r-Freeme tries to cosy up to the destroying leadership of Zimbabwe, so Chamberlain did the same to Hitler following the land grab in the Rhineland, then Austria and Czechoslovakia. Chamberlain’s fawning attitude at the Munich conference of September 1938 with his infamous “peace with honour” speech is akin to the CFU inaction of the last six years under a series of leaders.
Churchill’s response to Chamberlain was: “never will you have friendship with the current German government….that power that spurns Christian ethics, which cheers its onward course by a barbarous paganism, which vaunts the spirit of aggression and conquest, which derives strength and perverted pleasure from persecution, and uses, as we have seen, with pitiless brutality the threat of murderous force….This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of a bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year unless, by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour we take our stand for freedom as in the olden times.”
It is a pity that the lack of moral health and Christian ethics of Doug Taylor-Freeme and so many in positions of leadership like him, has allowed Zimbabwe to slip into such turmoil through their appalling acquiescence to evil schemes. Freedom from such wickedness would be a long time in coming if we were reliant on such collaborators.
BEN FREETH, Zimbabwe
Commission strips Harare assets
EDITOR – The unrepentant attitude of those occupying Town House has left residents convinced that Sekesai Makwavarara and her fellow puppets are stripping the assets of the City of Harare, yet service delivery is at its lowest.
This conclusion comes in the backdrop of insensitive and overzealous actions by Makwavarara in her determination to accumulate as much wealth as is possible within a short period. The Herald (12/4/06) exposed Makwavarara as a greedy woman after she muscled out Ms Ottilia Dangwa (now acting Chamber Secretary) in what is reminiscent of the farm invasions of yesteryears. To acquire a municipal house at Z$780 million in Highlands, where most properties go for over Z$8 billion, is a clear case of abuse of power and privilege.
Nothing more can illustrate her greediness than her occupation of the mayoral mansion when she is not the mayor of Harare. In February, she wanted to furnish it with curtains and furniture worth Z$35 billion. Now she has installed a DStv at the mayoral mansion (Standard and Sunday Mail 9 April 2006). The whole commission now wants the municipality to give them industrial, commercial and residential stands to lubricate their capitalist tendencies when the Operation they sanctioned last year has left the SMEs with no stands on which to operate.
CHRA calls on the government to immediately remove the commission running the City of Harare and allow the residents of Harare to vote for a council accountable to them. Asset stripping must end now and proper reconstruction of the city must take shape.
CHRA, Harare
Not swayed by rally attendance
EDITOR – The MDC leadership has carefully considered circumstances around the various stories on the real and imagined resignations from the party. We are aware that several of our Members of Parliament, Members of the National Executive, several members of the Provincial Executives and other officers of the party have been clandestinely approached by representatives of the Morgan Tsvangirai group who sought to persuade, intimidate, coerce and bribe them into resigning from the party and join the Tsvangirai group.
We are also aware that the Morgan Tsvangirai group’s Congress, contrary to the MDC constitution, failed to hold elections for the national executive positions except for the few top 10 positions. This constitutional breach has created the opportunity for them to go around offering the unfilled positions to several of our members under all sorts of promises.
We need to remind the public, that the MDC is a democratic and principled party whose vision is to make Zimbabwe the leading democracy in the world, with prosperity for all. We are guided and directed by our founding values and principles of honesty, integrity and the respect for human dignity. These values do not permit us to be opportunistic and swayed by real and imagined attendances at rallies.
In this regard, our opposition to the Tsvangirai group is clear and unequivocal. We will not accept to belong to a political formation which has embraced violence as a political instrument and which has abandoned the fundamental principle of collective democratic decision making, in favour of one-person rule, deception and the practise of unethical conduct, which makes it indistinguishable from Zanu (PF).
Those of our members who are keen to follow momentary and fleeting crowds are free to do so. We do not follow crowds. We follow our values and principles, seeking the mandate of the people to entrust the leadership of the country to us, so that we can together, build a new Zimbabwe founded on the principle of democracy, tolerance and the respect for one another
P. THEMBA NYATHI, Bulawayo
Turned to the Lord?
EDITOR – Godwin Gandu has stated that no less than six Zanu heavyweights – Joseph Msika, Joice Mujuru, Webster Shamu, Herbet Murehwa, Emmerson Munangagwa and Philip Chiyangwa have all turned to the Lord.
