Zimbabwean Politics

Iwe neni tine basa

2008-10-28T15:44:00.000-07:00

Pasi Neva dzanyirir. Pamberi ne Zanu. Pamberi ne MDC. Zanu, iwe neni tine basa, Rekuchinja maitiro.

Save Zimbabwe coalition urge Europe to work with African institutions on Zimbabwe By Violet Gonda 22 June 2007

2007-06-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

A delegation of political, civic and church leaders is winding up a tour of Europe as part of an initiative to engage the international community on the situation in Zimbabwe. The group, working under the Save Zimbabwe Campaign banner, includes MDC leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara, ZAPU leader Paul Siwela, National Constitutional Assembly Chairman Dr. Lovemore Madhuku and leader of the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance Bishop Levee Kadenge.
Dr Madhuku said the group held joint meetings with European leaders to also demonstrate that they are a united group of people who are fighting for democratic reforms and lobbying international opinion in relation to elections due to be held next year.
However the Mugabe regime has accused the group of acting in bad faith and "launching an anti-Zimbabwe campaign in Europe,” but Madhuku dismissed this saying this is a pro-Zimbabwean campaign not just in Europe but worldwide. The leaders are expected to return to Zimbabwe this weekend where plans would be made to tour parts of Africa and North America.
Dr Madhuku said: “Each part of the world has a specific role to play. Africa has its role, which is more or less to take a prominent role in advocating for reforms in Zimbabwe. Europe has its own role – it will have to play an important role in mobilizing resources for reconstruction when change takes place in Zimbabwe. So we are not fools who are just moving around.”
The civic leader said it was important to inform people, as each part of the world has its own misunderstandings about the crisis in Zimbabwe. He said some leaders in Europe did not know the full extent of the flawed electoral process and did not understand why the opposition was threatening to boycott the elections. While in parts of Africa, Robert Mugabe had hoodwinked some people into believing that the fight was against former colonial power Britain.
The group said they stressed to the European leaders that they should help push for reform via African institutions like the Southern African Development Community (SADC). “So what we are telling Europe is, it must play its role via institutions that have been created in Africa to resolve African problems.”
On the issue of the ongoing talks between the political parties Madhuku said civic society is still not happy because it is not being informed adequately on the progress. Madhuku pointed out: “What has happened so far is simply discussions about an agenda. It says nothing about whether these parties will agree. We still are very skeptical about the SADC initiative and we know for sure that that there is not a lot of seriousness by South Africa on these initiatives.”
He said even though he is moving around with the opposition leaders one of the issues which keep complicating the situation is the lack of openness on the issue of talks. “The opposition would want at given times, and when it becomes convenient to itself, to remain as an opposition political party and then at other times it wants to work as a pro-democracy movement. These are still complications.”
The outspoken civic leader said: “The fact that we are moving together and the fact that we share certain points does not mean we have completely resolved some of the problems that we have faced in the past. There is still that difficulty that the opposition is not open. Its not transparent in some of its initiatives and some of it is on how the opposition has been handling the whole mediation effort. We are very unhappy about this situation.”
Meanwhile, Morgan Tsvangirai is due to address supporters at a rally in Luton in the UK on Saturday afternoon. The event will be held at Lewsey Community Centre, Landrace Road, Luton LU4 0SW.

