Even Zanu (PF) apologists have been embarrassed by the Mugabe regime's clumsy handling of the abortive visit of the respected international Elders group.He claimed they had not been denied entry, only asked to postpone the visit. His reason for the postponement? This is the planting season and everybody’s busy.
Presumably all Mugabe’s ministers are hard at work on their stolen farms trying to grow food for the nation. And affairs of state are consequently on hold.
Even crises such as the cholera epidemic have taken a back seat. Not to mention the economy and the total collapse of health and other services – as minister-farmers juggle their multiple tasks.
No sooner had Mumbengegwi finished trying to justify the barring of the Elders than Mugabe’s hatchet boys piled in. First was Chris Mutsvangwa, former ambassador to China, who lost to an MDC candidate in the March election. He condemned Kofi Annan for having a secret agenda. The state-controlled media was hot on his heels – insulting the Elders left, right and centre with embarrassing hyperbole and outright lies.
George Charamba, Mugabe’s spokesmen – who obviously had been briefed by his boss – jumped onto the band-wagon with outrageous comments such as:
The so-called ‘Elders’ are a creature of pro-Labour British corporate interests. There is nothing elderly about them. But what is more, it is a very condescending title. If they are ‘Elders’ what do Zimbabweans become, infants?” and,
The “Elders” should not pretend to have Zimbabweans at heart when, in fact, they were fronting a regime change agenda being pushed by Britain and the US.
The Mugabe regime has always been allergic to independent-minded foreigners visiting the country. It is only too well aware, and maybe even somewhat embarrassed, by its own appalling record of mis-governance, corruption and violence.
Therefore, it tries to hide the evidence of its misdeeds by barring foreigners from coming to visit.
Foreign journalists, for example, are a prime target. Even local ones are not spared. Election observers are carefully chosen. A Cosatu delegation of trade unionists was deported some time ago.
The three Elders are not the first to be barred from Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. Nor will they be the last. The current government has a lot to hide and will continue to use every trick in the book to keep foreigners out.
Sadly, their handling of such international incidents continues to deteriorate – and they repeatedly shoot themselves in the foot. How they are still standing is beyond all rational comprehension.
Word :
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the King of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” – 2 Chronicles 32:7&8 (NIV)