Zimbabwe Light

Many people have been asking whether the new constitution, even without the latest Zanu PF amendments, is an improvement on the current Lancaster House constitution. They may just as well ask: Is a glass of milk with a spoonful of cholera contaminated sewage better than the same glass with two spoonfuls of the same sewage? Considering that a single drop of this sewage in a drum of milk has enough bacterium Vibrio cholerae to infect and ultimately kill a thousand people who drink it. It is therefore irrelevant whether the glass has one or two spoonfuls of sewage; either glass will kill you a billion times over!

The Lancaster House constitution has clearly failed to stop the scourge of political violence, for example, one of the top requirements for free elections. The new constitution will do nothing to address this fundamental problem or any of all the other democratic reforms. In other words the new constitution will do nothing to endZimbabwe’s chronic problem of bad governance!

Former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice endorse Republican Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney for nextUSPresident.

“Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will rebuild us at home and inspire us to lead abroad,” she said. “They will provide an answer to the question, ‘where doesAmericastand?”

When it comes to Sub Sahara Africa; we can honestly say President Obama does not care. We have held great expectations that he would force the continent’s leaders to take the issue of democratic change more seriously. He gave a great speech inEgyptand we all applaud what he did inLibyabut as for the sub-SaharaAfricahe did nothing. He did not care!

Where does Mitt Romney stand onAfrica? If he can name a handful of African countries, then that will be about the best one can expect.

Civil wars, political oppression and corruption have dragged Africa back into the dark ages and the rest of the world are only interested in what resources they can milk out of the continents otherwise they stopped caring a long time ago. Yes, even someone like President Obama with African blood in his veins, he too does not care!

The echoes of the 2011 Arab spring earthquake – were ordinary citizens in a number of Arab countries revolted against the country’s tyrannical ruler, toppling some and forcing others to accept significant democratic changes – continue to reverberate round the world. This time the tumours were felt at the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit inIran.

“We all have to announce our full solidarity with the struggle of those seeking freedom and justice in Syria,” President Mohammed Mursi of Egypt told NAM delegates,  “and translate this sympathy into a clear political vision that supports a peaceful transition to a democratic system of rule that reflects the demands of the Syrian people for freedom.”

President Mursi, himself a product of the Egypt’s uprising, had just shattered an unwritten but nonetheless well understood rule that no leader was to criticise a fellow NAM leader’s human rights regardless how appalling it happened to be.NAMcondemns human rights violations and bad governance but, like the AU and many ofAfrica’s regional groups like SADC, it was only pay lip service in its condemnations.

The Syrian delegation’s response to the uncharacteristic criticism was to storm out of the summit. The other dictators remained in their seats but their discomfort must have been palpable!

Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe is inIranattending theNAMsummit. He is known to sleep during such international summit meetings, but not this time. No doubt Mugabe was fuming that President Mursi had unceremoniously replaced his buddy Mubaraki and to hear “this up start,” as far as Mugabe was concerned, preach regime change must have deprived the Zimbabwean dictator of his cat-naps for the next three hours!

Zimbabweans live in fear of Mugabe instigated violence and he, in turn, is scarred stiff of regime change!

Tsvangirai is one confused individual and every time he opens his mouth he leaves no one in any doubt of that!

“The principals in the GPA cannot substitute the sovereign will of the people of Zimbabwe to determine how they should be governed,” Tsvangirai explained after rejecting to negotiate Zanu PF’s proposed amendments to the new constitution. “Let the people of Zimbabwe, through a referendum, be the final arbiters not three individuals.”

 Tsvangirai will agree that the new constitution was a produced of months of horse trading between the three political parties and, judging from the document before the nation, Mugabe and his Zanu PF cronies got everything they asked at the time for as usual. Which was why the party said it was 97% happy with the new constitution. But Zanu PF is a party used to absolute power, and since signing its ever demanding members have since come back demanding even more concessions.

 PM Tsvangirai is also being disingenuous to suggest there can not be any more horse-trading the process is closed. What is the purpose of the “all stakeholders (read three parties) conference” if not to fine the document?

The real reason why PM Tsvangirai does not want to reopen the horse-trading and has declared “the UDD [unilateral declaration of deadlock]”, as Professor Moyo so aptly called, is because he knows the Zanu PF amendments will end the pretence this new constitution is nothing but a Zanu PF document designed to perpetuate the one party dictatorship. By seeking to outlaw “foreign funding of political parties”, for example, Zanu PF will have yet another stick with which to beat down the already crippled the two MDC factions.   

