COMMENT - What is wrong with Kate Hoey? Doesn't she think?
House of Commons Rhodie motion ‘a racist stance’
Tuesday, 12 February 2013 00:00
Herald Reporter
Political parties and analysts yesterday joined Zimbabweans in denouncing the move by the British Parliament to move a motion condemning the shooting of Air Rhodesia Viscount RH827 by Zipra forces during the liberation struggle.
The House of Commons, through Labour MP Kate Hoey, classified the shooting as an atrocity that should be commemorated. The MP argued that civilians in the flight were killed and there was a need to give February 12, the day the plane was shot down, official recognition.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo described the move as a racist stance.
“It was war time and it was unavoidable,” he said.
“This is a racist stance and it is unnecessary to look at it as it would also open old wounds. It does not help in terms of improving relations between Britain and Zimbabwe.”
Air Rhodesia Flight 827, flown that day by Umniati, was a scheduled flight between Kariba and Salisbury (Harare) that was shot down on February 12, 1979 by Zipra forces soon after take-off in Kariba.
Zipra forces believed Rhodesian Army commander General Peter Walls was in the Viscount plane, but he had changed planes.
None of the 59 passengers or crew survived.
MDC spokesperson Mr Kurauone Chihwayi said the motion had been moved by “misguided elements” in the British Parliament who wanted to discredit the Zipra forces.
“They must give us a chance to build bridges,” he said.
“They must not forget their roles in the Chimoio, Tembwe and Nyadzonya massacres. It is not advisable for them to open old wounds at a time like this when we are still trying to heal from the same wounds.”
Mr Chihwayi added: “We view this as an attempt by some unrepentant Rhodesians to fuel divisions among Zimbabweans at a time we are trying to find each other. Rhodesians committed serious crimes during the war but we forgave them.”
In a statement, Mavambo Kusile Dawn’s Tendai Kwari said the motion was opening healing wounds.
“I would like to remind MP Kate Hoey that thousands of poor Zimbabwean refugees were massacred by the Rhodesians at Tembwe and Chimoio,” he said.
“These two camps had schools and clinics and thousands of children were butchered. We also would demand for answers and an investigation should be carried out.
“In the Operation Dingo, also known as the Chimoio massacre, more than 3 000 Zanla fighters were reportedly killed and 5 000 wounded while only two Rhodesian government troops died and six were wounded.”
Mr Kwari said the attacks at Chimoio were horrible.
“When the first Air Force jets arrived, the assembled Zanla forces did not take cover again as they assumed it was the DC-7 that was returning.
“In their first pass, four Canberra bombers dropped 1200 Alpha bombs (Rhodesian-designed anti-personnel fragmentation weapons) over an area 1,1 kilometres long and half a kilometre wide.
“MP Hoey, I do hope you were not forced to present this motion by former Rhodesians, who can still not accept that a black man in Zimbabwe should be the master of that land,” he said.
He said Zimbabwean victims should be compensated by the British Government.
Political analyst Dr Charity Manyeruke said the incident was “unfortunate” but the Britons should understand that it was war time.
“Civilians can be killed and planes can be shot down during war time unless the planes have red cross symbols as required by the International and Humanitarian law,” she said.
“There was no way the Zipra forces could have identified that the flight had civilians. In any case, we lost thousands of people but we pardoned them. What they are doing is raising emotions on people who were wounded and are still wounded.”
Thousands of Zimbabweans, mainly defenceless refugees, were massacred at camps in Mozambique, Zambia and Angola by Rhodesian elite forces during the liberation struggle.
The British have not condemned such massacres that attracted the attention of the United Nations.
Labels: KATE HOEY, KURAUONE CHIHWAYI, MAVAMBO KUSILE DAWN, RHODESIA, RUGARE GUMBO, TENDAI KWARI, WAR CRIMES, ZIPRA
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Makoni vows to make Zimbabwe 'ungovernable'
24/04/2012 00:00:00
by Gilbert Nyambabvu
MAVAMBO Kusile Dawn (MKD) leader Simba Makoni has
threated to make “the country ungovernable” if President Robert Mugabe forces an election this year without political reforms opposition parties insist are needed to ensure a credible vote.
In a statement Tuesday, Makoni said: “(We are) strongly warning President Mugabe not to go ahead with the holding of elections before instituting all necessary reforms which guarantee a free and fair result.”
The MKD leader – a former Finance Minister and senior Zanu PF official before bailing out ahead of the disputed 2008 elections -- said much needed to be done before the country could hope to have an election whose outcome is not disputed.
[The MDC would have to win, before they would stop disputing the outcome. - MrK]
“The people of Zimbabwe want a clean voters’ roll,” he said. “The issue of dual citizenship should be addressed so that nationals in the Diaspora are (also) allowed to vote. All political parties should be allowed to campaign freely without harassment from opponents.