read tomorrow what happened at the rally

Opposition Unification

2006-12-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

The most Zanu like idea and non democratic idea there is. How do you call yourselves democratic yet embarking on a non democratic promotional campaign? Anyone who is calling themselves academic or politician seem to not understand what democracy stands for. What is this idea about removing choice? I know and understand what the current administration under Mugabe has not performed as well as expected and corruption and all that is destructive to the nation has taken place. We still should not be obsessed by Robert Mugabe. The focus on the president has taken energy and the ability to be innovative and creative (which was lacking already). It is not necessarily the inability for a president to run the country that takes a nation to what Zimbabwe is and going. It is the millions of Zimbabweans in the diaspora. Running from their responsibilities. As thinkers and innovators, businessman and civic organizations should have been creating an environment that is not conducive to corruption and perpetuation of incompetence.
A coalition is the road to a one party state. Mutambara and Tsvangirai should remain separate one or two more parties should join the field and citizens should be educated to vote their conscience and not what someone else think is the way to go. Mugabe can rule till he dies if Zimbabwean vote for him. And they should be allowed to vote for him if that is what they prefer. It is the members of paliament that matter. As long as the president does not have a majority and the constitution is followed and is for the people, one should not obsess on Mugabe. If there are crimes committed with a majority that is not Zanu then Justice should and will take its course.
It however appears to me that until the nation reeds itself of these Zanu like propensities we are destined to be like Kenya and the rest of the African States. Change from one dictator to another. As it is we all know that Tsvangirai and his predecessor from the other group are dictators in the making.
Businesses need to create jobs, legislators and civic organizations need to teach job skills and help start small businesses.
Civic organizations in Zimbabwe are little businesses that founders use to finance their businesses and feed their families rather than do what they have put themselves to be representing.
As much as mugabe is to blame for the state of the nation, it is time to get over him already and quit the obsession. We have a judicial system. It may not be were we want it to be but we have one. Gukura hundi for instance -- We can start prosecuting and filing civil suits and ask the international courts to start indicting the lowest ranking soldiers that we all know for a fact that they carried out the atrocities and follow the chain of command from there. A lot of these will not want to go down on their own so they will rat on the others and we follow the trail to Mugabe or at least someone higher up the chain. We can do this with everything - the media, city council, labor etc.

Lets do something that works and quit the finger pointing and obsessing on Mugabe. He may die in power and no one will know what to obsess on when he is gone. Leading to another state of paralysis.

Who is Best for Zimbabwe

2006-10-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

I know a lot of you will call this crazy but What the Hell. Right now Zimbabwe does not a have aviable opposition party and everyone knows that. The question that most of us have is who is going to be the guy in charge if Zimbabwean had get arround to cultivating the guts needed to unsit the Honorable Gabriel Mugabe?
The likey thing to happen is that come 2008 Mugabe will still be alive and running the country with the possibility of carying on to 2010. We all know that Morgan is not capable nor is Mutambara currently. Both these men have shown the country so far that they are not prepared to die for the country nor to lead the country. This, shows the diference between men and boys leaders and wannabees. Mandela was prepared to die for his country, in worse off situations, so did Mugabe by the way and many other who became national leaders and revolutionaries.
So realy, the only one to lead or who can lead the pack is none other than Cde Jongwe.

Frankly Speaking

2006-10-08T14:53:00.000-07:00

Frankly speaking, there is no one in Zimbabwe capable of leading the country to freedom or any kind of real opposition. It is known that as charismatic as Stvangirai maybe he is not presidential material. Offcorse again we all know that all African politicians, yes Zimbabweans on the top of that all, are in it for the money. Corrupt to the core and cant wait to be part of the corrupt Africans Association. It is going to be a focus on how much money each one can make and support their families and the extended family, yes living abroad and driving luxury vehicle and living large like they are CEOs of a fortune 100 American company.Frankly Speaking, Robert Mugabe has not messed up the Zimbabwean economy. It is the inability of the opposition to show the Country, business community and the international business community that they are capable of leading a country nor have they given anyone any confidence in their ability to put together policies that are effective and can safe guard the interest of the business community. Economy of a country relies on the same freedoms that humans crave. Businesses have to know that they have no fear of the government confiscating property and money, that they are free to do business and to support and express their opinions as they wish. All of the opposition have proven to be no different to Mugabe and the rest of his corrupt government.frankly speaking, what is it Tsvangirai or the other leaders are going to do for Zimbabweans? None has articulated this. To elect you into a position of such power is preposterous for citizens to do without a firm and detailed commitment. How may new business are going to be created by the new government, from where, how, how soon? How many new jobs? What are you going to do about agriculture and education and all the issues that are going unaddressed. You wonder why the ZRP and The ZNA are supporting Mugabe or not actively supporting the MDCs, they have to play it safe and so is the rest of the country. Some of the opposition leaders have lived abroad so is the rest of the Zimbabwe government officials' families. So why is it when it is time to build infrastructure or anything, they resort to stuff that was done 100 years ago? Give us some real solution other wise let Mugabe rule.

