Maravi

Zimbabwe: The Official Narrative Reconsidered

COMMENT - I am not about to equate the ZANU-PF and MDC in any way. However, this is an example of at least some out there seeing the obvious about the economic sanctions against Zimbabwe (something the ANC never hid from the population or anyone else). There is nothing targeted about ZDERA. It invokes actions against the entire Government of Zimbabwe (Section 4C).

(NEWZIMBABWE) Zanu PF and MDC are symbiotic parasites

I WISH to expose the symbiotic relationship between Zanu and mdc. I shall articulate the strategy to end the symbiotic relationship. That way a better Zimbabwe will come sooner than anticipated. It is necessary that I discuss sanctions in details and political myths in Zimbabwe and so this article may be a bit long.

I posit that the sanctions narrative as the cause of Zimbabwe’s past and present economic crisis cannot exist without or outside of MDC and its political strategies, and on the other hand, the narrative of corruption and incompetence as the cause of our economic crisis cannot exist without or outside of Zanu PF. These two continue to feed and give life to the other. The inability to practically free Zimbabwe from this oppressive symbiotic relationship is source of our calamity.

Is it ‘both’ or ‘one of it’?

Most people have written at length either denying the existence and/or effect of economic sanctions whilst some have attributed the economic performance to sanctions and only sanctions. The same pattern has emerged in my whatsapp group of the Class of 89 form 4 class that comprises of older Zanu ex-combatants and younger students. It was such a toxic topic; it ended with an agreement to never talk politics in the group. So frustrating was the failure by either side to interrogate and honestly so, the possibility that the economic crisis was caused by both sanctions and corruption.

Kenya versus Zimbabwe on corruption and incompetence

Up to 2008, the fact is the Kenyan Government and society were both way more corrupt and incompetent than Mugabe’s and the generality of Zimbabweans. No offence to Kenyans. After all, I get my facts from my Kenyan brothers. When rural folk go to Nairobi, they say ‘We going to Kenya’. Such, is the disconnect between government and many rural populations, and that is the environment in which tribesman have militarised and attacked and battled 100s of armed Kenyan police, kwete hide and seek-guerrilla style but conventionally! Such disconnect hallmarks government incompetence. Had it not been for Zanu and Zapu liberation war structures, Mugabe’s Zimbabwe would be exactly the same. Note: given this level of disconnect and well known extreme levels of corruption, Kenya’s economy never collapsed like Zimbabwe’s did in 2008.

Radical Muslims terrorized Kenya. Bush and Blair advised their citizens to be ‘careful’ when visiting Kenya. A pick pocket, steals a wallet from a western tourist at Victoria Falls and Bush and Blair and their loudspeakers went into top gear to stop visits to Zimbabwe; Australia ‘banned’ Qantas from flying to Harare. Tourist visits dropped from over a million to less than 20 000 a year. Zimbabwe was and still is safe tourist destination than most western countries, even on petty crimes like pick-pocket thefts. We are so unlike the thieving Irish who lead the western lot in stealing from tourists. As the West killed Zimbabwean tourism, they also withdrew aid. Zimbabwe has no moral or legal rights to aid but the manner the aid was withdrawn is critical to this discussion. No aid was ever withdrawn from Kenya. Note: Corruption did not, on its own, collapse the economy of Zimbabwe in 2008.

Eddie Cross and the myth of Rhodesia busting sanctions

Covert white racists like Eddie Cross, who if you read between the lines show an obsession with white supremacy, will re-write history to make you believe that Rhodesia faced a tougher sanctions regime but continued to develop nonetheless. Bloody lies! Sanctions against Rhodesia were more verbal and actual; even Russia that trained Zipra freedom fighters was buying our minerals. Also, many blacks were too poor as not to feel the effect of minor economic changes. More-so, the management of an economy for the benefit of a tiny white minority race and few blacks is pretty easy. Of all the Rhodesian glory Eddie obsesses about, the fact shall forever be that the Rhodesian was not just a coward and an evil one who could not even attempt to manage the economy for the benefit of all Zimbabweans. Eddie Cross is an MDC boss, who designs MDC policies and is the most respected by Tsvangirai and MDC because he is a life line to western donors.