“Elections (are not like) ritual ceremonies, where (the) lives of innocent people are sacrificed … For the record, we are not afraid of elections. MKD has no problem if elections are held tomorrow, the day after or in a week’s time, as long as the electoral environment is conducive.”
President Mugabe wants new polls held this year to end the coalition government and has warned his rivals he could name an election date before on-going constitutional reforms are completed.
“We just have to go for elections this year. We have to have elections this year and leave next year clear,” the Zanu PF leader told state media over the weekend.
However, Makoni warned his ex-boss that he has another thing coming if he thinks he can force elections under conditions that allow him to manipulate the vote.
“We will not dance to the whims and caprices of President Mugabe …We will not allow President Mugabe to tamper with the people’s will this time around. This is no idle threat but a promise,” he said.
[Well I can tell you one thing right now, the people's will is not a return to ESAP and austerity. Or a fire sale of the nation's mines. Or a reversal of land reform. - MrK]
“M.K.D leadership will not speculate on the course of action to take, since it is the people that will decide. One thing for certain is that in the event of President Mugabe tampering with the peoples’ wishes, we will make this country ungovernable.”
Mugabe and his coalition partners agree they can no longer work together and that new elections are needed to choose a substantive government but the parties differ of the timing of the new ballot.
MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai recently said new elections were only possible in March 2013.
"It's just not possible to hold elections this year, there is no constitution and no referendum has been held," he said.
"Elections will be held at the outer limit; that is in March 2013 when the current term of the lawmakers would have constitutionally expired."
Labels: MAVAMBO KUSILE DAWN, SABOTAGE, SIMBA MAKONI
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Makoni promises Mugabe ‘rude awakening’
12/04/2012 00:00:00
by Gilbert Nyambabvu
FORMER Finance Minister and Mavambo Kusile Dawn (MKD) leader Dr Simba Makoni has dismissed snide remarks by President Robert Mugabe that he has no followers and warned the Zanu PF leader he faces a “rude awakening” at the next polls.
Addressing a recent Zanu PF central committee meeting in Harare, Mugabe said this of his former charge: ‘…ndakamubvunza kuti unaani... ko uneParty here? ... iye akati aah! vanhu vanondivhotera… hanzi vanhu vanonditera nekuti ndinonzi Simba Makoni.’ (I asked him whether he has any supporters and he said people will support me because I’m Simba Makoni).
In a statement Thursday, Makoni said he was “not moved” by Mugabe’s churlish remarks which, he added, “display the height of political intolerance” on the part of the Zanu PF leader.
“We do not need the endorsement of intolerant political competitors. We would be worried if such remarks were coming from thirteen million Zimbabweans,” he said.
“President Mugabe’s utterances do not reflect a popular sentiment and M.K.D will give him a rude awakening come next elections, which we hope will be conducted in an environment that guarantees a free and fair outcome.”
For years touted as a potential successor to Mugabe but frustrated by the veteran leader’s refusal to make way, Makoni challenged him for the presidency in 2008, claiming several Zanu PF big wigs backed his bid. But only Dumiso Dabengwa and a few lesser lights publicly supported him.
In the end he managed about 8 percent of the vote and, with that, the wrath of critics who accused him of helping keep Mugabe in power by taking away part of the opposition vote which could have handed Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC-T an outright win in the first round of the Presidential ballot.
But Makoni said Thursday his party was ready to pull a shocker at the next elections which are likely to be held this year if Mugabe has his way.
“President Mugabe’s utterances do not reflect a popular sentiment and M.K.D will give him a rude awakening come next elections, which we hope will be conducted in an environment that guarantees a free and fair outcome,” he said.
“Simba Makoni and M.K.D are here to stay and not going anywhere. By now, at least President Mugabe should know better. He would not have been so jittery if Makoni was not an issue in the country’s body politic.
“We are a serious game changer and neither an easy pushover nor cry baby in this field. We will stand our ground with equal measure. M.K.D has all it takes not only to contest, but win elections, govern effectively and efficiently and make this country work again.”
Fresh polls to replace the coalition government could be held this year if the country completes constitutional and other political reforms in time.
Even so, Mugabe has warned he could name an election date without the new constitution, accusing his rivals of deliberately undermining the reform process in order to delay the elections.
Still, Tsvangirai has insisted that the Zanu PF leader cannot unilaterally call elections under the terms of their coalition deal, adding his party would not contest the elections unless conditions are in place to guarantee a “free and fair” vote.