Winter of Discontent

2006-06-27T20:23:00.000-07:00

It certainly is a winter of discontent. Yes for Zimbabweans. They are discontented with the Honorable Robert Gabrial Tsvangirai. Yes I said it. Tsvangirai is a clone of the dictator and is a zanu clone. It is midway through winter and for the love of power and money Morgan has decided or kept to his plan depending on how you look at it, negotiate with the zanu government. I guess he thinks mugabe will decide mujuru is not good enough and let Tsvangirai become the leader with no real fight. Mujuru's hubby would not let that happen.
It is clear all power hungry politicians ie; Mugabe, Tsvangi and the constitution guy, take advantage of the uninformed masses. Leadership is not by popularity. People vote for you because of what you do not what they tell you. Until African leaders, and Zimbabwean leaders start informing the masses and letting democracy take its real course, the nations will always be depleted of the brains and dictators will have the last laugh.

Tendai Biti

2006-03-21T19:38:00.000-08:00

This is one man who has childish politics and antics. Everything that comes out of his mouth with regards to the Welshman Ncube / Mutambara faction of the MDC is designed to be personal. Has he been after the position he is now before the congress? It certainly appears so. For a lawyer he seems to be reckless in his speech. Clearly a dangerous politician. My question would be, what happened that he is not a member of Zanu PF. I know he has done some work for and with the MDC. It certainly appears to be self serving work.
Mr, lawyer Biti needs to stop the politics of personal distraction and leave it to blogers. Focus on the work of the people. Mugabe has to go and democracy calls for multiparty, let the factions stay divided if the egos can't be put aside and deal with the dictator. Tendai Biti is a little Mugabe in the making.

Re: The debate over the Z$ 8 billion given to the 'pro-senate' MDC

2006-03-16T15:48:00.000-08:00

Mushonga did not explain anything regarding cashing any checks. She simply explained what lawyer Biti and any other average person should know. Lance Guma of swradioafrica, seem to have taken sides on this issue. I know Zimbabwean journalists like any other Zimbabwean have suffered under Mugabe, maybe even more since they cant broadcast freely. As for the 8 billion issue, Legally there is no split within MDC. That means those folks holding positions still have those posts. Just because a couple splits or separate it does not afford them divorce privileges. So Priscilla was right in her explanation and Mr Biti taking it personal. Anti senate MDC was Legally wrong and they know it. Emotions do not change the issue.
Having more supporters does not make your side more of a party than the other. It just means you have a bigger party. Zanu has a lot of supporters, does that mean it is more of a party than MDC? MDC offcourse has to work to convince more Zimbabweans to come their way or at least to move away from Zanu.
MDC should get on a campaigns to let those committing crimes including small time police crimes will be prosecuted. It needs to make a resolution this weekend that we will not wait another month with Mugabe in power. MDC needs to shut down the government this month on. Let the soldiers and the police know they can beat and shoot who they wish but sooner than later they will be doing time for human rights abuses and the criminal offences that go with it.

What to Do With Mugabe

2006-03-14T15:54:00.000-08:00

We had Murambatsvina and now the terrible hunger and 80% unemployment if you only count those that want to work. When no one stood up after murambatsvina, it solidified Mugabe's power. Who is willing to die for the land? Maybe no Zimbabwean. The recent so called arms catch shows how far he is willing to go to keep his power. His cronies too.