The bite of sanctions and justifications

When you impose targeted sanctions on heads of government the practical effect is the same as declaring sanctions on the country. SADC and AU were not fooled by the ‘There are no sanctions; it’s ‘only’ targeted at individuals’ Obama public relations rhetoric. Chinhoyi University could not buy IT software from USA because of sanctions. Up to now, citizens of USA and UK and Zimbabweans resident in the two countries cannot transfer figures over $250 000 to Zimbabwe. This is what prompted the now obscure Whites Against Sanctions-group as they were also frustrated by the restriction. There is a lot more evidence that sanctions exist and have an impact on the economy. To deny the existence and effect of sanctions should be regarded as evidence of dishonest-political propositioning or appalling research skills given western government’s websites have not hidden information on sanctions including official press releases.

The justification of the sanctions is a different matter but I must say: the river Nile is getting bloodier with the blood of Egptians; Uganda- Museveni’s jails get filled up with opposition party elections agents dragged from voting stations, 70 % of the middle- east regimes commit unimaginable atrocities against their citizens but never did any of these countries have a ZIDERA like or any sort of economic sanctions imposed against them. Saudi Arabia just killed a 15-year-old boy for being at a place where adults held political protests. Zimbabwe’s standard of democracy and human rights was not ideal but way better than 80% of African countries.

Museveni and brutal dictatorships in Africa never challenged white supremacy over land ownership but Mugabe/Zanu PF did. Given the historical injustices on land dispossession, any party in Zimbabwe or any anywhere in Africa that vigorously attacks Mugabe/Zanu PF on the land issue can never win elections; ANC is fully in the know. The land possession and ownership is fundamental to the rural populations and the resettled farmers.

Economic conquest versus the victory of democracy

Winning elections on the wings of sanctions that are opposed by SADC and AU and in violation of the UN Charter can never be a victory for democracy but a conquest by the economic mighty. This is the unspoken but strongly treasured rule by SADC and AU; its time Zimbabweans show a practical appreciation of this neither written nor spoken rule. No matter the shortcomings in the quality of democracy in Zimbabwe, entities such as ANC, Frelimo, CCM etc will side with Mugabe/Zanu PF. If Tsvangirai wins elections (not that this is likely), the ZNA can coup off MDC government and argue that MDC’s obtained power by means of an economic conquest and never by the bona-fide victory of democracy, and surprise - surprise, SADC and AU will ask for ‘peaceful resolution’ and where Tsvangirai will be a senior clerk in a Government of National Unity. Put frankly, those who get duressed and yield to the Brute that uses economic sanctions as means to rulership have no moral or strong legal argument to decline the rulership of a Brute that uses an AK47. For as long as MDC is the main opposition party, SADC and AU will stand by Zanu PF thereby keeping Zanu legitimate and alive; so Zanu is sustained by the uncouth political strategies of MDC.

The undisputed record of Mugabe/Zanu corruption and incompetence

It is a well-known fact that Zanu PF looted and destroyed EVERY parastatal. A party with well written blue prints but turns out to be only academic and terrible implementers of their policies. No wonder why Nathaniel Manheru has been going on about ditching ZIMASSET and developing the next big idea. A hopeless analyst! Add corruption to this sloppy academism, the result is a disaster. The Zanu PF Victoria Falls conference was all a lousy jamboree; had the usual pathetic rhetoric against corruption. The most significant and extremely worrisome development was the arrest and incarceration of a poor Pastor who was just trying to inform his President- Mugabe that “people are suffering”. Civil servants had nothing for Christmas whilst Mugabe enjoys the comfort of Singapore. It is this corruption, cruel arrogance and indifference (other than to land issues) that gives life to MDC albeit being an imperialist tool. Zanu gives life to MDC.

