By Nomusa Garikai

Dear Mbofana

Thank you, my brother, for your insightful contributions in Bulawayo 24. They are a very significant contribution to the public debate and national enlightenment – just what the doctor ordered for a nation with more than its fair share of a very naïve and gullible electorate and corrupt and incompetent politicians on both sides of the body politics preying on povo’s weaknesses.

“As the shock over the recently gazetted Constitutional Amendment No 2 Act deepens, and the realization of the reality of the brutal shredding, and callous assassination, of any semblance of democracy in Zimbabwe, at the hands of the ruling elite, sinks in – there are sadly some who are still eager to excuse their retrogressive actions by allowing themselves to be used as pawns in this unpardonable treacherous act,” you wrote, referring to the women and youths who voted in support of the amendment.

“Of course, if there are those who still believe that the best and most effective way to empower women, or the youth, or any other previously (or, currently) disadvantaged group, is via affirmative action, or quota systems – which, to be quite honest, I would rather call “favoritism”.

Your criticism is completely justified.

Mugabe appointed Simon Muzenda and then Joice Mujuru as his Vice President ostensibly to achieve tribal and gender balance respectively. Both Muzenda and Mujuru were dull and stupid and allowed Mugabe to do as he damn well pleased, which is exactly why Mugabe wanted them as his deputy!

“Did they merely allow their selfish greed for power, privilege, and wealth – as well as fear of their political party leaders – to prostitute themselves into selling out the whole country, for “thirty pieces of silver”?” You asked rhetorically of the women and youths.

Zanu PF had 2/3 majority for the obnoxious Bill to pass without any in the opposition voting for it.  The opposition women and youths voted for the Bill, regardless, to underline they have been paid the thirty pieces of silver and it is payback time!  

“Are they seriously telling (with a straight face) the millions of democracy-loving and progressive Zimbabweans, who overwhelmingly voted for this phenomenal document – which provided enormous hope for a brighter and prosperous future for our nation (as much as the ruling elite were never too keen in actually implementing most of the provisions, especially those promoting and guaranteeing democracy) – that they preferred taking their own country back to the stone age, merely because they wanted some extra seats for women and youth in parliament?” you argued.

Well, you are off track there, the March 2013 Constitution was never the “phenomenal document which provided enormous hope for a brighter and prosperous future”. It was sold to the nation as such but it never lived up to any of these things. Never!

A constitution that is ever at the mercy of an individual of select group of individuals without the check and balances to stop him or them corrupting the it for his or their selfish gain will never ever deliver and guarantee the individual freedoms and rights. Never! And sadly that is exactly what has happened with Zimbabwe’s March 2013 constitution.

The new constitution failed to deliver free, fair and credible elections in July 2013, barely four months after the nation had voted for it resoundingly? Four years later there was the November 2017 military coup which Justice George Chiweshe ruled was “legal, justified and constitutional”. Zanu PF was able to blatantly rig the 2018 elections and now the regime is amending the constitution to consolidate its dictatorial powers. All these things have happened precisely because the March 2013 Constitution is weak and feeble.  

Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends wanted the people to accept the new constitution as an MDC democratic achievement, “MDC child” and so they went town in singing its praises. Paul Mangwana, Mugabe’s pointer man on the parliamentary committee that drafted the constitution, boasted soon after the referendum that Mugabe “dictated” the document.

Of course, the Constitution is a dictator’s creed; Mugabe would never dictate anything else. MDC leaders, out of misplace pride and vanity have buried their heads in the sand and would not admit the MDC child is a Zanu PF bastard.

SADC leaders realised Zimbabwe’s new constitution was too weak and feeble to deliver free, fair and credible 2013 elections. They, literally, begged Tsvangirai and his MDC friends not to participate in the elections until democratic reforms were implemented. ‘If you go into elections next month, you are going to lose; the elections are done!’ SADC leaders warned, according to Dr Ibbo Mandaza.

As we know MDC leaders ignored the warning and participated in the 2013 elections, confident the party’s popularity will overwhelm whatever Zanu PF vote rigging shenanigans would bring. Zanu PF used the weak constitution to retain all its dictatorial powers and was able to blatantly rig the 2013 and more, as noted above.  

By participating in the flawed and illegal elections MDC leaders are giving the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy.

Zimbabwe is a Banana Republic, a pariah state, ruled by incompetent, corrupt and murderous thugs who blatantly rig elections to stay in power. The country has been masquerading as a democratic “Second Republic” thanks to the corrupt and incompetent MDC leaders whose continued participation in flawed elections has given Zanu PF legitimacy.

Zimbabwe is in serious economic and political trouble. 41 years and counting of Zanu PF corrupt and tyrannical rule have left the country in economic ruins and political paralysis, as both Zanu PF and the opposition have offered no solution out of the crisis.

MDC leaders and Zimbabweans in general should have listened to SADC leaders’ warning not to participate the flawed and illegal 2013 elections as that only served to give the vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy. The advice is sound now more that back in 2013. Zanu PF has refused to implement any reforms and is set to rig the 2023 elections. This time Zimbabweans must put their collective foot down and refuse to participate in the flawed elections until reforms are implemented.

MDC leaders are gearing to participate in the 2023 elections under the pretext that by doing so they will be stopping Zanu PF amending the March 2023 Constitution. The constitution has already been compromised, Zanu PF has already seized dictatorial powers and by participating in flawed elections MDC will give Zanu PF legitimacy.

The “2023 elections are done” and by participating we will give that result legitimacy! After 41 years and counting of rigged elections it will be insane to once again foolishly let Zanu PF off the hook!