Politics of Personal Destruction

2006-03-13T17:08:00.000-08:00

Like Prof. Stan Mukasa, the rest of the Anti Senate or Tsvangirai side of MDC have decided to revert to the politics of personal destruction. Is it the inferiority complex or they just can not stand people whom they perceive to be better than them in some way.
The unity in cause does not have to that of party or ideology. The notion that having another opposition to zanu means no opposition is ludicrous. Everyone who has been interviewed by all the Zimbabwean online media seem to have this believe. The so called journalist themselves seem to hold the same notion. Both factions of MDC can run as two separate parties and still manage to get Mugabe out of power. We do not need a one party state. I thought everyone accepted that. It seems as the senate issue brought out. The Tsvangirai faction of MDC is rely the other zanu.
Tsvangirai went against the vote and then accuse those who are following the rules to be unity democracy. If you believe that a party leader means he has the final say, then no one wants democracy. One man one vote does not mean anything to MDC Tsvangirai. Just because you have a following of the ignorant who may be the majority does not make you right.
The issue about money going to the pro senate MDC is easily justifiable. That faction has more members than the Tsvangirai side. So those fellers need to shut up.
Prof Mukasa lost all ability to be a fair and balanced journalist when he took sides on the MDC issue. I know Mutambara has done more in his life that Prof Stan and is much more successful. Has this clouded his vision maybe?
SWradio! Please be more balanced and you may want to consider giving Mukasa less time . Unless if SWradio is a Tsvangirai division designed to spread propaganda.
Mugabe can be outsted with three or four parties running. What is the insecurity about? Maybe like we all know that Tsvangirai may be popular but does not have the qualities to lead a country. Lead a cause maybe. Running and having to turn around a country in the state Zimbabwe is requires more than having the popular vote. Tsvangirai does not need to run for leader of the state.

Zanufied Nation

2006-02-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

It appears kuti hapana munhu anoda zve politics kuZimbabwe kana mudiaspora asiri Zanufied. A political pundit from Zimbabwe stated that academics did not have a place in Zimbabwean politics because they have not been on the ground and do not relate to the people.
It seems one should lack abilities to qualify for African / Zimbabwean politics. One thing that has drawn academics to The now Mutambara faction of MDC is the fact that they have respect of the law. Non of them believe in the use of gangsters to intimidate opposers or have dictatorial tendencies. It is academics we need so they may be able to steer the nation the right way. If Tsvangirai had any Love for the nation, he would either step down and merge the factions or quit the name calling, at least by his right hand man and let the two parties live on. Put a PF or a Ndonga at the end of one of the MDCs or something. Form a coalition government.
One thing we ought to focus on at this time is to get Zanu and not Just Mugabe out of power this year. We must put some pressure on the international committee to put sanctions on Mugabe, that is to mean Freeze his asserts and all his bank accounts including all Zanu members past and present. All the way to their grand children and nephews. All embassies should be shut down and new elections brought about before November '06. Think about it people.

MDC and The Two Factions

2006-02-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

Interesting when you listen and read news from Zimbabwe and by Zimbaweans in the Diaspora. I listen to SWradioafrica and read all the online Zim news. It is a shame that the MDC split, and a terrible shame that Zimbabweans in the diaspora especially, living in democratic nations, have experianced and lived with, some even work in istitutions that live democracy are themselves zanufied. When i listen to folks like Professor Stan Mukasa, and other regulars on SWradio totally rejecting Arthur Mutambara, showing no respect and wanting everyone who gets into politics to have some how taken politic in school or having been a soldier of the strugle tells me most of Zimbabwe is Zanu PF in the core.
The facts are: anyone who believes that an individual in a leadership position should have more power that all the members combined is dictatorial at heart. It does not mater that your idears may be the right ones or those that may prevail and pas the test as it were. If the majority votes, you go with the majority. Rules do not some how change because your position is the right one. Democracy is democracy.
Everyone who believes that Tvangirai's move was the right one is no different from Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF. The fact that he lost by one vote does not somehow make the vote illigitimate. I means the other point of view prevailed. So you drink water and drive on.
What we would have with Tvangirai and his supporter (party politicians not the people) is exactly what we have with Rodert Mubage.
When police and other civil servants hold their positions as if it is an entitlement and not their duty to work for the people, it means they are all corrupt to the bone and this is the same practice we see with the Tsvangirai way of thinking.
Tsangirai could be a valuable vehicle to unseeding the dictator Mugabe. However power has corrupted him and the Zmbaweanzanu way of thinking has never left him. It may appear on the sub concious that he wants to rid Mugabe only for his benefit. So he may hold that power.
Career politicians do not necessarily translate to good governerships.
I challenge you all to get rid of the Zanu in you.
Mutambara or anyone else could do the job. His ability and intelligence tells us he is a good Learner and can adapt.