I say bravo to Kariba pastor. But I must also caution the Pastor against joining hands with the MDC because of the toxic political strategies of the party, in particular on sanctions and the land ownership preferences. The Pastor will be branded as an imperialist tool and not a bona-fide patriot with good intentions. I say to the Pastor, if MDC approaches you offering support-even good comments, reject the comments, run a mile and run very fast! Just see how the Herald, a mouth piece for Zanu PF was quick to brand the recent protests over civil -servants- missed -payment as an MDC activist programme. Zanu PF loves MDC because the nature of MDC political strategies and MDC formation is such that Zanu PF can literally brutalise MDC and the overwhelming majority of Zimbabweans, SADC and AU will not give a damn. So, stay away from the MDC to effectively fight Mugabe/Zanu PF.

The Pie Chart of economic crisis causes: 2009 onwards, its 10% sanctions and 90% corruption and incompetence

Up to 2008, I posit that it is fair to blame sanctions for 35% of the economic crisis. I am Zanu PF myself and attributing 45% to sanctions is generous. 65% was caused by looting and economic mismanagement and Zanu must accept the blame for the goodness sake and for the good of Zimbabwe. Post 2008, the contribution of sanctions drastically falls because it is fair to expect Zanu PF to have strategised counter-sanctions measures. So, many countries have not imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe and there actually is an extravagance of international goodwill. Because of Zanu PF corruption and incompetence, MDC obtains legitimacy; MDC needs the current Zanu PF regime otherwise MDC will collapse.

The myth of 2013 election rigging

Our voting system is based on extreme distrust of each other and that is absolutely fine. A sister from Jamaica- a lawyer, tells me that theirs is also based on extreme distrust. I have been an election officer and I well learned of the laws of evidence in criminal trials. I have studied the MDC dossier which claims that the 2013 elections were rigged. The claim is absolute rubbish, I have no doubt in my mind that the lawyers in MDC know fully well that their riggery claims are false but their target is the naïve Mugabe-hating -Whitemen and the impressionable, ignorant, unthinking and uncritical MDC supporter. Such riggery claims increase SADC and AU goodwill towards Zanu PF: Zanu PF living off silly and unhelpful political strategies of the MDC.

How do you get rigged in a process were you have 2 to 3 agents physically observing every aspect of the voting process, except when the voter puts ‘X’!? MDC even had agents at the command Centre which used the Electronic Voters’ Roll (EVR). In Uganda, as stated above, opposition agents are arrested right from the polling stations and because Museveni has no beef with the West he gets away with it. But that would never happen in our Zimbabwe. Our voting system is water tight. The only riggery that can happen is if Zanu PF bribes MDC election agents. If your agents can be bribed, then you are not fit to be in charge of the nation. You will be ‘bribed’ and sell the country!

The reasoning by the Judiciary to refuse to give MDC the electronic voters roll, might raise questions on the integrity of our Judiciary. But the quality of the pleadings or rather the abuse of the Judiciary and the unethical conduct by MDC lawyers in challenging the 2013 elections, is such that I would tone down any criticism against the Judiciary in the elections case.

Transparency in the election process is absolutely important and every citizen must have access to the electronic voters’ roll. However, I must declare that there was no causal relationship between Mugabe’s victory and the electronic voters roll. Here is why: James slightly slaps Peter on the back, Peter dies the following year. James did not cause Peter’s death, no causal relationship. Just like we have sanctions but they are never the major cause of our economic problems, no strong causal relationship. The number of people who voted and/or declined to vote after checking their details with EVR was tiny in comparison to margins by which Mugabe and Zanu MPs won. For example: 10 are allowed to vote and another 10 are not allowed after checking with EVR (and remember all this was observed by MDC election agents). Mugabe and Zanu MPs, then go on to win by margins that are way over 20 votes, clearly there is no causal relationship between Mugabe/Zanu PF’s victory, and the EVR. Mugabe was the majority winner. Solidly legitimate! MDC actually had better media coverage through its own TV station in South Africa, various radio stations that broadcast from outside Zimbabwe.

