I am unable to respond to all the criticisms and
reservations people have expressed, but beneath are some of the reservations
that I found most important to react to.
We cannot forgive these people from Zimbabwe
People First.
Many
people hold strong feelings against members of Zimbabwe People First, and
rightfully so. They are jointly responsible for the violence we experienced
from Zanu PF. They have been part and parcel of the system that reduced our
country to a basket case. That being said, it would be catastrophic to yield to
these emotions. It would be no different to throwing the baby out with the bath
water. We surely cannot burn the house down because a snake has entered. We
must find the courage to forgive them. If we were able to collectively forgive
the racist settler regime and the British empire who murdered our ancestors,
stole our land, our precious minerals and made us second class citizens in our
own land, we can forgive Mujuru and her party. But even if we cannot forgive
them, because the wounds they inflicted on us are still too fresh and painful, we
must be pragmatic. If not forgiveness then at least let us be able to work
with them to remove Zanu PF, the greater force of evil, from power.
Why should we do these smaller parties a favour
by forming a coalition with them?
This
is one of the main questions that keeps popping up from many MDC-T supporters.
Some feel that there is no need to help resuscitate the careers of these
politicians. Careers which have failed to blossom outside their original parties.
It is important to dispel this misguided notion. Coalitions, by nature, are
formed out of selfish interest and guided by mutual benefit. Therefore, Tsvangirai
is not being asked to enter into any coalition out of the goodness of his heart,
but for the selfish purpose of obtaining power. Without each other’s help the
opposition will remain but the opposition. More importantly, uniting to remove
Robert Mugabe and his thieving regime has the potential to usher in a new
culture in our political discourse. A culture where we are able to put aside
our personal differences in pursuit of the national interest. A culture which
encourages consensus building in policy formulation. A culture where we realize
that we are Zimbabweans first before we are members of our respective political
parties. It is my humble submission that we must unite and bring this much
needed change. We have wandered in the wilderness for too long.
Tsvangirai has questionable leadership and
should not lead the coalition.
In
the spirit of openness, I must admit that I too have my reservations when it
comes to Tsvangirai. His tenure as the leader of the opposition has been marred
by various scandals. At times his judgement has been questionable, not to
mention the flip flopping. He has shown autocratic tendencies and failed to
resolve internal disagreements amicably. However, I also agree with the party
loyalists, who say that at this present moment in time Tsvangirai is our best
foot forward. By no means does this imply that people do not recognize his
flaws and weaknesses. They do, but they are preoccupied with the big picture of
removing Zanu PF from power.
It
is quite sad that 35 years after independence we are still stuck with this big
man syndrome, which has been a common characteristic of countries that have
discarded the shackles of colonialism. Hence it is quite admirable that we have
a great number of people who want to move away from this kind of politics to a
more ideas oriented politics. But like in any struggle, we have to set our
priorities straight and understand the terrain in which we want to achieve
those objectives. For the past two decades Tsvangirai has been seen as the face
of the struggle against government impunity. Whether we like it or not,
Tsvangirai has a huge following in the country, more than any other politician
if I may add. Therefore, there cannot be any serious talk of wanting to remove
Zanu PF from power without his participation at the helm of the coalition.
Let’s go to the polls as separate parties and
then form a coalition thereafter.
This
sounds like an interesting strategy, but people forget that our Parliamentary
elections run concurrently with Presidential elections. The wise say, once
beaten twice shy. Have we not learned anything from either the referendum in year
2000 or the elections in 2008? Cicero, the illustrious Roman politician, said that
when you attack a dangerous animal knife it so deep that it does not live to
fight another day. We must go to the elections united and destroy Zanu PF once
and for all.
Going
to elections divided will simply give Zanu PF the tools to manipulate results
and ensure they live to fight another day. When Zanu PF was defeated in the 2000
referendum it unleashed violence, intimidation and all tricks in the book to
manipulate the election that followed. In 2008 Mugabe was beaten, but thanks to
the three-man horse race, he was able to tweak and rig the election results to
afford him a run-off election. Zanu PF once again resorted to violence and
intimidation towards this June run-off election. For those with their eyes open,
Zanu PF’s pattern is clear as crystal. I consider going to the polls first and
thereafter forming a coalition suicidal. In any case how is it any different to
the strategy we have used in the past with so little success?