The truth is PM Tsvangirai is using to the people to save himself and his party from total humiliation and annihilation after betraying them; he is closing the stable after the horse has bolted. Zimbabweans deserve a constitution that  will restore their basic freedoms and rights; this new constitution, with or without the Zanu PF amendments, will not change anything. Zimbabweans must therefore reject this new constitution regardless what happens next.

Law expert Madock Chivasa from the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) told SW Radio Africa MDC show use the Zanu PF’s demand to table amendments to the new constitution to table amendments of their own! People like Chivasa are day dreaming.

MDC failing to stop Zanu PF from having everything it wanted during the horse trading, which is why the latter is 97% happy with the new constitution as it is. Of course, at the time of the horse trading Zanu PF thought they got everything they wanted which is why they are back demanding the 3% they are not happy with. It is day dreaming to even think MDC can refuse Zanu PF the 3% let alone recoup on the 97% they horse traded away already.

This new constitution was a negotiated document between Zanu PF and the two MDC factions; whatever the people had said on the matter, was completely ignored during the political parties’ horse trading. MDC do not want another session of horse trading because they know MDC will once again be forced to give in to more Zanu PF demands. Zanu PF on the other hand KNOW there is no danger of the party giving in to any MDC demands, not even one iota of the 97% Zanu PF has already in the bag will be given up; people like Chivasa are day dreaming to think otherwise!

Neil Armstrong was the first man to step on the moon in July 1969. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” he said as he step on the lunar surface – instantly became one of the most recognisable phrases ever uttered.

There is no reason why Africa and Zimbabwe should not too aspire for similar scientific achievements. But if the truth be told – and it must – 33 years of dictatorial rule by Mugabe must have set the nation back at least one hundred years. It will get this nation at least two generations to get the nation back to what it was in 1980. It is much easier to destroy than it is to create!

Pest In Peace Neil! Your achievements will continue to inspire millions to reach beyond one’s grasp!

You really do not know what you are talking about, do you? So you think staying in a totally dysfunctional GNU, appeasing the dictator at every turn as long as Tsvangirai and his MDC friends keep their place on the feeding trough is the answer! The only people who have gained politically and economically in the last four years are Mugabe and his cronies.

Tsvangirai should have never signed the GPA with Mugabe; he did in the face of a chorus telling him not to, because he saw it as his last chance to taste power. He promised to withdraw from the GNU if it did not work out. As expected, it has been a totally disaster but Tsvangirai has stayed on because he is enjoying the trappings of power.

There are two good reasons Tsvangirai should have left a long time ago:

a)     the GNU is not working and

b)      worse still, Mugabe has used the time and space afforded him by the GNU to consolidate the dictatorship. For example,  Zanu PF has used the illegal diamond mining to boost its party coffers and has completely transformed the Police, Army and CIO into Zanu PF organs.

Tsvangirai is dragging the nation through this time wasting and costly new constitution writing process knowing fully well that Mugabe and Zanu PF bullied MDC into accepting a document that will do nothing to promote freedom and justice.  We all know that not even one of the democratic reforms have been implemented and every day there are reports of Zanu PF inspired political violence.  Of course the next elections are NOT going to be free and fair. May be Tsvangirai is waiting for the bloodbath to start in earnest for him to final withdraw just as he did in 2008!

By pulling out of this dysfunctional GNU even now, at the eleventh hour, MDC will be acknowledging what we all know to be the reality on the ground: that Mugabe has no intention of holding free elections and MDC has failed to force him to do otherwise. By staying in the GNU, MDC is saying it has forced him to change and Zimbabwe is going to have free election.

It is high time that Tsvangirai and MDC came clean with the people of Zimbabwe, they are the ones who have paid dearly under the Mugabe dictatorship and will continue to do so as long as this dictatorship remains in power. Tsvangirai smuggled Mugabe back into office by signing the GPA in 2008 and has help the dictatorship consolidate its power ever since. He should stop, period!

The good thing is that the people of Zimbabwe are beginning to realise for themselves – the start of the great political awakening! – that MDC is in politics for their own selfish gain just like Zanu PF!

On Tuesday the French France knight Morgan Tsvangirai, Commander of the Legion of Honour, a prestigious award for “his efforts in fighting for democracy”. What efforts?

