Mutumwa Mawere

For many of us who were anticipating a change it is really disheaterning to know we are being held at ransom by some power hungry old man. Listening to his speech on independence i couldn't help but wonder what the future holds for us , if there is any future at all. Being a student now and hoping to finish soon , i look at my juniors and wonder wether they are going to make it through all the years to come at university. I feel the SADC has let us down , why can't anyone see what is happening and speak out. Obviously for some of us we cannot do that without running the risk of spending a long time behind bars

Mugabe's biggest mistake was his failure to anoint a successor. If he had managed to that it would have allowed him to have a smooth transition for ZANUP PF. Regime change is the reality that Mugabe faces and because of the way succession is trated in ZANU PF they had to wait until the opposition has won a majority to realise the need. The only way a regime can add life to itself is only when it allows for new blood, new ideas to be incoporated into leadership.

Mugabe infortunately felt only him could lead his party and Zimbabwe. Unfortunately for you can only rule Zimbabwe when you have been voted into that position by the majority of the people. For ZANU PF it was easy for him because all that was needed was an ENDORSEMENT by his croinies whom he awarded immensely.

Now they have noticed that they have completely lost this election and they will never win any free and fair election in Zimbabwe they rig by bringing in false rigging allegations.

They have given farms and tractors to a few of their friends and the rural people have seen this and they have expressed themselves.

ZANU PF capitalises on misinforming the electorate and the success of this stratergy totally depend on the level of education/ poverty of the electrorate. So the assertion that ZANU PF has grassroot support in rural Zimbabwe is wrong. Nobody supports ZANU PF>

Zimbabwe’s political panorama has become a triangle of despair anchored by three pillars, Mugabe’s de-colonial institution, the Observatory Electorate and Tsvangirai’s western backers. My assessment is unfortunately sparked off by witnessing why Mugabe is so hard headed? Where is Tsvangirai’s electorate and why he doesn’t trust it and why Tsvangirai is always with western backers? Why the electorate has been reduced to be spectators of their own destiny? We discuss politics in public transport, beer halls, churches, sports/family gathering and when we meet friends here in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is receiving wars and crisis thrown from all international angles we are at war in London, Paris, New York, Jo’burg and other cities, the war and crisis is on us. Challenged as we maybe we are defending that externally induced war and crisis with PEACE. We are shielding our bodies from “war” with peace here at home. Peace is our lethal weapon that will silence protagonists of a Zimbabwean war. We will keep firing peace against chanters of a Zimbabwean crisis. Thanks but no thanks to Britain, USA, NGOs, worker’s unions of SA for being Tsvangirai’s backers in an anti-Mugabe vitriol. The electorate here is disgusted by all the international pressure against the sober name of Zimbabwe. We are being reduced to hapless individuals who needs big brother Sam for thinking and survival – what an embarrassment and shame on you all low thinkers. The electorate is clear of this political game more than little organisations like Cosatu and NGOs. Mugabe has become an institution (international grand personality) in his right for he plotted, fought and liberated Zimbabwe from imperial Britain. Total emancipation can only be possible if land and mode of production is under the control of indigenous people – this plan has been in place for more than a century notwithstanding the tedious paths it had experienced from British resistance. Victory maybe delayed but certain. For bad intentions or good, Mugabe distributed land to indigenous people here as a step towards total independence. The disdained indigenous people of the world watched with hope but alas, the leader of such revolution has been demonized by the fox who stole land and wealth the world over. We understand our priorities here, control of destiny through home grown economy, NOT STOMACH ECONOMICS. Britain had once given us stomach economics through Smith’s Rhodesia and we fought it out rightly. Our economic situation is very bad, we are poor but not miserable and we understand the source of this poverty. Since IMF/WB suspended balance of payment to Zimbabwe 1997 the consequences of such an inhuman move is there for everybody to witness. However, the intentions of imperial Europe are apparent to the electorate. America’s Zimbabwe Democracy Bill was put into effect and voting for loan/grants and trade advancement to Zimbabwe was stopped by all international financial institutions, God knows the end product of such evil thought to a small economy like ours. Britain, its cousins, its tabloids and financial allies geared themselves to demonise Zimbabwe leadership so as to totally dispirit any form of business engagement with the international community. Don’t we know the results of such madness? Trade, including tourism was dissuaded, pro Mugabe business allies were having their business stifled in Europe. African presidents complained about being depressed when it came to do business with Zimbabwe until Mkapa of Tanzania disapproved openly. Even Gaddafi was discouraged to deal with Mugabe regime and Britain would send envoys around the globe to stop governments there to deal with Zimbabwe including China. We were then told it was because Mugabe had so many Castles in England, Lady Grace is a reckless shopper, Mugabe was siphoning money to Europe. It is stupendous of the British to even smell that the Zimbabwean electorate can buy such crap! They punished the population to save the population and most educated Africans in Europe and America are so obsessed by this idiocy while they are taken for cleaners there. To my disgust, the tabloids and embassies kept on saying we are punishing Mugabe cronies. Locally the economic war against Zim was well orchestrated. Anglo- Saxon Multinational industrial and mining conglomerates established head offices and business marketing arms in South Africa and beyond. Goods were exported under-invoiced to their sister companies draining forex revenues for Zimbabwe. The country was being robbed of its resources and industry in broad day light. Scarcity of hard currency through central bank fuelled the black market economy thereby pushing inflation to unrealistic levels. You sang your songs of Mugabe destroyed the economy and we have heard you with a pinch. As the devil had not done enough, drought exacerbated the already critical situation and this predicament is obvious. The above analogy must not exonerate Mugabe from being complacent to high level corruption and, simply, maladministration, NO! the watchful eye of the electorate expressed their revulsion against black exploitation and looting of resources. The electorate knows that the economic situation lies with Britain and its allies, they would vote for the british proxy to invite dialogue. Any meaningful and objective opposition is useless for it will not attract blessings from Britain. We have voted for someone who really knows we don’t like him so he goes to his financiers to be made president. Mugabe is aware of Tsvangirai’s weakness and he chooses to be tough for the international community to again come back to him.

