Only concerted efforts to radically transform political power can loosen a dictator’s death-grip on the nation. SADC leaders must now realize that a power-drunk regime will not transform political power on account of diplomacy or niceties, but only when confronted by a greater, combined force of SADC and the people of Zimbabwe.
I write this article from Luanda, the capital of Angola where I have joined a dozen civil society colleagues from Zimbabwe to lobby SADC leaders who have gathered here for their annual summit this week where the expectation is that SADC leaders will continue to build consensus around credible elections preceded by genuine, fundamental reforms.
Detained
Our experience entering Angola has reminded us that it is no easy task to build regional consensus around human rights respect and democracy norms. Four Zimbabwe civil society leaders, namely myself, Crisis Coalition spokesperson Phillip Pasirayi, Elections Resource Centre Director Tawanda Chimhini and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Manager Dzimbabwe Chimbga were detained at the Luanda airport for over five hours while officials went through our bags.
We were only let into Angola after state security and immigration officials confiscated over 300 reports on the political situation in Zimbabwe, on making a case against political violence and on the partisan role of the military in our political and electoral affairs that we had translated into Portuguese for advocacy at the Luanda SADC Summit.
No reasons were given for the crackdown. We remain undeterred with an unshaken hope that a fully thriving democratic culture will soon be a reality in southern Africa.
For the umpteenth time Zimbabwe is on the SADC Agenda, with expectations that at least three reports will be delivered in matters related to it, namely, a report from the Zimbabwe Facilitator – president Jacob Zuma of South Africa, a report from the out-going SADC Organ Troika for Defence, Politics and Security and a report on the SADC Tribunal.
Frustrated
Where many now feel fatigued and frustrated over the lack of progress on Zimbabwe, we continue to painstakingly campaign for political change for the sake of the millions of ordinary Zimbabweans who yearn to return to normal life.
Staunch defenders of the fallen regime, which is now on its last legs, deliberately misunderstand the basis of our activism for justice, democracy and accountability. A case in point is a recent long-winding and largely senseless opinion in the Sunday Mail.
Zanu (PF) apologist and media hangman Tafataona Mahoso insinuated that when I met him in June in South Africa for another SADC Summit I had been ‘embarrassed’ about my role in advocating for reforms within our diamond industry with a particular focus on human rights abuses in Marange diamond fields.
For the record, it is with a sense of national duty, pride and patriotism that I and many other activists stand to advocate for human rights respect in Zimbabwe. If anything, it should be Mahoso who should hang his head in shame for defending the loot and plunder of Marange diamonds and lack of accountability for horrific human rights abuses that have, and continue to take place there.
Cheap propaganda
In service to country and to posterity we continue to plead with SADC leaders to help us achieve complete and thorough political reforms to ensure the freedom that enables every Zimbabwean to thrive to the best of their ability in their area of focus.
It is a fact known by all, including those in Zanu (PF), that no-one believes the cheap propaganda about the so-called sanctions being the cause of our suffering or about a so-called righteous struggle against imperialist forces.
Our struggle is simply about the freedom to choose a better future, a freedom denied us through a coterie of repressive laws administered selectively by partisan individuals masquerading as custodians of state institutions. – Dewa Mavhinga, Regional Coordinator, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
Post published in: Politics