By Editorial Team | Hopewell Chin’ono’s published notes after meeting the visiting Commonwealth Secretary-General presenting a lowered bar, have been praised for highlighting some issues Zimbabweans are suffering from. But a deepscan exposes how they are an outstager of Hopewel Chin’ono against opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa; they play down latter’s presidency which was as ZBC footage shows unconstitutionally overthrown by the Mnangagwa’s bodyguards on 1 Aug 2018. How does one even summarise the Zimbabwean problem without rehashing this eternal gem?
The demand for the release of political prisoners is noteworthy. But how does one hope to make a compelling and lasting case with criminals the Mnangagwa level without hitting the latter at the chest of his political existence? Is it wise to ignore the 1 Aug coup mention [even for tweets] whose impact to dislodge Mnangagwa has been proven by his nationshaking reactions to the mere thought of a Chamisa presidency, which thing has triggered visible changes over the last 4 years such as the deployment of soldiers to change election results, and the seizure of MDC party assets. Is declaring and publicising this immortal truth not the best while Mnangagwa is under Commonwealth watch? Does it make sense to talk concerning abstracts like the jailing of journalists (Hopewell himself), while omitting the inner virus of the national disease?
Is Hopewell Chin’ono not making self more important than Nelson Chamisa? Questions now start popping out over how he was arrested (seeing his lack of empathy for fellow journalists he got into trouble on false allegations in July), and was Hopewell’s not of those many such examples where regime proxies are promoted to civil society so that they can secretly negotiate compromises for Emmerson Mnangagwa? THIS IS A DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER DAY
Is Chin’ono silently acting out on Mnangagwa’s behalf so that he gets readmission without accountability for overthrowing the govt twice, first against Robert Mugabe, and 2ndly against Nelson Chamisa?Is Hopewell Chin’ono aying games so that a Nelson Chamisa’s strength goes against a stronger Mnangagwa in the 2023 polls?
This seems too true seeing Chin’ono’s work for Auxillia Mnangagwa to protect her convicted armed robber brother (a 2023 election rigger) since 15th May when he telephoned and threatened Simba Chikanza so to make him delete his first tweet posted at 9.29am (London time) demanding she finishes his interview in the strongest terms.
Chin’ono also opens his notes saying he succeeded in life through a commonwealth 2 year work visa around 2004 thereabouts, which is not true, because he had amassed hundreds of thousands of pounds in unexplained wealth 3years before when he changed his names 3 times.
Can Chin’ono, a man who changed his own name 3 tines between 2000 and 2001, when he amassed hundreds of thousands of pounds in suspicious wealth, long before he was ever a journalist, be trusted with negotiating terms for the future of Zimbabwe?
BY HOPEWELL CHIN’ONO | FULL TEXT
1. Today I was invited to meet with the @commonwealthsec visiting team to Zimbabwe led by Professor Luis Franceschi @lgfranceschi
I started by telling them that my life was turned around through a 2 year Commonwealth Visa that allowed me and many others to work in Britain.
2. I added that this is 1 of many Commonwealth benefits to ordinary Zimbabweans that were denied to them when ZANUPF petulantly and arbitrarily pulled the country out of the Commonwealth simply because it didn’t want to adhere to its constitutional prescriptions of Rule of Law.
3. I explained to them that the withdrawal from the Commonwealth affected ordinary Zimbabweans the most, than it affected ZANUPF, whose only and main issue then and now remains a bruised ego and political propaganda if Zimbabwe was readmitted today or in the near future.
4. I explained that like Targeted Sanctions, the withdrawal from the Commonwealth was used as a crude propaganda tool, and that ZANUPF has never looked at the consequences to the ordinary Zimbabweans who benefited from things like Commonwealth higher education scholarships & jobs.
5. I also added that based on the Rule of Law and abuse of institutions, things have gotten worse after Mugabe’s removal using many cases including that of @JobSikhala1, Nyatsime 16 and the routine arrests and jailing of journalists for reporting and exposing corruption.
6. I however added that there is nothing to be gained from shutting the door against Zimbabwe as a country of over 15 million in order to punish an incorrigible political party, ZANUPF, and its regime in power.
I added that dialogue remains the only viable option on the table.
7. I suggested that there must be reform benchmarks to which Zimbabwe’s admission must be tied to, like the release of all political prisoners, and dropping of ALL trumped up charges against the political opposition and Government critics.
This will measure ZANUPF’s sincerity.
8. I also said that the Commonwealth should be a global family of nations with certain inalienable rights afforded to Commonwealth citizens like the Rule of Law, Human Rights and a right to life through working healthcare systems if its existence is going to be meaningful at all.
9. I went to this meeting aware that my voice is not only mine, but that it represents millions of Zimbabweans who can’t speak for themselves.
As such, I made this meeting about issues, instead of endlessly talking about my personal persecution.
I only used it as an example!
10. Over & above other issues discussed that will remain off the record, I said that I was not opposed to the re-admission of Zimbabwe into the Commonwealth.
Doing so as a recipient of Commonwealth arrangements would be no different to kicking the ladder to stop others climbing.
11. Zimbabwe is better for Zimbabweans when it is held up against a certain value system and standards than being in a jungle as we have been under the current regime.
A choice between ZANUPF using re-admission for propaganda whilst citizens benefit or staying out is a no brainer.
13. There are draconian bills in parliament like the PVO, Patriotic Act bill and pending electoral reforms, these should be a good starting point for the @commonwealthsec to see ZANUPF’s sincerity
An unconditional readmission would be catastrophic for the Commonwealth’s standing.
14. I therefore hope that Zimbabwe will be readmitted into the Commonwealth, and that this will help Zimbabwe as a country to have access to a market of more than 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens.
Political parties come and go, Zimbabwe will remain!