Having
a pre-election coalition has an added advantage of being able to induce the
donor community to pour financial resources into our democratisation struggle.
It is common knowledge that the opposition is financially weak. Many of the
opposition parties are struggling to pay their salaried workers, even to raise enough
money to hold rallies. You do not need a degree in finance to know that if
things remain as they are, the opposition will struggle to raise substantial campaign
financing. Whereas Zanu PF’s campaign war chest is full with our stolen loot.
As the opposition we must be bold to try something radically new and reenergize
the impetus for change.
Zanu PF is disintegrating. Even if we lose the
2018 elections, the regime will die with Mugabe.
The
Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, formerly known as the Cameroon National
Union has been in power since 1966. Closer to home, Frelimo in Mozambique has
been in power since 1975. There are numerous regimes across the globe that have
managed to survive past the death of their charismatic founding leader. It is
at best erroneous, and at worst lazy, to expect Zanu PF to die with Mugabe.
Zanu PF survived in the absence of the charismatic Ndabaningi Sithole, survived
the death of Chitepo and the death of Tongogara. I am more than sure it will
survive the death of Mugabe. We have to understand that what unifies the Zanu
PF elites is not a shared ideology or a shared past, but self-enrichment
opportunities. Robert Mugabe’s power is anchored in patronage, which thrives in
corruption. Unfortunately, this fact is known and practiced by those who are
likely to take over from Mugabe, which makes it folly for us to expect the
regime to die with Mugabe.
Zanu
PF can only die when it is pushed out of power and its members are denied the
opportunities to benefit from their corrupt network or access to state
resources. If we are serious in reviving the fortunes of Zimbabwe, then we must
unite and make sure we remove Zanu PF from power.
Conclusion
Even
though the last elections were peaceful, our country has not been at peace.
Peace is not merely the absence of violence. Galtung and his friends say peace
is the absence of all forms of social inequality. Under the stewardship of Zanu
PF the gap between those who have and those who lack has continued to widen. While
the majority struggle to make ends meet, people with strong Zanu PF connections
continue to thrive. They are not ashamed of the contradictions of the lives
they live and the lives of those they lead. They are heartless but to properly
understand them, one must venture back into Zanu PF history. During the
liberation struggle they murdered suspected traitors in cold blood. They
summarily executed political opponents within their own party such as during
the Nhari rebellion. Opponents from Zapu during the days of ZIPA were killed with
what they regarded as friendly fire. When they say “Zanu ndeye ropa” they
literally mean it. People who are not afraid to kill their political opponents
certainly cannot be ashamed to steal elections. Dear reader, we have no other
option but to put our heads together, join hands and take this regime head on.
It is left up to us and no one else to bring sanity to our ailing economy.
Only
an idiot continues in his error. We must learn from our past experiences. If
not for our sake, then for the sake of the beautiful ones not yet born. Zanu PF
weakened itself when it fired Mujuru and company. We must seize this moment and
take full advantage of their folly. We must not allow them space to regroup and
reorganise. Let us take the initiative and force them to react to our moves.
A
new Zimbabwe is possible in Mugabe’s lifetime.
Sunday, 1 May 2016
2018 it's do or die, the opposition must unite or perish.
If only we had time I would have attempted to play with words and deliver the very same message in a more respectful manner just as my culture demands, but unfortunately time is so desperately working against us.
Dear reader, do not be unnerved that I have included you in “us”. I know you have your reservations when it comes to the opposition but I know deep down, you too are seeking change and yearning for a better Zimbabwe. Now listen carefully, it is our responsibility to exchange notes, try and map a way forward for our country and give advice to our esteemed leaders before it is too late. They seem to be enjoying their time in the opposition, basking in their yesteryear glory but our country cannot endure another Zanu PF government in 2018. The regime is enjoying watching us waste valuable time hurling insults at one another. It should be common knowledge by now that competing against ourselves is meaningless; there is no honour in being the biggest opposition party, any form of defeat by Zanu PF in 2018 is unacceptable.
Expect nothing from Leaders without shame.
Zimbabwe and the opposition cannot afford to miss another opportunity; 2018 is swim or sink, do or die for the opposition. Failure to obtain power should spell retirement for many and doom for some. Beyond 2018 there should be a massive reconfiguration of our politics regardless of the outcome of the elections.
