By Wilbert Mukori | Dear Obi Egbuna Jr,
You are a Zanu PF apologist who has written some nonsensical articles in defence of the regime in the past but this time you have really gone over and beyond the call of duty. Even an apologist is entitled to some self-respect; in your recent article, you have sold your body and soul to the devil!
“We have to say by attempting to use the US-EU sanctions as a political measure aimed at the strangulating and intimidating President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, liberals like former VP Biden and Senator Coons are upholding the tradition of Delaware, who as so-called African Americans are well aware rejected the 13th 14th and 15th amendments that were aimed at abolishing chattel slavery being incorporated into the US Constitution. Delaware rejected the 13th amendment on February 8, 1865, the 14th Amendment on February 8, 1867 and the 15th amendment was rejected on March 18, 1869,” you wrote.
Former VP Biden and Senator Coons did not vote to reject the 13th Amendment on February 8, 1865 for the simple reason that they were not alive at the time. But even if they had been alive then, these two gentlemen have done nothing that would lead anyone to concluded they would have voted to reject the abolition of slavery. On the contrary, what they have done would leave one in no doubt that they would have been leading the drive to abolish slavery from the front.
The two have called for the imposition of targeted sanction of Zanu PF leaders as a way of forcing the regime to uphold human rights including the right to free and fair elections. The regime and its apologists have always denied failing to hold free and fair elections and insisting the sanctions were imposed to punish the regime for seizing farms from the whites.
SADC and the AU, African regional groups of which Zimbabwe is a member have since condemned Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections because the process was not free and fair and thus put to shame the denial that Zanu PF had failed to hold free and fair elections. SADC leaders forced Zanu PF to join hands with the two MDC factions to form a Government of Nation (GNU) which was then tasked to implement a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop Zanu PF rigging future elections.
Sadly, the GNU failed to get even one reform implemented in five years because Mugabe bribed the MDC leaders with the trappings of the gravy train lifestyle and they, in return, kicked the reforms out of the window.
The Americans have said they will lift imposed sanctions on Zanu PF leaders if the regime implement the same reforms that SADC had called for; free media, free Police, allow Zimbabweans in the diaspora to vote, etc.
Ever since coming to power following the November 2017 coup, President Mnangagwa has promised to hold free, fair and credible elections. The reforms SADC called for and the American are reminding him of are the pre-requisite for free and fair elections. If he really meant to hold free and fair elections he should have implemented the reforms without any need to be prompted by anyone.
“We have to say by attempting to use the US-EU sanctions as a political measure aimed at the strangulating and intimidating President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF,” complain Obi Egbuna Jr.
Obi Egbuna Jr and his handlers in Zanu PF should be hanging their heads in shame that outsiders should putting pressure on Zanu PF to restore the freedoms and rights of Zimbabweans. It beggars belief that Obi Egbuna Jr should be defending the regime’s outrageous continued refusal to implement the reforms as if the regime has the right to rig elections.
It is President Mnangagwa that Obi, if he had even some semblances of common sense, should be comparing to the anti-abolitionists; they insisted that they had the right to own slaves and deny others their fundamental right to freedom, just as Mnangagwa is insisting that he has the right to rig elections and deny other their right to free and fair election.
“Zimbabwe is changing-politically, economically and societally-and we ask those who have punished us in the past to reconsider their sanctions against us. Zimbabwe is a land of potential, but it will be difficult to realise it with the weight of sanctions hanging from our necks,” wrote President Mnangagwa in the New York Times.
“Those who cling to the sanctions are stuck in the old Zimbabwe – the Zimbabwe of poverty and international isolationism.”
Out of his own mouth comes the history’s judgement! Of course, Zimbabwe will remain stuck in the past of vote rigging, corruption, tyranny and grinding poverty as long as those in power continue to resist meaningful democratic change.
The primary purpose of President Mnangagwa’s letter was to appeal to foreign investors and donors to do business in Zimbabwe again. There have been no takers because no investors want to do business in a country ruled by thugs. By stubbornly refusing to implement the democratic reforms designed to end Zanu PF’s carte blanche dictatorial powers President Mnangagwa and his apologists have confirmed that Zimbabwe is ruled by thugs stuck in their dictatorial ways!