Claims that Zanu PF moved 4000 and another 20 000 people to vote twice and that there were special ballot papers that gladiated ‘Xs’ to Mugabe/Zanu PF are absolute rubbish. Transporting 4000 people is a logistics nightmare and you cannot fail to have evidence of the movement. It is impossible to fail to have even one-person squeal about the arrangements. An alcoholic in denial of being an alcoholic cannot be helped. MDC’s denial of the truth that it lost free and square to Zanu PF means it can never improve and review its policies and strategies or change its leadership; it is guaranteed to lose in 2018. Zanu PF loves this ‘unlearning’ aspect of MDC. Who can be worried about a baboon that hides behind its finger and declares to the world that it is no longer visible to the world? MDC is that baboon.

MDC’s the refusal to accept 2013 elections cost them any goodwill from AU and especially SADC, which it abused, putting it in a place where it cannot consult with SADC to further improve the electoral system especially on access to local media by other political parties. On the other hand, Zanu PF’s goodwill increased in SADC and AU; Mugabe has chaired SADC and AU. After th e2013 elections, Tsvangirai asked western countries not to engage with Zimbabwe economically; there is a video footage of the press release. When the arguments for your refusal to accept electoral defeat are the base which USA and the West to continue with sanctions, you become like what Renamo and UNITA are to SADC or what Mobutu was to Africans. The politics of the MDC gives Zanu a critical lifeline within the country, SADC, AU and beyond. The so called ‘crisis of legitimacy’ failed to be a rallying point against Zanu in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and only ‘brave MDC’ continues on a clearly beaten path; making Zanu PF even stronger.

The massive fear factor

The fear factor is associated with Zanu PF and this is true. However, I must say MDC instilled a lot more fear in the majority of voters. I watched the MDC TV station that was broadcasting into Zimbabwe from South Africa for the 2013 elections. In one of their broadcasts, a white former farmer dangled his ‘papers’- title deeds to land he had settled on after killing the blacks who owned it. He declared his intention to use the ‘papers’ to get ‘his’ farm back upon MDC’s ‘victory’ (economic conquest rather!). I instantly saw an extremely terrified black voter; the resettled farmer and his relatives in the rural areas. What a major political miscalculation! That black voter had no choice, couldn’t afford abstaining; they had to vote for Mugabe rather than have Tsvangirai ‘send Lorries and ferry them to cities for factory jobs’ as had declared Tsvangirai. A literal re-enactment of the abuse and forced removal of Chief Tangwena and his people! This gave zanu votes from people who cursed at the gods for not giving them real options.

Contrary to what most people think, the rural and resettled farmer (RRF) is witty and most importantly they make up two thirds of the voting public. RRF voting block knows and very well that Zanu PF is corrupt and incompetent but the outcomes of ESAP taught them that if you do not have land, you have nothing. This article is not meant to discuss the reasons for MDC 2013 electoral loss, but the land issue cannot be avoided. It is too fundamental to the past, present and future politics of the country and no Party, and I repeat, No Party will ever win elections for as long as this block is insecure over land possession and ownership, even remotely insecure. Corrupt and inept Zanu PF survives out of mdc’s terrible and horrible misreading of this basic aspect of the country’s politics market.

Mujuru’s BUILD has failed in this aspect; she will appeal to the urbanites and split the MDC support. Zimbabwe’ farm land belongs first and foremost to the victims of the injustices perpetrated by white racists. No property rights can accrue from a bunch of killer Ku Klux Klan that masqueraded as a ‘legislative parliament’- Rhodesia Parliament. Those white people who bought land before 1980 intentionally set to benefit from Rhodesia’s glaring ku klux klanism and that white person therefore, cannot have property rights; their purchases were commercial transactions between robbers and murderers and will never be respected as anything else. Mukupe- Zanu PF MP’s recent demands to expedite payment to whites are as misguided. Inept Chinamasa must have hit the racist whites that are spitting in our ‘reconciliation policy hearts’ - suing the Government of Zimbabwe in South African Courts, with a tax rate of 99.09% through the now defunct SADC Tribunal ordered payments.