Labels: MAVAMBO KUSILE DAWN, SIMBA MAKONI
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Axed MDC minister to join Mavambo Party
Posted: Friday, July 9, 2010 4:42 am
RECENTLY axed Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) minister Fidelis Mhashu is not taking his sacking lightly and is mulling joining the Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn party led by former finance minister Dr Simba Makoni.
Mr Mhashu was fired from cabinet by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is a move that is meant to cull all his opponents in the embattled former opposition party. He was the Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities.
Sources say Mr Mhashu -- who is now a mere executive member for the Chitungwiza constituency -- has held at least two meetings with Dr Makoni.
Other MDC-T House of Assembly Members for Chitungwiza South and St Mary’s, Mr Misheck Shoko and Marvellous Khumalo respectively, are also said to have met Dr Makoni at Imire Game Park near Marondera.
They are said to have held "extensive consultations" aimed at joining the party. The three key MDC-T members will join Dr Makoni's party if they are not elected in this weekend's provincial elections.
MDC-T is scheduled to hold elections for a new executive in Chitungwiza this weekend.
Dr Makoni denied that such meetings ever took place.
Ten other members of the Chitungwiza provincial executive who were suspended earlier this year by the prime minister are also said to be considering their options before this weekend's elections which might see them booted out for good.
Meanwhile, a group of MDC-T supporters who want Mr Tsvangirai retained as party leader after his mandatory two terms expire next year, are alleged to have started a vilification campaign against Mr Mhashu.
Mr Mhashu is a close ally of MDC-T Secretary General and Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who is widely tipped as likely to take over from Mr Tsvangirai as party leader.
The MDC-T party is expected to hold its Congress next year and party leader Mr Tsvangirai is expected to step down after his two terms.
MDC-T said the vilification campaign had been sanctioned by senior MDC-T leaders who wanted to "put the final nail on Mhashu’s coffin and ensure he becomes totally irrelevant".
The flyers bore the MDC-T logo and accused Mr Mhashu of gross corruption and neglecting his constituency since he was elected into office as House of Assembly Member for Chitungwiza North 10 years ago.
They also carried allegations of a criminal nature, claiming the ex-minister was an incestuous rapist.
Labels: FIDELIS MHASHU, MAVAMBO KUSILE DAWN, MDC, SIMBA MAKONI
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Makoni's new party promises 'real change'
by Lebo Nkatazo
01/07/2009 00:00:00
FORMER presidential candidate Simba Makoni finally launched his political party on Wednesday, promoting it as the best alternative to the bickering parties constituting Zimbabwe’s power sharing government.
Makoni, who was introduced as the “interim” president of Mavambo-Kusile-Dawn (MKD), told close to 300 supporters, journalists and diplomats -- mainly from western countries -- that the unity government formed between Zanu PF and two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations was failing to respond to people‘s needs due to bickering over trivial matters.
“I now offer myself not as an independent Simba Makoni, but as a team of fresh leaders, a team of young leaders, a team of leaders that carry no baggage, that carry no prejudices,” Makoni said, speaking in front of banners proclaiming The Real Change.
“If I am talking like a missionary it’s because we are here to clean the politics of Zimbabwe,” he added.
Makoni said his party would safeguard the welfare and assure the safety of those in the Diaspora and work to understand the desire of the youth “not to be prisoners of the past”.
“We are committed to balanced national development. This whole nation of Zimbabwe needs to move forward together at the same pace. No Zimbabwean should feel excluded, undermined or deprived,” said Makoni, a 59-year-old former finance minister who ran for president as an independent last year, coming third in the first round.
The party’s interim chairperson Godfrey Chanetsa, President Robert Mugabe’s former press secretary, said they had heeded Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara’s statement during his speech on the occasion of the formation of the inclusive government that there was no more opposition party in Zimbabwe.
“On that day rose an old man who stated unreservedly that the problem of opposition parties in Africa is that they want to take over from ruling parties (without real change),” said Chanetsa.
The party’s statement of principles and policies says it will champion the division between resources of the state and those of the party.
The party advocates “decentralisation of government authority and responsibility to as close as possible to the people it is expected to serve” and advocating for a “competent, efficient and non-partisan civil service, including the security sector, which will serve the interests of all Zimbabweans”.
Some members of Makoni’s presidential campaign team including newspaper publisher Ibbo Mandaza, former legislator Kindness Paradza and retired army major Kudzai Mbudzi did not attend the launch.
The three are part of a High Court action against Makoni – a battle for the control of the party and assets. Mandaza said: “This launch is null and void. The issue is before the courts.”
Labels: DECENTRALIZATION, GODFREY CHANETSA, IBBO MANDAZA, KINDNESS PARADZA, KUDZAI MBUDZI, MAVAMBO KUSILE DAWN, MKD, SIMBA MAKONI
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