For those who placed their confidence in Zanu PF in the last elections hoping that it would reinvent itself by handing over the reins of power to a younger generation (younger generation in Zanu PF terms) and perhaps start addressing the myriad of challenges facing the nation, it’s rather disappointment and more disappointment. The Zanu PF leadership is more than resolute to continue taking us on this very same path that leads to nowhere and to nowhere very fast.
Desperate times call for desperate measures
Doing the same thing over and again expecting different results is insanity
Some people are suggesting that Zanu PF is at its weakest point at this juncture, some are over emphasising the strength of Tsvangirai, deeming the coalition unnecessary and some simply prefer to do nothing under the disguise of not disturbing Zanu PF destroying itself. While all these points at face value make sense, because they hold an element of truth and logic, a simple interrogation of previous elections should show that doing nothing and waiting for 2018 is sheer foolishness. We lost elections in the past that we thought were impossible to lose.
Perhaps it is human nature to be forgetful. We all have at one point in the past forgotten about events we were invited to, commitments we promised to fulfil, appointments we made with loved ones. Dear reader, let me take this opportunity to refresh your memory. We did not win the March 2008 election with a convincing margin albeit it being the fairest election we have had to date. All the conditions were favourable to us, the economy had completely crumbled, shops were empty, food was scarce, inflation was at 11.2 million percent. All cards were stacked against Mugabe and his regime, yet despite all that we failed to win a clear majority in parliament and Tsvangirai just managed to defeat Mugabe. Though the economy is precariously balancing on a thin rope, our current economic situation is far better than it was in 2008.
Fast forward to the 2013 elections. We claimed election rigging but to date no evidence has been provided to prove our claims. We disregarded polls that showed we were going to be defeated, even polls from our “said” friends. We lost those elections. It was a dismal performance on our part but then why should 2018 be any different if we do not do something and something drastically different?
Since the MDC’s formation the party has split two times, severed ties with some of its traditional allies in the civic society, vakuru vobva vati kunokora hakuzi kudira, teaspoon zvayakapedza gaba resugar wani. I do not know how a party that is continually dividing itself thinks that it is much stronger to fight an incumbent who will do everything it takes to stay in power. The MDC led by Tsvangirai might be the strongest in the opposition, might even be strong enough to win fair elections, but truth be told Zanu PF does not play fair and the MDC-T is not strong enough to dethrone it alone.
Going forward we must be brutally honest with each other, dear reader. All I am saying, or rather trying to say, is that we must exercise caution. Our position is less secure than it was in the past. We must not leave 2018 elections to chance. Let Zanu PF rip itself apart but let that not stop us from organising ourselves.
They say if a man cheats you once shame on him, if he cheats you twice shame on him but if he cheats you thrice shame on you. Have we not already been shamed more than thrice? We all need each other in the opposition. This idiotic, worthless arrogance must come to a stop and must come to a stop now.
Who then should be involved in this Coalition?
There is no shadow of a doubt in anyone’s mind that the MDC led by Tsvangirai is the most credible opposition in the Zimbabwean political scene. But it is also equally true that it is incapable of dethroning Zanu PF as it has shown in the past when it was still in a much stronger position. Thus it is logical that they must closely work together with other opposition parties to accomplish a shared goal of unseating Mugabe and his regime.
I personally however suspect that the demonstration was done to strengthen the voice that wants to go it alone in the 2018 elections and drown the voice calling for a coalition. Tsvangirai should at least see the lack of wisdom in going it alone, even from a very selfish standpoint. The coalition will have to revolve around his party and his candidacy because he has a really strong bargaining hand, whereas the other parties have really weak hands.
Any party that wants to participate in this coalition must provide some unique benefit to the coalition. Thus the challenge is to the other parties, to show what benefits they bring to the coalition table. Instead of deriding Tsvangirai when he says he wants to go it alone they should take it as an open challenge and put their cards on the table, prove why it would be foolish for him to go it alone. This can be done in three very simple ways:
1. The other parties can organise mass protests to show their party’s organising skills and their scale of support base.
2. They can organise large rallies, not the meet the local leadership tours they have been having countrywide. This also simply to show what following they have.
3. They can also start penning incisive well-articulated alternative policies and countering the regime at an intellectual level. Brains are always welcome to any coalition table, albeit not a strong arm to negotiate on.