The RRF block is witty and they can tell when a liberation struggle heroine is losing her marbles. Mai Mujuru has not broken the symbiotic relationship of Zanu PF and MDC. She can have billions in donations from the west but as long as she advances covertly so, an imperialist agenda, she will never rule Zimbabwe. We need our Kizza Besigye, Uganda’s opposition leader who has not run to whites for funding but is doing the hard yards. And of course we need our Magufuli; would Magufuli dine and wine in Singapore whilst civil servants go without pay, would Magufuli live in an expensive hotel like Mphoko whilst children are dying for lack of medicine in hospitals?

Homophobia and personal scandals

This is not to discuss the rights or wrongs of homosexuality but a recognition of the politics market of Zimbabwe. Anyone who advances the rights of gays in Zimbabwe is not serious about winning elections. A sickly old donkey that brays, ‘No to homosexuality, It’s your land, you will never lose it again’, will win elections despite campaigning from a special wheel chair. The land issue and stance of homosexuality makes one a permanent youthful revolutionary. Whilst Tsvangirai could have defended Zimbabwe’s real-life record on homosexuality, ie the Zimbabwe gay is a millions times safer than the gay in South African, the ‘bible belt’- of USA and even UK, where homosexuality is legal, nor do we have crazy sentences for homosexuality as in other countries. Infact no one has been convicted for being gay in Zimbabwe. One might say there is silent agreement on gay issues in Zimbabwe; that Bob will show off his ‘macho’ in strong anti-gay rhetoric but never actually charge or strongly prosecute any gays and that way gay is accepted for as long he does not go on an active and public campaigns to recruit converts. Why did Tsvangirai deliberately upset settled waters when doing so put him against 99.99% of the voting population? Put bluntly, the idiocy of Tsvangirai’s political maneuvering in the politics market of Zimbabwe makes any political opponent a ‘shining star’; Zanu PF became an alternative, primarily so on the basis of the idiocy of their opponents. The Christian voted for zanu but looked up to the heavens in pain and asking the Lord, ‘Why are we having to choose between a corrupt and incompetent lot vs a those who literally want to impose a Sodom and Gomorrah upon us?’

Some commenters say people get the leaders they deserve but this is not so for Zimbabweans; we did not have real choices.

MDC: a parasite that Zanu can kill so easily but prefers to protect and nurture

Zanu PF has a moral and legal justification and also the capacity to change the constitution and the law to ban persons who have actively or covertly called for sanctions against the country whether sanctions are imposed or not or, or whether the sanctions are effective or not. USA has such laws. Zanu PF also has SADC and AU goodwill to make such changes. The Electoral Act could have been twicked to require those who invite sanctions for political millage to be treated worse or in the same light as schemers and perpetrators of physical violence meant to frustrate the democratic standard of elections. If Zanu PF did so, the MDC leadership would quit politics and the citizen would organize himself to form a Party that stood against sanctions and hopefully, aggressively protect the land redistribution and advance the Values of the Liberation Struggle (VLS) and above all brutalize the corrupt and the incompetent politician. The existence of such a Party is what Zanu dreads the most. And so Tsvangirai becomes indispensable to Zanu PF; it is better to keep him floating in politics rather than out of politics. That way Zanu PF has its preferred political opponent, one it can ‘raise up’, ‘punch’ and put in a ‘strategic coma’ in the wait for 2018. This is why Tsvangirai still lives in a government mansion. Symbiotic parasites!

Had Tendai Biti remained in Parliament he potentially could have made the right noises and attracted some of Zimbabwe’s best minds. 2018 may have had better options. Zanu PF and MDC sensed the threat to their symbiotic relationship and the rest is now history. And I must say the Judiciary’s ruling that gave the legal justification for Biti’s forced exit from Parliament is questionable. I am one who is most hesitant to disparage the Judiciary.

