By A Correspondent | Below is the full text of the activist, Hopewell Chin’ono’s Sunday speech as he announced to Zimbabweans his government in exile idea in a space discussion with an online presenter named Gerald Belts (Gerald) that the nation’s opposition leader Nelson Chamisa is not leadership material, unlike him who will be chosen by youths because he speaks like them.

Chin’ono accused Nelson Chamisa of misappropriating election funds. He threatened to release the specifics of his allegation, without elaborating (screen print below). Challenging the opposition leader in person, he said “funds were donated to both parties and they were misappropriated,” as he wrote while posting Chamisa’s face aside Emmerson Mnangagwa’s.

Chinono’s allegations against Chamisa are likely to call for the same accountability standards he advocates because he has so far revealed that he purchased his first property from illicit proceeds from the UK he obtained back in 1996, contrary to his earlier claims that didn’t use any UK cash, it was a Zimbabwe CABS bank mortgage. (see the following video of his explosive disclosures).

Chin’ono (Hopewell) also said that he is better than Chamisa because unlike the well known military advisor (Chin’ono) who admits to singularly corrupting the Defence Minister VP Chiwenga to deploy soldiers against Chamisa’s civil society over the last 7 years, Chamisa, according to Chin’ono has committed human rights abuses against his supporters who (Chin’ono) alleges have been abandoned over the last 7 years by their leader, Chamisa.

Chinono spoke of himself saying “…Hopewell, because he is cool, he talks about dancehall, he can rap, he can toast like Buju, he drinks whisky, I like that old man, you know, and we’re trying to avoid that, you know. If I go to to the ghetto right now and I say ‘listen rude bwoy! I am a want to lead this thing you know, we need your support, wagwan you need me bredda!,’ they will chose me!” (Audio below)

He also accused Chamisa of abandoning his supporters. He said:

Chamisa has not commented over the allegation.

Meanwhile, the full text of Chin’ono (Hopewell)’s speech was as follows-

Gerald: good evening ladies and gentlemen, I hope I find you well. Welcome to this space; this space; because is all about the state of the state of the Republic and I’m going to be joining. I’m going to be joining conversation with guests in this program tonight. I think we have advertised this program and it has had an overwhelming response. I think that … I hope you understand that this space is all about Zimbabwe and talking about what is the current state and what he thinks needs to be done in order for us to overcome the present situation that we are finding ourselves in. The story of Zimbabwe does not need any introduction, especially the so-called second Republic we all know what happened to us for us to be here. We all know about the 2017 military that in administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa. We know the support that he got from Zimbabweans … From the time that Mnangagwa became the President of Zimbabwe there was a lot of hope there were many promises but the issues of corruption fighting corruption and showing that there is going to be governance and good governance in Zimbabwe. We all know about the story of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. We all know the stories about the restoration. We all know the stories about making Zimbabwe a better economy… We all know these stories, ladies and gentlemen, but we have travelled you know, all that journey. We have had many elections since Emerson Mnangagwa became the President of Zimbabwe after the ouster of President Robert Mugabe; we have travelled that journey. We have seen everything that has happened from the economic front to the economic front to the social front everything that you can think of. 

We do not have much time, aaah but we will try by all means to invite people to come through and ask Hopewell questions and we are going to be doing that but I want you to be cognizant of the fact that we do not have much time but as the space progresses, we will be updating you in terms of how much time we have and each process that we are going to be going through in terms of conducting the space .

So on that note ladies and gentlemen, I want to welcome you to the space and can I ask you Zimbabweans.

So my guest tonight needs no introduction my guest tonight is an individual that is known to most Zimbabweans and to the people of the world at large; so Hopewell Chin’ono welcome to this space.

Hopewell: Aaah; Thank you very much Uncle Ged for inviting me and I would like to thank everybody who has come and as Uncle Ged has explained this space is about the state of affairs of Zimbabwe and sharing my views on what I think needs to be done. It’s a bit scary that before you start peeking there over 1000 people on the space and I hope everyone is going to be excited about what I am saying and I hope that they can also ask relevant questions and carry forward this conversation after this space because that is what this conversation is all about; so, you all know that I am so passionate about health issues, because I have had to deal with health issues from my family community and national level, I have dealt with people that can’t pay to get an aching tooth to be removed. People that can’t pay just to get an appointment at a public hospital people that do not have that kind of money; and I think it is cruel for a society to ignore such an important issue because we are almost vulnerable at our weakness and weak during illness.

