By Majaira Jairosi- Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent performance address at State House, reflecting an end of his one year in office since he was endorsed by the constitutional court (ConCourt) in August 2018, was full of mockery and lies.
In all aspects of life, nothing is so annoying as to confront an ignorant ruler who conveys lies and deception with dogmatic arrogance.
In the following sections, I will attend to some of the statements that Mnangagwa made, which were all driven by nothing but lies, deception, pretence and arrogance.
My response to his statements will be in no particular order.
(1) “I heartily thank you for choosing me to lead you on this new, exciting but long journey, a year of which we have now completed.”
Well, who does he want to fool? Mnangagwa was not chosen by the majority, but by a minority with support from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which was working in cohort with the Military Junta.
We all witnessed how they came up with a ballot paper that was designed to favour Mnangagwa among other shenanigans, which I will briefly explore in other sections of this article.
Even after the election, Mnangagwa expressed his disappointment by directing an attack at his MPs whom he accused of sabotaging him by not encouraging their supporters to vote for him.
It is a known fact that most Zanu PF candidates encouraged their supporters to vote for Zanu PF MPs but to chose wisely when it comes to voting for a President.
The reality that the ConCourt endorsed him remains as true as it is that Mnangagwa was
not chosen by the people but that he was endorsed by a court. As such, the people did not
give him the consent to govern, but it is the court that consented in one of the most
bizarre judgements ever passed by, presumably, a group of learned people.
It is laughable & intriguing for Mnangagwa to think that people chose him. Given
Mnangagwa’s well documented history, which attaches him to gory episodes of murder and
ruthlessness, Zimbabweans have never trusted him or liked him. Since 2000 Mnangagwa
never won an election, reason why, in August 2018, ZEC, the Military Junta and ConCourt
had to come to his rescue the same way they did with Mugabe in 2008.
To sum up this section, let me categorically state that it is a pathological lie that the
majority of the people of Zimbabwe chose Mnangagwa. He is “unchoosable” , unlikable
and unelectable.
(2) “Above all, a solid foundation has been laid for more and greater gains in future.”
This is utter nonsense, what foundation has been laid? A solid foundation of lies, fraud, murder and
pretence. You see, when they murder people to maintain a grip on power they call it a solid
foundation; when they appoint military men like Utoile Silaigwana as Chief Elections Officer,
despite his well known history of involvement in electoral coup & fraud, they call it solid
foundation; when they practise nepotism by appointing a coup announcer’s wife as Zimbabwe Anti-
corruption Commission chairperson, they call it solid foundation.
Compatriot, when they appoint sycophants in the form of a Priest, Media Mogul and a Cooking oil
tycoon in Presidential Advisory Council, they call it solid foundation. Perhaps they are right,
because these solid foundations will make sure that Mnangagwa continues to hold on to power
regardless of his tragic leadership failure.
The truth be told, Mnangagwa’s solid foundation to power is laid on the carcasses our
people brutally murdered in August 2018 and January 2019 by cowards in military
fatigue, brandishing automatic machine guns.
(3) “We are back into the international fold, with those we continue to re-engage, notably
the Europeans and Americans, increasingly warming up to our overtures”.
Another stupid claim meant to hoodwink the generality. Contrary to this pronouncement, we heard
representatives of the international community registering their dismay on 1 st of August whilst
paying tribute to the those who were murdered by the regime. They did not mince words but they
categorically expressed their concerns over they way Mnangagwa handled the matter. It is such lack
of transparency and accountability which they maintained, will continue to hinder any prospects for
re-engagement.
It is so funny, arrogant and disingenuous that Mnangagwa tells the nation that “we are
back into the international fold” when countries like US were imposing sanctions on
unruly elements like Anselem Sanyatwe. Such penchant for lying does not help the
situation. The reason why China is now watching from a distance is that it does not want
to be seem to be the only country, which props up a patently corrupt regime. China has
very a very strong law, which detests corruption.
(4) “The pace at which our broad reforms have unfolded in the year which has gone by is
truly remarkable”
This is one of the biggest lies being told by this regime. There are no meaningful reforms
taking place. Look at the media. Entities like ZBC, The Herald and its sister papers have
remained very partisan in favour of Zanu PF. These entities have, like always, served as
Zanu PF mouthpieces with their journalists who have become the party’s activists and foot
soldiers. The way they conduct their business is so embarrassing in the eyes of the people
of Zimbabwe and the international community. Watching ZBCtv or listening to ZBC radio,
one questions why people are subject to Zanu PF nuisance day in day out. It is so
staggering that people like Nick Mangwana, Monica Mutsvangwa and dunderhead Energy
Mutodi find nothing wrong with it. For Mnangagwa to say “ The pace at which our broad
reforms have unfolded in the year which has gone by is truly remarkable” is just crude
nonsense meant to provoke the people.
When it comes to reforms, the regime has not moved an inch. One notable evidence is that
they have even introduced a law via the back-garden, which allows anyone and everyone to
be charged with “subverting a constitutionally elected government”, judging by the pace &
number of people who have been charged so far. Even by Mugabe’s standard, this is
despotism on another level. Zimbabweans have never seen anything like it. The monstrosity
being displayed by Mnangagwa has left many people shocked both local and international.
But this is who he is, a man who was described by his own people as someone who has
“consistently and persistently exhibited traits of disloyalty, disrespect, deceitfulness, and
unreliability”. The jointly drafted letter of dismissal went on to state that “He has also
demonstrated little probity in the execution of his duties”.
Anyone familiar with Zwitter (A term which describes Zimbabwean twitter community),
will agree that many people from Zimbabwe have been tweeting about the need for
genuine reforms in Zimbabwe. These demands stem from a realisation that no meaningful
reforms have been implemented so far. The calls for reforms have been loud, however the
regime, with its arrogance, has been taking no notice.
The whole address by Mnangagwa was driven by the regime’s new culture of lies, deception, fraud
and pretence. It was nothing but another Asante Sana.
Majaira Jairosi
Researcher. MDC Activist
[email protected]