TIME FOR ACTION TO RECLAIM ZIMBABWE By Itai Dzamara We entered 2015 a week ago and marked 17 long months our nation has spent without governance or leadership, and it keeps getting worst. It has become more than ever urgent and inescapable that we stop this. Since the rigging jamboree by Zanu PF on July 31, 2013, the wheels came off the national train as the failed regime of Robert Mugabe embarked on a roller coaster of dragging the nation deeper into the abyss of failure and further destruction. At this minute, there it is, the failed Mugabe regime, attempting to paper huge holes or applying lipstick to a frog, through trying to chase the wind by scrounging to pay bits and pieces of bonuses to civil servants – two months late. In a week the same civil servants should be preparing to get their January salaries, and it goes without saying that there is no hope for this kind of circus being sustainable. The salaries conundrum is a mere symbol and symptom of a huge economic scandal being presided over by the Mugabe administration. There is a largely untold massive economic scandal unfolding under Mugabe’s clueless administration. The damage being inflicted on the economy and national fabric is immense and shall implode sooner than later. With rapidly dwindIing revenue levels and massive decapitalisation, the Mugabe regime is doing what it is best at – robbing, smashing and grabbing, cheating and raiding anything and everywhere in order to continue battling to pay salaries as well as funding Mugabe and company’s unending globetrotting and massive spending. There is no place in that mix and hotch potch of chaos, for Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa’s so-called budget, which, in essence, does not exist and is meaningless. The longer we watch and allow this madness to continue, the deeper we are sinking into the pit of a failed nation. The Mugabe regime does not care, because, to all purposes and intents, it long ceased to seriously consider the nation’s livelihood. The regime is anti-people and anti-poor, after it created a society of poor, desperate and vulnerable people. Just two days ago, Mugabe’s wife, Grace took her road show of chaos and madness to more than 200 families she forcibly evicted in Mazowe, to expand her massive territory in the area. That eloquently shows the nature of Mugabe and his regime and serves as a very ominous sign for the whole nation. The rhetoric of empowerment and the other ruses blatantly gets exposed as mere window dressing, as the Mugabe regime dumps more than 200 families into the excessive rains, and amidst grinding economic challenges – simply for Grace’s selfish desires. The poor 200 families share the agony with thousands of university students across the country who have been condemned to living like paupers and seriously haunted by bleak futures. The thousands of Zimbabweans ducking and diving in South Africa and other foreign countries, in search of very desperate living and surviving circumstances, and in most cases under very humiliating conditions, are suffering the agony of the failed nation that we have become. Across the country, more children are certainly going to drop out of school this year, and add on to the 1 million from last year. More educated and trained people are either going to join in vending or simply leave the country. Most likely, more than half of the companies that were still operational by end of last year are either not resuming or have massively laid off workers as things keep getting horrible in the business environment. Against the background of all these nervous circumstances for the nation, Robert Mugabe not only lacks the energy, but also the plans and ideas to address the crisis. There is no proper government to talk of, as the aged dictator runs the show like a tuck shop of sweets and snacks – with the aid of his wife. Now, we have spoken, analysed and commented enough about these glaring failures and further destruction of our lives by Mugabe and his confused regime. It is time now for us to reclaim our country from the clutches of the few that have proved to be failures as well as anti-people. And, it is us, the people, who must reclaim the national agenda. It is us, the people, who must stand up now to demand and enforce an end to the Mugabe circus and gravy train of destruction. It is possible and shall have to be done. We have no other option, at all. No, we are not supposed to start a war, not even chaos. We are supposed to exercise our rights and power to stand up and say no to this scandalous circus, through civil, peaceful and resolute means. Yes, we can do and succeed through those means, I have no doubt. We should stand up and openly demand an end through protests and other forms of civil disobedience, as provided for in the national constitution. Clearly, we must force the Zanu PF regime to admit failure, step down and pave way for engagement of all national stakeholders that must establish a workable way forward. Obviously, the ultimate goal must be that of moving towards holding credible, free and fair elections, which must not be run