And you all know that I made the award-winning documentary film, and I am so proud of the award winning name, please keep repeating it because I love that awards that’s what pushes me to do excellent work; I made the award winning documentary film State of Mind. And it was about mental illness, and if you have time, in Zimbabwe just visit a local mental illness institution for you to understand what I am saying, people that are supposed to be getting medication but they can’t, and mental illness is different from any other illness because once you don’t take that medication you relapse, and it’s mental nurses who are on this call who will explain to others; it’s not expensive our constitution explains that mental health medication should be free but the government is not delivering on that. I have also explained on many times that we have 2500 women that die every year giving birth; that’s a shame on our country; we have about 4 to 4500 women that die every year to breast cancer every year because there is no radiation treatment; we have over 15,000 people that die every year from cancer and these are recorded numbers; there are many who die in homes that are not recorded, we do not have x ray machines. We do not have ambulances, I’ve always said that Kariba Hospital where the biggest man made lake is, it’s a tourist attraction is does not have an x ray. I see my brother Joseph Kalimbwe from Zambia here he will tell you that they have had to carry the weight of problems in Mashonaland West in Zambia. And luckily Zambians do not charge Zimbabweans, for healthcare but that’s the state of affairs; 

We have 95% unemployment; we have the highest inflation in the world. We have a currency that is fixed it’s not floating. It’s not like the Rand that is floating. It is fixed for corruption purposes. We have a dysfunctional banking system; if you leave $20 today in Zimbabwe bank account if you come back after six months you will be owing that bank and we do not even have banking facilities like loans or mortgages: I have often told you, contrary to the propaganda that you see others saying prove how where you got this money; I bought my house my first house in Chisipite eeerrh using a loan a mortgage loan from CABC Building Society, today young people of 29; I bought that house when I was 29 years old In 2001. Today a 29 year old person cannot afford to buy shoes that is how bad things are. It is even worse when civil servant are underpaid. And a lot of people have been wondering why is it that companies like Edgars and Truworths are folding, it’s because those companies their model of business is based on people accessing credit. But now we do not have that credit being offered,  and because of that those companies are closing a people are losing jobs and civil servants do not have access to credit to buy nice clothes. When I was.

Gerald: Right

Hopewell: Uncle Ged, I think you have left your microphone on. 

Gerald: Yes, I left it open you because I needed to get into this conversation with you because you have already started to talk about the state of the republic [and now you are now going into something else]

Hopewell: Yeah what I want is to present and then when I am done and then you can. 

Gerald: Yeah, so what I wanted was to greet the people, and then we, I give you the floor in terms of this conversation, you talking about the state of the republic. And you have already gone into that so I just want to let the people know that we are in there now and errr please, you know go ahead in your elaboration of these things. Can you also you know, talk to us? Can you also in this conversation? Tell us how we got into this situation, in this position. So I’m going to close my mic and I am giving you the floor, to go ahead, so please go ahead with your introductory remarks and also delve into that conversation, in terms of how we did we get to be where we are today as a nation thank you very much. Please go ahead.

Hopewell: Aaah thank you very much for that. I was talking about the civil service. The next thing that we know about corruption billions of dollars are being looted every year. This is on the record you can find this stuff. Even the Zimbabwean government itself acknowledges that billions of dollars are being looted so it is not something that we can contest each other about the figures we have infrastructure projects that are taking place in Zimbabwe but these infrastructure projects are also used as platforms to loot public funds so you find that we talk about roads but if you actually go into detail about how much we have spent on those roads versus what has been done on those roads you’ll realise that actually this is a platform  a program to loot public funds eeer, that’s why they don’t go into things like hospitals because there’s very little to do to them, so if you go and buy a radiotherapy cancer machine it is between $1 and $2million; if you build a maternity theatre it is US$37,000;  So there is very little to steal left, so they go for projects where they can steal and amplify the propaganda that they have done work, when actually it’s not about doing work. 

