This decision just shows the bias of the court and also shows how Mugabe has been making unilateral decisions throughout the Government of National Unity. He just wanted to show where the real power lies, with the GNU, SADC or him. This decision to rush the elections is what Mugabe and Zanu (PF) wanted and this is what the Constitutional Court did.
Chinamasa and Mugabe said they were respecting the court’s directive by unilaterally declaring the holding of elections on July 31. Since when have Mugabe and Chinamasa started respecting the rule of law? After having been humiliated in Maputo by the two MDCs, SADC and President Zuma – with no signs of regional leaders supporting him anymore – Mugabe doesn’t care and wanted to show who is now calling the shots. He knows the uneasy marriage between him and President Tsvangirai is over, so he can now behave in whatever way he wishes. Mugabe just wanted to create more confusion and chaos within the MDC and also frustrate them while time is running out. There is no time to implement those reforms. They can be done on paper but in reality it will be business as usual for the Zanu (PF) thugs who are always used to manipulate the vote.
It is well known that Zanu (PF) has been running a parallel government throughout the entire life of the GNU with proceeds from the Marange diamonds. So the money is there somewhere more than enough to fund the election. It’s only that the coalition partners didn’t have the capacity to stop the looting of diamond money from Chiadzwa. The proceeds from Marange diamonds are not benefitting ordinary Zimbabweans but Zanu (PF) thugs. So this money is going to be used to fund a fraudulent election to keep Zanu (PF) in power. But the repression machinery cannot be oiled forever, so that’s why Mugabe wants an election like yesterday.
And Mugabe’s health is a headache for Zanu (PF), they know he cannot continue to dodge the coffin forever, so they want him to “win” a rigged election for them before he dies and they can then sort out the succession battle between Mujuru and Mnangagwa. If Mugabe doesn’t win this election for them and he dies, then there will be left only the remnants of the then liberation struggle party and no one has the capacity to stand against Tsvangirai and win an election in the current corruption riddled Zanu (PF).
Repressive laws like AIPPA and POSA should have been a priority of the GNU to have them completely repealed. Mugabe has successfully denied any meaningful reforms during the entire life of the inclusive government. Why have Mutambara and Tsvangirai failed to push for these reforms that they well know make the playing field uneven? Mugabe managed to bring them on the table, dine and went to bed with them. They slept on duty; they slept with breasts in their mouths (kurara nezamhu mumukanwa chaiko) and forgot why they were in that sinister marriage with Zanu (PF). Now the game is up, on the eleventh hour they think they can achieve what they failed to do in four years. Four years went by, what were they doing, globe-trotting, getting attached to a string of women at their disposal, getting used to luxury cars, holidays and houses. Now the marriage is over, Mugabe’s repression machinery is still intact and surely what could two weeks have done to create a free and fair environment for a credible election which we failed to achieve in four years? – Frazer Muzondo, by email
Post published in: Letters to the Editor