I get excited about women like you who have achieved so much against all odds. When you speak, thousands of your Zanu (PF) party supporters listen attentively.
More often than not, I cringe when your colleagues attempt to publicly sell what your party terms ‘progressive revolutionary economic policies. Expropriating natural resources, farm invasions and bull-dozing into multinational corporate boardrooms is not exactly my scheme of progressive empowerment. Your party’s delirious claims that you are merely recovering what is yours from colonialists are rather lame. All black Zimbabweans were brutalised by colonialism, yet only a handful of Zanu (PF) cronies pocket all the proceeds of plunder. How convenient!
But this is not – Honourable Vice President – why I part with protocol to write directly to you. The public and private press alleged that you said you do not want Western observers during our elections.
Just to set the record straight – it was not Zanu (PF) that ‘brought’ independence to Zimbabwe. All the seven million of us back then, played our part to defeat colonialism. It is only in Hollywood blockbuster movies where starry-eyed heroes singularly perform acts of valour to ‘rescue’ hostages from deranged lunatics! In real-life revolutions, every aggrieved citizen plays a crucial role. No doubt millions of Zimbabwean citizens on the side of truth are irritated by Zanu (PF)’s self-righteous entitlement, as if they own Zimbabwe.
It is not rocket science how your party over the years has benefited from western philanthropy, disguised as health, education, water treatment and food aid. Neither would I need to mention how many limousines, smart phones, computers and LCD televisions – crafted in Western countries – members of your party horde in their homes.
I dare say most members of your politburo attended Western universities. I even hear your ‘coalition government’ is asking for $200 million to finance an election you have vowed to win. When I last checked the map, United States is a Western country!
What this means, Madam, with all due respect, is that we would appreciate if you talk only on behalf of your 400,000 card-carrying members. The rest of us 4,5million registered voting adults who are NOT members of Zanu (PF) prefer an election adjudicated by representatives of civilised democracies. Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Swaziland, Madagascar or even Ras al-Khaimah are not exactly in the league of credible, democratic electoral invigilators. Zimbabwe is desperate for global recognition and besides, in the unlikely event that your party wins this year’s election, your presidential candidate will need international recognition and acceptance.
My appeal to you is that if we have nothing to hide in our elections, monitors and observers from all members of the United Nations must be welcome. And this must be decided by all our political and civil institutions, not by Zanu (PF) only. – Rejoice Ngwenya, by email
Post published in: Letters to the Editor