Mzilikazi, Mugabe and Tsvangirai I will provide an account from one living elder in Zvimba that connects the Mzilikazi, Robert Mugabe and Mogan Tsvangirai, and the significance of the number 28 among these Zimbabwe legends. On March 10, 1952, the Zvimba elder and James Chikerema were called by a terrified Robert Mugabe to hear a voice that had been haunting Robert Mugabe since his return from the University of Fort Hare. Chikerema recorded the conversation with 'the voice' which was directed to Robert "Gabriel" Mugabe as follows: "In 28 years you will be King of Dzimbahwe but you will rule for only 28 years for today is born a boy who will take over from you 28 years into your rule. This boy will be 28 years old when your reign starts, and his own reign will commence when he is as old as you when yours starts, at 56. I can't tell you how long he will rule, but by then you will have greedily destroyed the riches of Dzimbahwe". Robert Mugabe was too terrified to respond, so James Chikerema who was recording, asked, "But why this 28, 28 thing on our Son?" The reply, "Because Mzilikazi died in 1868 and after 28 years in 1896, the First Chimurenga broke out. After 28 years in 1924, a foremost icon of the second Chimurenga, you Robert Gabriel Mugabe would be born. (I am the one who christened you "Gabriel" at your birth). Today (10 March 1952) 28 years later I come to you again, on the heels of your return from Mzilikazi's land (Fort Hare) where you had gone to acquire wisdom. Your life revolves around the number 28". Chikerema, the elder and Robert Mugabe all began to tremble, but Chikerema still managed to ask again, "But why 28, Your Highness?" The voice continued, "You had been blessed to be Mzilikazi's reincarnate, and that you ably were during the second Chimurenga. However it was foreseen that as soon as you become King you would become extremely cruel and try to wipe out the entire Mzilikazi tribe in senseless combat. A great man of Mzilikazi clan would die bitter at the age of 82. This apparent reversal of your magic number (28 to 82) would signal massive reversals in your fortunes and those of Dzimbahwe and you will start to behave irrationally until the boy born in 1952 turns 56 to take over from you. This successor of yours has Mzilikazi's blood in him. His forefathers were in Mzilikazi's army and he is almost the same built as Mzilikazi -burly, short, dark and extremely brave. He has been trusted to succeed you as King of Dzimbahwe because of his love for the people. He will get massive support from the Mzilikazi people that you, Gabriel, previously persecuted and the unstoppable storm will drive you out of power. Dzimbahwe will start to flourish again under the new King to reclaim its place as Africa's beacon of wealth, order and peace. Those who had fled your misrule will return to the motherland in droves, all to the betterment of Dzimbahwe. I see your temptation to try and stop this man from taking over from you and you will manage for only 28 days, not years, after which the whole thing consumes you! At that time, the support of your successor among Mzilikazi's people will have trebled, and it will also be rock-hard throughout Dzimbahwe. Part of your predicament stems from the 28 head of cattle that your father stealthily drove from Mzilikazi's adopted land in 1945". The voice switched off, leaving the elder, Chikerema and Robert Mugabe dump-founded. The elder says he re-lived the 'vision' during the recent Zanu (PF) electoral defeat and just had to share it with as many people as possible. Has anyone heard of this mysterious story before?

just reported on CNN: the Chinese arms ship with arms intended for Zimbabwe has been given approval to dock in Angola. the ship will dock in Angola and the arms will make land and head towards Zimbabwe.

We all know how much influence Britain and America have had in exacerbating the circumstances of the Zimbabwean people and there is no doubt what their motives are. However this should not deter us from seeing the major cause of our current situation namely the government's policy bankruptcy.This is shown in the lack of proper planning with regards to long term land redistribution in a way to maintain food security as well as their failure to realise that market forces cannot be fought using stifling policies such as price controls. Indeed there has been a gross failure by our government to recgnise that to be a successful economy you need to allow the national cake to get bigger by facilitating a culture of entrepreneurship through simple things such as a fair tender process and indeed a greater emphasis on privatisation and support for small businesses in terms of tax breaks and such like.However the big problem we have in Zimbabwe is the difficulty of government in separating the national agenda from their own personal agenda. We we expect Britain and America to show remorse for their racist policies towards I don't know but it says to me that our big hang up with the west makes us fail to see the solution to our problems lies within. All that is required is integrity and I do have faith in our ability to demonstrate this. Finally I'd like to say to the MDC, please show some pragmatism and do no fall into the trap ZANU PF and indeed Zimbabwe fell into after independence, that of Post Victory Euphoria that blinkers you from seeing the challenges ahead and allows you only to see the current. Indeed pragmatism is required to realise that Zimbabwe's reconstruction isn't about humiliating ZANU PF but about the plight of millions from Chipinge to Tsholotsho, Mana Pools to Beitbridge. Negotiations are now necessary to avert a possible bloodhsed and egos will have to be put aside to find a lasting solution.