Political and legal quagmire for Zanu PF/MDC symbiotic relationship

The Zimbabwe political deck needs to be cleared of this devastating parasitic symbiotic relationship. I will be approaching the Judiciary for a declaration against the inauguration of any candidate that actively or covertly encouraged the imposition of economic sanctions against Zimbabwe. Effectively, disqualifying Tsvangirai, and MDC leadership including its Ncube and Biti version, from ever becoming Presidents. This creates a vacuum in opposition politics. People hate vacuums! With the right manipulations, a genuine third force or real ‘big tent’ can be created to challenge and boot Mugabe/Zanu out of power. One parasite goes by a legal swords and the other will be taken out at the ballot box.

Some admit that Tsvangirai and MDC are not good for the country but insist that a change from Zanu PF will do us good. The fallacy of such a strategy is that given the policies, personal scandals and failures of Tsvangirai and MDC, they will never win free and fair elections. Remember that sanctions never give genuine democratic victory but economic conquest and in our case an MDC conquest means serious instability as a military coup is invertible. So, it best to get rid of Tsvangirai and MDC and give the workers, the church, peasants and resettled farmers a clean platform to take Zanu PF out. They have done it before and they can do it again but this time without imperialist agents or input. We don’t need no white men, no white money, no white recognition to fight Mugabe/Zanu PF. We cannot bring back Rhodesia-Zimbabwe.

Back to the Court case: If the Judiciary rules that sanctions do not negatively affect the exercise of democracy and voter- free will that will effectively rubbish SADC, AU and Zanu PF’s stance on sanctions. Such a ruling will encourage western governments to impose tougher sanctions and refer to law of the land for justification and of course mdc would be euphoric. Mugabe would look like an old, crazy and demented baboon. This is a judgment and scenario that Mugabe/Zanu PF hate with a passion, and are therefore likely to support the Court action that will disqualify MDC leadership from the Presidency. Note that I say the Presidency and not Parliamentary Seats. This is because the Executive is way more powerful than Parliament in Zimbabwe; there is less harm if MDC wins seats in Parliament- even a majority of them. Well, it is not likely that mdc would win a majority seats if the voter knows that mdc cannot make the Presidium.

If Zanu PF does not join in the litigation, and the declaration fails, it will expose their dirty politics and the result will be a loss of SADC and AU goodwill. That will encourage SADC and AU to strictly apply elections standards thereby frustrating a Zanu PF election win.

If the Declaration passes, the citizenship of Zimbabwe will know as a matter of absolute necessity to form a real ‘big tent’ opposition party and Zanu PF will die like Kenneth Kaunda and Kamuzu Banda’s parties. Icho! Such a declaration is likely to encourage the split of Zanu PF into functions; the fear of an MDC conquest (not democratic victory) is one factor that keeps Zanu PF functions together. Only an uncritical MDC believes that Zanu PF will split further for if mdc is a potential treat; Mugabe is not that stupid neither is Mnangagwa nor Prof Moyo.

I am the bearer of bad news MDC; they face a real existential threat in relation to contesting the Presidency. I say, ‘Nedzoyi’ in advance! I will be instructing Professor Madhuku as the Lead Lawyer in this matter. I am sure I can make use of Chamisa too, the Gun for Hire, he has no qualms about killing the interests of his own.

‘To separate the people from Zanu, we must make the economy scream’ are direct quotes from the architects of ZIDERA. This was wrong at all levels. Today I say, ‘In order to get rid of Mugabe/Zanu we must separate, Tsvangirai and MDC (nay obliterate them) from opposition politics’.

For those interested in developing strategies to remove Mugabe from power and do so without gifting imperialist puppets and imperialist ‘tools’ any advantages to control Zimbabwe, you can write to chiedza.m@mail.com

Chiedza Makandaora Marange is a ZANU PF voter and Native of Buhera Constituency with an LLB Hons- UZ, MBA -UZ, LLM Cape Town University, BSC Economics- University of Edinburgh

posted by MrK @ 7:15 PM