It makes no sense to fight an authoritarian regime like Zanu PF from many little different corners. We must join hands and fight our common enemy from a united front. But if we must, the earlier we start the process the better, for we learned during the formation of the Government of National Unity that forming a coalition is difficult and time consuming. The wise would say make hay while the sun shines, 2018 is not far away.
Advantages of the Coalition from a broader perspective
While each individual party has to prove its worth to be included in the coalition, I want to look at the broader picture and highlight a few advantages of having a pre-election coalition in preparation for 2018 elections. Dear reader I might fail to convince you, but at least give some thought to these points I raise.
Voter Fatigue
There is a growing sense of voter fatigue and understandably so. Voters have been promised change for far too long, with each passing year the flame of hope burns with less lustre. Nothing but drastic measures can re-energise the electorate and make it believe that change is possible within Mugabe’s life time. Unfortunately rallies or public meetings no matter how well attended cannot do the trick.
However, a coalition can send a clear and unambiguous signal that the opposition is sufficiently organised and can amount a credible threat to the regime. Which in turn can help draw away votes from the ruling regime, reinvigorate and re-energise the demoralised voters who would otherwise not bother to participate in the electoral process as they will begin to view the coalition as a government in waiting.
Over Exaggerated Support Base
Judging from past elections and the by-elections taking place now, we can see that Zanu PF’s electoral support, which is mostly based in rural areas, has not changed much over time. We also already know that the majority of Zimbabweans live in rural areas, it is thus imperative not to over exaggerate our support when we see large demonstrations or rallies in urban areas as they are not enough to dethrone the regime.
Since Zimbabwe People First has been operating in rural areas as Zanu PF in the past, it has better networks and infrastructure to woe some of that rural support to our cause. Anyway, what would Tsvangirai’s party lose if they were to let Zimbabwe People First contest in rural areas and in turn not contest urban areas and they both rally behind each other?
Another point many know but never want to acknowledge, is that a lot of young people have lost hope in Zimbabwe recovering any time soon. They have lost hope in the opposition and in elections. The fortunate ones are able to seek greener pastures across the border, but some of those who remain have lost hope to even want to participate in elections. It is therefore important we do not over emphasise the youth support base.
Zimbabwe People First brings with it a heavy baggage from Zanu PF, but it also brings with it a rich history of the liberation struggle which can be used to mobilise support throughout Africa and the African diaspora. This should help in weaning the opposition from that derogatory tag of “puppets of the West”. For with the collaboration of former freedom fighters our struggle for democracy will be seen for what it really is. Once that tag has been successfully removed if for whatever reason any inter-mediation is required in 2018, the mediators will be able to operate freely without the fear of being taken as Western lackeys if they act against the regime.
Donor Fatigue
Not only have the voters been fatigued, but so have the donors too. They have grown weary, pouring money into a struggle that has failed to yield results. We certainly cannot blame them and neither are we surprised that they have begun to warm up to the regime.
Whilst we want their money, we do not want to be “Western puppets” or regarded as such. On this issue I am a little worried that all the opposition’s economic blue prints are neo-liberal in outlook but I will reserve this topic for another day. What is important to note is that the international community is most likely open their financial tapes when there is a pre-election coalition and a higher probability of regime change.
Not only will the coalition be able to open the international community’s cheque books, but it also has the potential of convincing Zimbabweans in the diaspora to play a meaningful role in financing the struggle.
In as much as money is important in running a successful campaign in politics it should never be our primary objective of coming together. We have to own this unity, motivated by the right reasons. Monetary issues are only but an added advantage.
The Splits left Tsvangirai poorer in terms of the party’s intellectual depth.
This concern can easily be addressed by having the whole opposition come together and provide a wider pool of intellectual resources. You might not like Tendai Biti, Welshman Ncube, Simba Makoni, Elton Mangoma and Lovemore Madhuku but you cannot deny they all possess intellectual stamina. If this talent were to be combined and put into one shadow cabinet, would signal a serious opposition ready to demand back our country from the greedy and selfish regime.
Conclusion
For those in the MDC-T high ranks who do not want the coalition: in my simple logic, it is better to be a Secretary General of a ruling party even without a government post, than being a Secretary General and a Shadow Cabinet Minister. Having access to influence government policy and direction is political power not these useless titles in the opposition.
