By Nomusa Garikai- “PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa recently held his inaugural meeting with the Presidential Advisory Council (Pac) recently appointed to assist in bringing in new ideas, policy proposals and solutions to Zimbabwe’s myriad of problems,” wrote Dumisani Muleya, Editor of Zimbabwe Independent.

“Objectively speaking, the initiative is a breath of fresh air. It shows Mnangagwa is willing to listen. Well, on paper at least.

“Besides, it has distinguished people of great character, integrity and reputation. They are generally experts in their own fields. Each member should add to Pac’s diversity of experience as a collective body.” 

Editor Muleya, you have clearly missed a number of key points here: 

1. “Mnangagwa is willing to listen!” Are you mad! If Mnangagwa was willing to listen then why has denied the people of Zimbabwe the basic human right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country? Mnangagwa has been at the heart of Zanu PF’s vote rigging and brutal oppression for the last 38 years. 

• The appointment of this 24 member PAC will not help find “solutions to Zimbabwe’s myriad of problems” because Mnangagwa has already been given sound advice on such key areas as ending corruption, holding free and fair elections to end Zimbabwe’s pariah state status, etc. He has ignored all such advice because following it risked Zanu PF losing its strangle hold on power. 

• The appointment of PAC is in keeping with the time honoured Zanu PF mentality of substituting quality with quantity. Whilst Ian Smith had governed the country with less than 20 ministers and deputy ministers. At one point, Mugabe had 1 President, 2 VPs, 1 PM, 2 Deputy Prime Ministers, 30 Ministers, 10 Deputy Ministers, 10 Provisional Governors, God knows how many Executive Mayors, etc., etc. Mnangagwa has reduced the size of his cabinet but only by putting most of Mugabe’s cabinet members, permanent secretaries and other senior civil servants out to pasture on full cabinet member salary and allowance. This PAC is but a second tier cabinet in all but name! 

• Each and everyone of the PAC member is an expert in their field but that does not necessarily mean they all have integrity too! Just because they are rich it is does not necessarily mean they are honest especially in a country were corruption is rampant. Each and everyone of these members know that Mnangagwa rigged last year’s elections and yet they all pretend the elections were free, fair and credible. Worse still, they know that as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs there is no chance of the country achieving any meaningful economic recovery. They have agreed to be appointed PAC members because they are paid well in cash and prestige to be a members; there in nothing honourable in that! 

“Nonetheless, PAC deserves a chance. Granted it must be scrutinised and criticised, but given a try. Its members seem ready to hit the ground running, though they ought to understand very well they have a mountain to climb. They can make a difference, but then again it won’t be easy. It’s like trying to climb Mount Everest,” continue Muleya.

“Perhaps the PAC can also make its own piece of history.”

Nonsense, there is no climbing Mount Everest mystic or challenge about understanding corruption and holding free, fair and credible elections and understanding why they are the basis of good and competent governance and economic success. It is madness to argue that Zanu PF will finally deliver economic prosperity after 38 years of delivering poverty! 

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said the great Physicist Albert Einstein.

Zanu PF has proven beyond all reasonable doubt that the party is corrupt, incompetent and murderous thugs. The party rigged last July’s elections and therefore have no democratic mandate to govern. It is Zanu PF we a giving another chance to extend its corrupt and tyrannical rule on the feeble excuse that a corrupt and compromised PAC will achieve the miracle of the economic recovery regardless of the of the inherent wastefulness and inconsistencies of the pariah state. 

We can differ on some things but there are others that are so basic and fundamental, it is pointless to argue. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state ruled by corrupt and vote rigging thugs there is no hope of any meaningful economic recovery much less achieving “Vision 2030 Upper Middle Income” status that Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube keeps wittering about! Zimbabwe is subject to the same laws of thermodynamics, of economics, etc. as everyone else. 

We should concentrate on dismantling the Zanu PF dictatorship and laying a strong foundation for free and democratic Zimbabwe and stop day-dreaming PAC delivering economic recovery whilst Zimbabwe remains a pariah state. 

Our first task in dismantling Zanu PF is to demand that the regime steps down! We have tried to avoid this task for the last 38 years and we are paying dearly for it and will continue to do so until we deal with this curse of rigged elections.