by the Zanu PF system again. Waiting for 2018 elections is simply akin to folding our hands and knowingly march towards a robbery site, where veteran gangs of robbers await to pounce. No miracle will bring the answer in 2018, different from the long record of electoral subterfuge and skulduggery presided over by the Zanu PF system over the years, which has brought us unmitigated disaster. The compelling agenda for stopping the electoral theft and murder is part of the challenge and task at our hands right now. If we fold our hands, Zanu PF will gladly cheat the nation again in 2018, and, obviously continue the cycles of national failure and crisis. No, enough of that! Governments exist to operate at the pleasure of the people and therefore, by implication, the Zanu PF regime must exist at the pleasure of us, the people, the masses. In that case, clearly, this regime is far removed from the realities of the masses. That is way beyond debate now, and must be the sole motivating factor for us to demand an end to this circus. I am sure it can be done. We took very humble and modest steps late last year and managed to establish as well as confirm that, indeed, it can be done. Through what has become to be known as the Occupy Africa Unity Square (OAUS) Movement, we took the stand and became convinced that it can be done. We exercised constitutionally-guaranteed rights to petition and protest, forcing the Zanu PF regime to respond and attempt to use brutality and violence to crush us. Importantly, the regime spent several weeks grappling with our protests and actions but failed to charge us for any crime or offence, proving that the law provides for the space, rights and opportunities to stand up and demand through protests. The Zanu PF regime got our message loud and clear to the extent that it ended up resorting to deploying youth militia to abduct protesters and subjecting us to serious torture. During and through the various experiences and encounters, the regime tried to use various tricks to try and intimidate or negotiate with us to withdraw from our protests but we have consistently made it clear that we will only stop after our demands are met. Rather, and in fact, we are continuing and taking broader approaches to the agenda of pushing for reclaiming of the national agenda by the people. While OAUS shall continue pursuing its mission and spreading to other parts of the country, as well as in the diaspora, we have also become fully committed to engaging and mobilising other players to stand up and demand an end to the national crisis. We have made a lot of progress in mobilising and advocating for convergence of efforts by national players and stakeholders in demanding an end to the national crisis and standing up against the Zanu PF regime. There is unequivocal consensus among the national players and stakeholders about the agenda for demanding an end to the national crisis. It is our right. It is our responsibility and mandate to stand up now and stop Mugabe and his teams from further destroying the future of our nation. There is a lot of trepidation and fear about the possible brutal response from the Zanu PF regime, but I am convinced that we have to be brave and have faith that the people’s power and collective will shall prevail. It is up to Mugabe and his regime to choose to violate the constitution and shame themselves yet again before the whole world by unleashing violence and brutality on peaceful and civil demands for an end to the regime’s failure, but the consequences are pretty obvious and am I sure the world will not tolerate such barbarity. I keep reiterating that there is only one viable option for the Zanu PF regime, which is what the loud call by most Zimbabweans is eloquently articulating – that the regime must swallow its pride, admit failure and open up for engagement with all stakeholders. That is the only way the regime can exorcise the demon of illegitimacy it created after the 2013 rigging scandal. That is the only key to solving the economic crisis, as well as lifting the heavy burden of lack of confidence, hope as well as trust pervasive across the country, and further influencing international perception towards Zimbabwe. We have been holding many meeting with the students unions, labour organisations, residents associations, vendors unions and political parties, advocating for collaboration and collective engagement towards standing up for an end to the national crisis, and, further, pursuance of the agenda for making Zimbabwe work again. It is encouraging that there is serious commitment and realisation that we have only one option, that of combining our voices and efforts. There is no doubt that all players and stakeholders should agree and speak with one voice, as well as stand up to demand that the Zanu PF regime stops the cycles of failure, even in our various ways and forms but with collaboration and collective approach. Enough said, debated and analysed. Time for action. Here we go!
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 12:48:26 +0000
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