Look at Beitbridge Border Poet if you look t the tendering, there is always some shady stuff going on and unfortunately all this stuff comes back to our President which is something that I don’t have to go into depth because it is all documented now this crisis has created a massive Immigration headache for our neighbours specifically South Africa but the problem that for you to understand how bad this problem is, 600 Zimbabweans are dying every month In South Africa; this is a number that I checked and it is confirmed by the South Africans. It’s confirmed on the Zimbabwe side 600 at least 600 Zimbabweans are dying; these people are dying they don’t have medical aid they are working so hard for their families back home. And they have been driven out because of the corrupt rule that is taking place in Zimbabwe. They are taking care of two households one In South Africa and one in Zimbabwe where they came from. They have to look after their kids and all their parents, their siblings, and they have to look for their parents back if they have a family here if you go to Britain  They are doing the same. Their kids can’t go on holidays because they have to send money home they can’t send their kids to private schools because they have to split their salaries between UK and Zimbabwe. People have to be taken care of in Zimbabwe and all these things are caused by the same things and we know what it is: we have issues of human rights abuses people getting arrested and this has been going on for the past 44 years with different complexions depending on who the enemy is perceived to be right now we have over 100 people that are in prison. these are Pro democracy activities. We even have a sound engineer who has nothing to do with the purported protest that were being talking about he is in prison. His crime is that he was suspected of being part of the group that was purported to be planning protests during the SADC Summit. We have no access access to land. This is a very important point for me. We have no access to land. This government uses land as a propaganda to at one point I had become one of the biggest breeders of boer goats in Zimbabwe but I was doing it in my village. KwaChinono. I was told that if you want land, join the party; so if you are not in the party you can’t get access to the land and that is unacceptable because the liberation struggle was about opportunities and one of those opportunities is Land but every Zimbabwean especially those living in the diaspora they want to plough their resources back into the economy but they can’t because you have to be to the party or you have to know someone who belongs to the party so economic opportunities have been blocked. The judiciary has been Bought so all those people are struggling. They don’t have access to the pensions they wedged for years some 40 years but they don’t have access to pensions so tonight is about what I want to depose. I was just giving this as a background to what led me to say we need to do something , I travel a lot around the world and I see the potential opportunities for Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe. What we could be doing I flew out of Birmingham Airport going to France and as the plane left or leaves for those who have used Birmingham Airport from the time the plane touches down to the time it stops it is all solar panels but we know our situation when money is released for those projects Emmerson Mnangagwa gets his criminal network , to dip into those resources so these are critical issues that affect Zimbabwe but Zimbabwe wins that are back in the diaspora those that live in the England you know the M1 road I was driving in the M1 road almost 30 years now and I have seen it transform.  But what frustrates me is that there are always roadworks every time and I’m thinking this should be happening in my country in our country some of the supervising engineers on the M1 Road as Zimbabweans and when I post about driving on the M1 they send messages to me to say old man you passed through where I work next time when you come back please get a hold of me. I will make sure that  You can stop at the layby area so that we can discuss so these are things that could happen in our country but not happening and so my view is that Zimbabwe now know that we will never get a free and fair elections even after the SADC says for the first time, for the first time that the election was not free and fair this is the first time that the SADC has said this You even have publications cartooning myself for expressing these issues. A lot of people are no longer having the courage that I do because they are afraid of being shut down by either press that is Pro-regime or a press that is pro specific factions of the opposition because they will insult you they will ridicule you, they will humiliate you for having an idea. They will humiliate you for having an idea. All the efforts that you put or many other people put count to nothing as long as they perceive that you are fighting their guy whether it is Mnangagwa or any of the factional opposition leaders they will attack you so people are now scared to talk especially on Twitter. Twitter has become so toxic. So people are now scared; you will find decent conversations sometimes on Facebook; the platform that I really like is Instagram because it is young people and the irony there is that out there on Instagram people are having decent conversations they don’t insult you, I mean I get messages insulting not just myself my mother my father my children my whole village; where, where nasty things are said; lies are said about you; Ex Girlfriends are pulled to lie about who you are; and this is a toxic culture which explains what Dr. Solomon Guramatunhu said that Zimbabweans should not complain about Zanu PF, because Zanu PF is a reflection of who they are… these people come from these communities; so you can’t criticise anyone you can’t critique anyone because there is a group of people that does not want someone or a political party or whatever it is to be critiqued; And so I am not really bothered about that. I don’t care I have shock absorbers to deal with those things, for you to get to where I am today you have to get those shock absorbers because along the way so many people will be fighting you and if you have a conviction and a principle you must stand up for it; don’t be intimidated and I encourage everyone not to be intimidated by bullies on social media; they have nothing meaningful to say that’s why they insult they can’t engage on issues; they would rather engage in personality form and that is very bad. We need to change that very culture; so my proposition is that Zimbabwe needs; elections don’t work. People are scared to go into the streets which means Zanu PF is comfortable with what it is doing. That is why Mnangagwa is able to arrest people and nothing happens; that is why he is able to steal all your money by changing the currency and nothing happens; in other societies, if things get if things like that happen [a fire will be triggered] but we must accept that we do not have that capacity to do those things both at leadership level and at community level, as citizens ourselves I would imagine that if a leader says let’s go out I wonder how many people would go out people will stay at home so those options are off the options now until things change; so I’m proposing that Zimbabwe must have whatI have tentatively called… this is not definitive; we can formulate and refine things as we go along the way but at least the ideas must be on the table for us to start a family discussion as Zimbabweans; 

So I am proposing that we must have a government in exile, a government in exile that will articulate the issues of the Zimbabwean people because in the exile we can get space we get space that we cannot get back home; it hurts me so much that Jameson Timba is in prison. He would never hurt a fly. But we are in a time where the regime is now embolden because it knows that nobody is going to come out and do anything. So that’s why I am proposing a government in exile; this idea has freaked out the regime and it has freaked out some elements of the opposition because they think this is Hopewell trying to come through the back door  to capture power. No it’s not it, and you are going to see as you go along tonight as I explain why I have proposed this thing and why I think it should be a vehicle to hold. our struggle for now until things change back home. 

