Mugabe must have been buoyed by the results of the recent surveys undertaken by the Afrobarometer and Freedom House through the Mass Public Opinion Institute founded by the late Professor Masipula Sithole. Urging his followers to remain united and win together, Mugabe cast a forlorn figure of a political leader living on Mars with no realistic idea of what is actually happening in Zimbabwe. It may be helpful to him if we spelled out some of the current realities, to which he seems oblivious.
The people of Zimbabwe are fully aware that the so-called Government of National Unity has done very little to manage the affairs of this nation since its formation in February 2009. They also know that the reason for this gridlock is both Mugabe and Zanu (PF). There has been very little, if any, co-operation between the MDC and Zanu (PF) in terms of the implementation of government policies and programmes.
The people also know that the reason why the government coffers are virtually empty is because none of the four or five companies mining diamonds in the Chiadzwa area is remitting any funds to the national Treasury. Reliable sources have informed some of us that the Minister of Mines has categorically stated that the MDC will never receive any of the money from the diamonds. Instead, that money is being channelled into Zanu (PF) controlled bank accounts through the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation.
The electorate has witnessed the expulsion of several MDC councillors for alleged corrupt practices. This was exemplary on the part of the party of excellence. This is something Zanu (PF) has never done, in spite of the fact that the majority of the members of that party are well known corruption gurus. Media reports have constantly revealed that corruption is the order of the day in Mugabe’s political party.
Rather than investigate the numerous cases of corruption, including the ones pertaining to the Save conservancies, Mugabe and his comrades have simply ignored all that information. Last week, this paper published a long list of the beneficiaries of the Save conservancies and it reads like the ‘who is who’ in Zanu (PF). To date, no action has been taken against the identified looters. At least the MDC has had the courage to expel those of its number who have been accused of corruption. Can Zanu (PF) follow suit?
It was, nonetheless, commendable that Mugabe urged his followers to shun violence and intimidation. We all know that without political violence and intimidation, Mugabe and his sun-setting party have no hope at all of winning the next elections. We know it, they know it. But it is doubtful that any of that wisdom will be heeded by the President’s Central Committee members. They all know that without resorting to political violence and intimidation, coupled with all forms of ballot rigging, their political ambitions will be thwarted by the electorate. They will lose the elections big time.
Perhaps that is why Mugabe decried the MDC’s call for the levelling of the political playing field which he argued was already level. The numerous agreed legal, institutional and other reforms under the Global Political Agreement that have not yet been implemented clearly spell out the unevenness of the political playing field, Mr President. – makumbe60@gmail.com
Post published in: Opinions & Analysis