If the French government and people can imagine how they would have felt if someone had honoured the collaborationist Vichy, who was nothing but a puppet of Adolf Hitler in Nazi occupied France; that is exactly how every thinking Zimbabwean feels about France honouring Tsvangirai.

Tsvangirai has proven to be a blunder “flawed and indecisive character” as theUSAAmbassador toZimbabwe, Chris Dell, said of the man in 2002 according to the WikiLeak cables. According to the same WikiLeak even those close to him like Tendai Biti, Nelson Chamisa and Roy Bennett; they too said he was an incompetent leader.Zimbabwehad numerous chances to end this nightmare of the Mugabe dictatorship was it not for Tsvangirai who have wasted all these chances. The people ofZimbabwehave paid dearly for all his blunders and will continue to pay for generations to come.

Every thinking Zimbabweans considers Tsvangirai to be nothing but a buffoon who should be herding goats. But by honouring him, the French government is saying after having a tyrant a buffoon is the best Zimbabweans are capable and can aspire to; that is very patronising, to say the least!

Zimbabwehas as competent men and women as you will find in France or anywhere else on earth. This are some of the darkest times in our history, just asFranceare its own dark days. Still we aspire for freedom, liberty and human dignity and know with the quality leaders and unwavering determination we will achieve these goals. So Messeigneurs – two finger salute to you!

Unless something is done to stop the scourge of politically motivated violence by Zanu PF thugs, to stop the Police from turning a blind eye to this lawlessness and to stop the Police, Army and CIO abandoning their posts of protecting the citizens and instead they have become public enemy number one. It is totally pointless to hold elections when political violence is not just a threat but a living reality.

Parliament has a duty to address this scourge of political violence because no other institution inZimbabwehas eith the power or authority to deal with this issue. Parliament has both the power, authority and this parliament has one more thing none of the other parliaments ever had – the opportunity. For the first time since independence Zanu PF lost its parliamentary majority. MDC have control of parliament.

For the last four years this MDC controlled parliament has not done anything; it may just as well have been a Zanu PF controlled parliament. MDC MPs have been lackeys to Mugabe. This nation’s whole future is at stake and it is high time MDC MPs shed off their cowardly past and act.    

The new constitution before the nation will do nothing, absolutely nothing to end the scourge of violence, amongst other things, and for that reason the people ofZimbabwemust reject come the referendum.

One thing can be said about Zimbabweans – we love tragic stories, especially when we ARE the tragic victims!

Last month the long awaited new constitution was finally out and before they have even read it vanaChimbwido nanaMujimba were out in full force ululating and whistling – Mururu nemuridzo- in approval like crickets and frogs after the first rains. As for the new constitution itself: “it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!” as Shakespeare would say. A very, very expense tale indeed at US$ 75 million and four long years of the whole nation’s waiting. Only the naïve expected it to be democratic given Mugabe and Zanu PF had unfettered access to impose their demands during outreach and then during the horse-trading.

Not content that the new constitution is already 97% what the tyrannical party wanted Zanu PF are back making even more demands. Zanu PF will probably get what it wants; it always does. Not that it matters; the new constitution is a glass of milk with a spoonful of cholera carrying sewage; addition another spoonful of sewage, milk or sugar is a matter of indifference!

There was a lot of hoo-ha before the SADC meeting ending today; Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was out visiting all SADC Heads on a “diplomatic offensive”, we were told accompanied by high-powered group of NGO top brass – the usual suspects. They were lobbying SADC Heads to force Mugabe to accept the new constitution and follow the agreed road-map (although not even Tsvangirai can tell you where we are on this imaginary road-map). SADC will issue a communiqué call on all parties toZimbabwe’s political mess to resolve their difference.

Some “diplomatic offensive”!

The next thing is the referendum on the new constitution; Zanu PF will not be particularly bother which way the result go because its iron grip on power is assured either way. The party’s thugs will, nonetheless, be out harassing and beating people – just for the hell of it.

The political violence will go into overdrive come the elections; Mugabe and Zanu PF know they will never win free and fair elections and since they are more determined than ever to hang on to power it follows that there will be no free and fair elections. So at the end of the next elections there will be hundreds if not thousands dead and hundreds of thousands nursing broken bones and wounds all victims of Zanu PF orchestrated violence and Mugabe and Zanu PF be back in power!

We are no nearer getting any democratic changes and ending this repressive dictatorship than we were in 2008 or 1980! We are stuck with this dictatorship! Déjà vu!

Yes Zimbabweans love tragedies; we do not pen them, we live (sic) them!