Only time, the great magician will tell, but I posit that only through a coalition can the opposition yield enough political clout to overthrow Zanu PF hegemony. Necessity demands we join hands with our former opponents (Zimbabwe People First) and our estranged brothers in the opposition to achieve our desired end. As Karl Marx would say development proceeds in spirals, not in a straight line. I too am tempted to believe that. Despite the presence of internal contradictions, splits and conflict of various forces within the movement our democratic struggle as a whole is moving forward. At this present moment in time, we have an opportunity to take our struggle to a higher plane only if we are able to realize what is required of us.
Political wisdom informs us, there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. We should be wise enough to be guided by logic, not by our emotions. Our emotions want to prove a point that Tsvangirai is more popular than Mujuru, that the breakaway factions are only brains without popular following. Whilst this might be true to a certain point, guess what, there is no prize for being the most popular opposition leader. Logic would rather bask in shared victory and glory for it knows history is not in the habit of honouring failure. Almost does not count.
I really hope Hegel was wrong when he said we learn from history that we never learn from history. Let us unite, move the struggle forward and not repeat yesterday’s mistakes. A new Zimbabwe is possible in Mugabe’s lifetime.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Monday, 30 December 2013
Have the people spoken? Zimbabwe Elections
Well this is the most pertinent question confronting
all Zimbabweans both in the homeland and in the diaspora, have the people spoken?
It is important to note for those who are not familiar with Zimbabwean issues,
that Zimbabwe held elections on the 31st of July three days ago, which were
hailed by some as the most important elections in the history of Zimbabwe after
the elections that ushered our independence. Being an activist who has formerly
fought against the oppression of Robert Mugabe as a student leader, if truth be
told I cannot answer this question as objectively as possible but never the
less I will try but forgive me if you find any biases.
The election was held under relatively peaceful
conditions ending the Government of national unity as it is known. This uneasy
coalition government was formed under the behest of the African Union and SADC
facilitation after the disputed 2008 presidential election which was marred by
violence and intimidation. It brought together all political parties to form a
transitional government to work towards creating a credible election in the
future.
Just because there was no violence during this
election does that mean Zimbabwe had free and fair elections? Is the definition of free and fair elections
that simplistic? And much more importantly who can qualify this election to be
the true reflection of the will of the people? After all no one knows what
people did in that private booth, of course except for those who were assisted.
If the rumours that are circulating that the numbers of those assisted was
around 350 000 are anything to go by there is certainly a cause for concern, this
is quite high for a country that brags of the highest literacy levels in Africa.
Is this surprising? Knowing Mugabe the answer is a big NO, people in the past
have been forced to ask for assistance so that they can show who they have
voted for. But does this qualify or render the election not free and fair you
be the judge. The opposition is crying foul that the election was rigged, I too
agree with their assertion, but with no tangible evidence of rigging, all they
can receive is sympathy. The government of which the opposition was party to,
refused to give them the voters roll which was in clear violation of the
country`s constitution. Even after securing a high court order the Registrar
General refused to comply with the order. This issue of refusing to give the
opposition the voters roll raised their fears that Mugabe somehow manipulated
this election. But as-long as they cannot substantiate their fears all they can
do is just cry. The contingent of African election observer missions on the
ground have already expressed their opinion that the election was credible and fair and of course they have also acknowledged
some of the opposition`s reservations but that they say that they are not
adequate to subvert the will of the people expressed the through the ballot.
Whoever spoke they spoke loud and clear Mugabe is on
his way to being declared the President of Zimbabwe. The big question is what
next from here for the opposition, my take is for them to accept the result and
go back to the people to self-introspect and reorganize and prepare for
elections in 2018. Alternatively they can try and mobilize people and go into
the streets but to whose benefit? I personally do not see Mugabe being removed
by such actions this may only serve to bring chaos and suffering to the
ordinary people.
Sunday, 29 December 2013
The parody of our time
The
United States of America is at the forefront of waging wars in the name of
spreading democracy but is the same chief culprit in stifling the
democratisation agenda at the United Nations it is a crazy world indeed.
Fairness is Utopian
Bensuda
who wants to give world the impression that ICC is a just court was quick to
open indictments on Kenya but has turned a blind eye on the atrocities
committed by the west and Israel’s violations of Palestinians human rights left,
right and centre? Is Kenyan life more precious than that of Palestinians? When the champions of human rights shun the
ICC, you can only but wonder what they are afraid of. Then you have African
leaders crying victim to the system of international justice. I just wonder if
they seriously believe that their crimes are worthy to go unpunished or that
the lives of fellow African lives lost is not worthy of their incarceration.
