The vitriolic and offensive attack carried in an opinion titled ‘Lindiwe Zulu should just shut up! – Lindiwe is not a SADC spokesperson,’ was apparently provoked by Zulu’s calm statement of the SADC position that, contrary to certain views expressed on the issue, elections in Zimbabwe, “should be held when the environment is conducive, when all parties are happy and when the institutions that are supposed to run the elections are in place.”
What peace-loving, sane Zimbabwean would condemn someone for calling for elections when the environment is conducive to holding free and fair elections under conditions of peace, non-violence and when the right institutions that run elections professionally are in place?
Jonathan Moyo is a senior member of Zanu (PF) who sits on the Politburo. Therefore what he says cannot simply be dismissed. If Moyo is not speaking for Zanu (PF) then the party should immediately apologize to Zulu and reign in the errant Moyo. I hope there are people in Zanu (PF) who are examining Moyo’s motives in this relentless attack on Zulu and on SADC at a time when the region is trying to assist the people of Zimbabwe to return to a normal life away from political conflict, polarization and strife.
Senseless attack
For several months now, Moyo has recklessly dished out toxic venom targeting Zulu, a strong and courageous woman to whom all Zimbabweans owe a big thank you for her efforts and those of the rest of the Facilitation Team and President Zuma in conflict mediation and in seeking to bring Zimbabwe back from the brink.
I sincerely hope millions of Zimbabweans share the sentiment that we ought to thank people like Zulu who are putting in countless hours to support a very difficult peace process in Zimbabwe, which is marred by incessant bickering and is taking painfully long to restore normalcy to Zimbabwe.
It takes immense commitment, patience, dedication, and passion for the greater good of the people of Zimbabwe for outsiders like Zulu, who, under normal circumstances, can simply choose to have nothing to do with us, to toil daily with the hope that one day the Zimbabweans will truly enjoy the fruits of independence and democracy
Zulu is not employed to be a Facilitator on Zimbabwe, she is an International Relations Advisor whose plate is full with other problem areas in Africa and beyond, and yet she sacrifices her time and energy to support our cause. To Zulu, the Facilitation Team, Zuma and SADC I say, thank you for your sterling work on Zimbabwe, please do not be deterred, keep up the good work and stay with us until we are out of the woods.
Mud-slinging
No amount of insults, vile language or mud-slinging will take away the truth of the matter that Zimbabweans should only go to elections when the environment is conducive and under conditions materially different from those of 2008 where there was widespread violence and intimidation predominantly against members of the MDC.
It does not need a robotics scientist to understand that credible, free and fair elections in Zimbabwe are not feasible in 2011 – given the reforms that must be undertaken first. Although some reforms like ending hate speech can happen immediately if there is political will, many others, such as concluding constitutional reform, legislative reform, security sector re-alignment or cleaning up the voters’ roll, need considerable time if things are to be done properly.
Therefore, outside of being delusional, cynical, insincere or completely removed from reality, the inescapable conclusion is that there cannot be any elections in 2011 that SADC would support.
Now is the time for us to stand together to reject all attempts to divide us or to take us back to the dark days of polarization, hatred and violence. Let us focus on the important task at hand of developing and implementing a roadmap that will take us in a new, progressive direction. – Dewa Mavhinga, Regional Coordinator, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Post published in: News