Mindful of the thousands of Zimbabweans that their “holy” Zanu PF has murdered for not paying homage to their previously recognised God – one Robert Gabriel Mugabe – this seems a wise move. It is encouraging for the wider world to know that, at last, these six have “seen the writing on the wall” – written with Matabele, Mashona and European blood? I humbly suggest that these “six readers” now attempt to show “that writing” to their colleagues like Gono, Shiri, Mpofu, Sekeramayi, Chinamasa, Hawgood, Taylor Freeme, Gifford or Mutasa, before it is too late – for the time does now seem close. It would appear that their Gabriel – Robert – is incapable of asking for forgiveness at this stage?
GRAFFITI ARTIST, Perth
Can Tsvangirai show us the way forward?
EDITOR – Being a school teacher in Copper Queen, Gokwe, yes I can stand up and spit out what I have gone through. Zanu (PF) thugs had no mercy on school teachers as they were branded MDC supporters. On March 12, 2002, after the presidential elections which I took part in as an election monitor, I was abducted from my house at the school by ruling party supporters. I was blind folded, taken to their base as they called it. They accused me of supporting MDC. Unfortunately I could not prove that I wasn’t because I didn’t have a party card which to them was a passport to life.
For that reason it made it even worse. I was beaten up like an animal (senyoka yapinda mumba). I was made to chant their slogans, sing their praise songs. I was only released on the condition that I spy on other teachers.
On April 26 after my father sourced some money, I left for South Africa on my way to England. In that camp I witnessed people being beaten to death. What happened in that camp will haunt me forever. I never thought I would alive because no one ever came out of that camp alive. To date what runs in my mind is that they wanted to use me to get more teachers, then kill us together.
My hope was that one day MDC would come into power and I would go back to my family. I am living a life of a prisoner, the British don’t believe my story, and Zanu (PF) thugs are waiting for me. Where am I safe?
Tsvangirai, you have our support, please keep on serving the people as you have promised from day one in office. We have suffered already, and there is no reason why we should quit now.
FORWARD WITH THE STRUGGLE, UK
Self-preservation trick
EDITOR – I welcome the Sunday News article stating that Mr. Taylor Freeme and Mr. Gifford, of the CFU are now in a very cosy relationship with Mr. Mutasa and Dr. Made. It is most encouraging that the Sunday News is now publishing fact, and that the CFU is being open and honest about its affiliation with Zanu (PF).
I do believe we have reason to question this as a “change of heart” from previous leadership – Colin Cloete also openly supported the Zanu so called “land reform.”
Interestingly, the accompanying lawlessness with the demolition of property rights and human rights appears not to have concerned CFU officer bearers in the slightest – so long as they could facilitate protection of their own inner circle.
CFU, CFI and Dairibord leadership learnt this self-preservation trick whilst nestling cosily in Zanu’s ample bosom and must thus be held accountable as “bosom buddies” of the likes of Mugabe, Gono, Shamu, Davy, Bredenkamp, Chinotimba, Sekeramyi, Shamurariya, Msika and Shiri.
HISTORIAN ABROAD, Sydney
Not to late to leave
EDITOR – In a letter to The Zimbabwean 13 -19 April 2006) Ngqabutho tried to demonise the real MDC and our president just for the sake of showing their boss that they are existing.
May I let Ngqabutho know that people do not need to be told who to follow and who to leave. So to spend your time trying to tell them white is black is wasting time and energy because as soon as they discover that you enticed them, then leave you and will become your waste enemy .
All the people know now that your faction is made up of sellouts aimed at destroying the people’s hopes because they want to dine with the enemy. I think you better leave this to the Nyathis because they are familiar to this business.
I think you deserve to be a hero, so if you are prudent leave that band and apologise to those you have already misled. It’s not too late
LOVEMORE CHIKANDIWA, MDC Pretoria
Rates used for DSTV!
EDITOR – It was with absolute disgust that I read the recent press reports that the un-performing commission ruining the City of Harare had purchased a satellite system for the obscene Mayoral Mansion. In the same paper was a report on the commission actually considering asking ratepayers to fund the repairs of what used to be our roads! Unbelievable!
It is truly unacceptable that our hard-earned ratepayers’ money is being used to add even more debauchery to an illegal body, which is unable to offer even the most basic services.
If the occupant of the said mansion wants DSTV then let her pay for it herself and use the ratepayers’ funds for the purposes for which they are paid i.e. road repairs, street lights, collection of refuse and, most of all a reliable supply of potable water. We are repeatedly told that these services are not carried out because of a shortage of funds – there is NO shortage of funds when it comes to splurging on perks for the staff at Town House! Shame, shame, shame. When is the ROT going to stop?
DISGUSTED RATEPAYER, Harare