What is good for the goose should
be good for gander
Is
it not ironic that countries that have weapons of mass destruction themselves
are today our world police dictating who can and who cannot possess these
weapons of mass destruction, surely the moral ground they stand on is sinking
sand. Let me not be misunderstood by anyone I am in any way promoting the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction I simply want you to pose and
reflect and maybe you can have an understanding on the kind of world we live
in. Iran is not allowed to enrich its Uranium for peaceful purposes even though
international law clearly states they can? Now the powers that be, peddle lies
through their media outlets that Iran is a rogue state and a war monger. Anyone
who buys into this dogma should be forgive because these media outlets although
very biased in favour of western hegemony they appear to be fair and
balanced. But this war monger called
Iran has only fought in one war in self defence against Saddam Hussein`s Iraq
in the past two hundred years. Need I
say more the Americans were supporting Iraq morally and otherwise. On the
contrary to Iran our big brother who comes in the name of peace and democracy has
been involved in so many wars in the last century that I lost count, now you
tell me who is the war monger?
Nations start wars to bring peace
Isn’t
it ironic that nations start wars to bring peace unfortunately many times than
not the wars simply yield to more unstable countries? Contrary to your opinion
comrade Tendai Biti (Zimbabwe`s former finance minister) I agree with South
African former president Thabo Mbeki that stability and peace are more
important goals than democracy look at Syria, Iraq, Libya, Ivory Coast, Central
African Republic and Egypt. Countries are more divided, many livelihoods destroyed
and some life even lost now can you tell me that is a price worth paying
especially with no guarantee that the devil you do not know is better than the current
one. It is always easy to destroy and difficult to build, easy to arm rebels to
start a war but difficult to force the same rebels on a negotiating table and
end peace.
Charity begins at home Mr President.
Mugabe
is right on many occasions than not at international platforms exposing the hooliganism
and hypocrisy of the West. One would expect to find him on point on the
domestic scene too but no he is only a democrat at international platforms
wishing that his and many other weak nation states be treated justly at the
undemocratic United Nations. It really beats me how his position changes dramatically
at the domestic level for he is certainly a change agent on the international
scene and a change blocker at home. He could have been a great statesman had he
been a true democrat but then if he was he would have gone a long time ago. Many
call him intelligent but I think his intelligence is only limited to power
retention because his folly is so glaring when it comes to the economy. Ibbo
Mandaza correctly points out that he is illiterate when it comes to the economy
albeit holding a bachelor of economics. Does this not make you think education
is over rated when Biti a lawyer and a Dr Makoni the chemist understand
economics much better than our Bob the economist?
Change is much more than slogans
comrades
Then
comes the MDC whose change slogans are nothing more than just slogans. I do not
want to be too harsh with my fellow comrades but then again I think they
deserve some tough love. I really do not want to think that ours is a crises of
expectancy that we ask and expect too much from our leaders maybe they are simply
at fault for over promising change they cannot deliver. When Morgan
Tsvangiryi`s numerous women escapades were put in the open cdes defended him saying at least he is better
than people from Zanu PF but comrades do we have to remind you that we never
hold Zanu PF as a standard to be measuring ourselves to, Zanu PF represents everything
we shun and distaste. I remember
listening and believing this one Chamisa at some point, criticising the
government for buying luxury vehicles for Ministers but when the unity
government was formed I expected the MDC to live by their word but they proved
that their word is a useless currency that is not worth the value of the paper
it is written on. At-least in this regard there is one David Coltard who seemed
to understand what exactly the country needed and still needs. It is no
surprising that he was one of the best Ministers of the few performing
Ministers of the Unity Government. In all honesty I think he is only comparable
to Tendai Biti who was quite up to the surmountable challenges we faced as a
nation or should I say we are facing, I am sure Chinamasa can attest to that. Even though Corruption, self-aggrandizement
cuts through our politics, I thought Morgan Tsvangiryi was different I thought
he was my reincarnated Thomas Sankara but no, he too has an appetite for finer
things in life even at the expense of ordinary people failing to make ends meet
otherwise how could the Prime minister accept $3 million dollars for re-construction
of his residence.
People demand change not a change in faces but a complete turnaround in the way we conduct our business as Gideon Gono would put it. It cannot be business as usual the sooner the change agents realise this the better that.
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