When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces packed off former Zimbabwean strongman, Robert Mugabe, for many Zimbabweans, it was a milestone, for some a steppingstone and for others a cornerstone. All depends on where one stands. For common Zimbabweans that have suffered for many years because of Mugabe’s bloopers, the coup was a milestone. For the military and political swashbucklers allied with it, it was a steppingstone to power by all means thereafter as we evidenced in the just concluded general elections. For Mugabe’s nemeses, the coup was a cornerstone for a new dawn that never was.
Josef Stalin once said that “it is not who votes that counts; it is who counts the votes.” This is what happened in the just concluded elections in Zimbabwe.
Revisiting what transpired in Zimbabwe, I may briefly submit as thus:
Firstly, though in the beginning, especially during the campaigns it seemed that the race was between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic (ZANU-PF) to me, the game was between the ballot and the bullet as it, later, turned out to be after the results started to announced.
Secondly, for those who know how many common Zimbabweans have been suffering for over 20 years, the race was obvious that it was between the past and the future in that the ZANU-PF had nothing to offer while the MDC was more of fresh air eyeing the bright future for the country.
Thirdly, reminding ourselves of how the incumbent president came to power and how he formed his government, no doubt, the race was between those who wanted to decriminalise the coup and those who wanted to return Zimbabwe to constitutionality after faulting how Mugabe was deposed. Let’s face it. What transpired in Zimbabwe was justifiably and purely a coup d’état although the junta succeeded in hoodwinking the world asserting that what it did was not the coup but to purge bad and corrupt elements around the president. The argument many analysts asked was: who ordered the army in the street; and what was the climax of the whole thing if not forcing Mugabe to resign; and thereby allow Mnangagwa to grab power instead of the legally supposed person who was the then first vice president Phelekezela Mphoko. In a blatant masquerade of beauty-and-the-beast-like gambit, the army used Mnangagwa–who also thought he used it–to legalise the coup by tramping on the constitution of Zimbabwe. On their side, Zimbabweans were awed by the removal of Mugabe thinking things would change for the better. What a goof! Actually, the army used euphoric Zimbabweans who were tired of Mugabe to stage and legalise the coup that went on marring the elections. As Blessings-Miles Tendi (Guardian, Aug., 3, 2018) puts it “Zimbabwe was united. This election has divided us again.” Now that the dust has settled a wee bit, is Mnangagwa willing to heal and reunite Zimbabwe once again or just keep on lord it over the country? Does he have what it takes to do so provided that up until now, no one knows who runs the show between him and Chiwenga? Will the MDC easily let it go without a good fight?
My worries emanate from the following questions have forced me query the entire exercise:
Firstly, why did the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delay the announcement of the presidential results by just announcing legislature and county votes?
Secondly, why did the authority dispatch the military to the streets ending up gunning down six innocent people who were enjoying and exercising their constitutional rights while demonstrations are enshrined in the constitution?
Thirdly, who ordered the army to the streets between President Emerson Mnangagwa who–for all eight months he’s been in power was campaigning for peace–and his vice president Constantino Chiwenga who toppled former President Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa?Who won in Zimbabwe’s election between the ballot and the bullet?
When the Zimbabwe Defence Forces packed off former Zimbabwean strongman, Robert Mugabe, for many Zimbabweans, it was a milestone, for some a steppingstone and for others a cornerstone. All depends on where one stands. For common Zimbabweans that have suffered for many years because of Mugabe’s bloopers, the coup was a milestone. For the military and political swashbucklers allied with it, it was a steppingstone to power by all means thereafter as we evidenced in the just concluded general elections. For Mugabe’s nemeses, the coup was a cornerstone for a new dawn that never was.
Josef Stalin once said that “it is not who votes that counts; it is who counts the votes.” This is what happened in the just concluded elections in Zimbabwe.
Revisiting what transpired in Zimbabwe, I may briefly submit as thus:
Firstly, though in the beginning, especially during the campaigns it seemed that the race was between the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic (ZANU-PF) to me, game was between the ballot and the bullet as it, later, turned out to be after the results started to announced.
Secondly, for those who know how many common Zimbabweans have been suffering for over 20 years, the race was obvious that it was between the past and the future in that the ZANU-PF had nothing to offer while the MDC was a new fresh air eyeing the bright future for the country.
Thirdly, reminding ourselves of how the incumbent president came to power and how he formed his government, no doubt, the race was between those who wanted to decriminalise the coup and those who wanted to return Zimbabwe to constitutionality after faulting how Mugabe was deposed. Let’s face it. What transpired in Zimbabwe was justifiably and purely a coup d’état although the junta succeeded in hoodwinking the world asserting that what it did was not the coup but to purge bad and corrupt around the president. The argument many analysts asked was: who ordered the army in the street; and what was the climax of the whole thing if not forcing Mugabe to resign; and thereby allow Mnangagwa to grab power instead of the legally supposed person who was the then first vice president Phelekezela Mphoko. In a blatant masquerade of beauty-and-the-beast-like gambit, the army used Mnangagwa–who also thought he used it–to legalise the coup by tramping on the constitution of Zimbabwe. On their side, Zimbabweans were awed by the removal of Mugabe thinking things would change for the better. What a goof! Actually, the army used euphoric Zimbabweans who were tired of Mugabe to stage and legalise the coup that went on marring the elections. As Blessings-Miles Tendi (Guardian, Aug., 3, 2018) puts it “Zimbabwe was united. This election has divided us again.” Now that the dust has settled a wee bit, is Mnangagwa willing to heal and reunite Zimbabwe once again or just keep on lord it over the country? Does he have what it takes to do so provided that up until now, no one knows who runs the show between him and Chiwenga? Will the MDC easily let it go without a good fight?
My worries emanate from the following questions have forced me query the entire exercise:
Firstly, why did the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) delay the announcement of the presidential results by just announcing legislature and county votes?
Secondly, why did the authority dispatch the military to the streets ending up gunning down six innocent people who were enjoying and exercising their constitutional rights while demonstrations are enshrined in the constitution?
Thirdly, who ordered the army in the street between President Emerson Mnangagwa who–for all eight months he’s been in power was campaigning for peace–and his vice president Constantino Chiwenga who toppled former President Robert Mugabe and installed Mnangagwa?
Fourthly, who has real power in Zimbabwe between the duo; and how long will their marriage survive?
Fifthly, was the ZEC impartial; and how was it formed; and who formed it? Did the ZEC provide a level playing turf–any sane person can attest to–when it comes to using public resources?
In sum, now that the electioneering and elections are over as the scrimmages over its validity starts, what should Zimbabwe expect? Will Zimbabweans kick back and expect big things from the regime that has proved to be carbuncular or press on to see that the two good guys come and work together for the benefits of the country that has suffered a lot since its independence? Who’ll be the winner between the ballot and the bullet and the sanity and insanity? The simple is that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans deserve better.
Fourthly, who has real power in Zimbabwe between the duo; and how long will their marriage survive?
Fifthly, was the ZEC impartial; and how was it formed; and who formed it? Did the ZEC provide a level playing turf–any sane person can attest to–when it comes to using public resources?
In sum, now that the electioneering and elections are over as the scrimmages over its validity start, what should Zimbabwe expect? Will Zimbabweans kick back and expect big things from the regime that has proved to be carbuncular or press on to see that the two good guys come and work together for the benefits of the country that has suffered a lot since its independence? Who’ll be the winner between the ballot and the bullet and the sanity and insanity? The simple answer is that Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans deserve better.
Citizen, Aug.,15, 2018.
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