So it must be an entity led by competent Zimbabweans; it’s not based on religion or on ethnic background, or on racial; as long as someone is Zimbabwean and they are able to contribute something there should be room for them to be able to participate; the reason why I have thought about this is everywhere that I go in high and lower places I go, in places across the world, they say organise yourselves. There is no organisation that we are seeing that is robust, so you need to organise yourselves. We have heard your problems; we agree that things need to change, but you need to organise yourselves.We have heard your problems. We agree that things need to change but you need to organise yourselves; so we need to start in a space where we actually organise ourselves and then go beyond that; this is not someone or a group of people trying to take power through the back door or trying to undermine anybody, this is something that always Zimbabweans and Zimbabwe wins… (sic) that we want to see Zimbabwe change so this is meant for Zimbabwe, for our country. It is not; it is meant to benefit our country, not individuals at all so as I explained, the space has been closed; there is no election; credible election, there is fear so nothing works at the moment back home; Opposition is dysfunctional and we can all agree that there is no coherent opposition. We have seeing opposition leaders getting certificates at the school of ideology in Zanu PF that is not not the opposition to me. It is an accessory to authoritarian rule in Zimbabwe. The diaspora has the capacity to do things that may be at home they are not able to do; even in terms of skills; 8% of our skills, the last time there was a World Bank sponsored project which was led by I can’t remember what doctor; he used to be with the World Bank I think it is Dr. Mugwagwa where they said about 70% of skilled Zimbabweans are in the diaspora; it could be South Africa, or is it Canada or whatever Australia they are out there; but these people have resources, they send 1 to US$3 billion every year that is a lot of money.  Parirenyatwa Hospital, Mpilo, UBH, Chitungwiza and 

Ingutsheni, those city central hospitals they only require USD6 million for them to function without any shortages at all. All the radiotherapy machines for them to work they only need 6 million. It shows that Emmerson doesn’t care about fixing these things because it’s small money; in the bigger scheme of things, but they are not interested; so there are so many examples where this kind of animal has been set before to try and help through people back home, the Eritrean diaspora; they set one up I think it was around 2000, it was involved and I think it is still involved in transnational politics which means people in the diaspora are directly involved in political movements back home. They actually have a manifesto, when I did some research I realised that they actually have a manifesto called the Berlin Manifesto, which was meant to set up the guidelines because you needed a legal entity. You can’t sue or defend anything in court when you don’t have a legal entity, so it’s important to have a legal entity. 

They lobby internationally and the same thing with those that are really into the Bible you know that the Israelis had a massive diaspora for centuries. It is now a very powerful diaspora. You find it in the American governments in British governments and places like that and it lobbies for issues to do; we might not necessarily agree with how the government conduct itself or what they are doing at the moment in Palestine or in the Gazza trip, but I’m using this as an example where certain countries have set up something; they lobby the media; bring awareness to their issues and this is what they do also in Zimbabweans to bring up to awareness Zimbabwe issues. When you see me cross crossing around the world I am using my own money, to go and meet certain people who say to me, hey, we see you write a lot about what’s happening in your country;  come let’s have a chat we want to understand what’s happening but as an individual it’s not proper to carry the weight of a country it is impossible but when you have an institution that is able to carry the weight of the problems then the problems are shared and things become easier and there is a certain radicalism that young people demand from the opposition and they are not getting to some members of the opposition that I speak to privately they tell me that oh we are afraid, so and so was was arrested; so this kind of an animal also takes care of that. All of you you know that if I fly into Robert Mugabe International Airport tonight, I am going to the Chikurubi [Maximum Prison] you all know that, but I’m able to do what I am doing outside of Zimbabwe because I have the freedom at best to do so and I have the protection of not just where I go in Europe and America but even certain American and African governments have warned me that you have to do things this way because everybody is fed up with what is happening in Zimbabwe but they don’t just verbalise it because of what my sister Sophie Mokoena said on Thursday that this liberation war generation they don’t want to say these things in public but I can tell you that without a doubt, I can tell you authoritatively, that they are also fed up with what’s happening in Zimbabwe they know that Zimbabwe has resources they know that Zimbabwe can sort itself out but it is not happening and some of them have to carry the heavy burden and so so the end of this animal; the immediate things that we can think of right now is things like the SADC election observer report; that thing should be used as a document to start pushing for reforms; we have something that is coming from the region not from America not from Britain it was written from within the region; that document should be used and should be used now, to start pushing for reforms. We are not asking for European reforms or for American reforms, this is a document by Africans for an African country about an African event so we need to start using that now. This animal should start dealing with the issue of human rights and once we’ve agreed on how  things should be shared, we should start talking about the human rights abuse that is taking place in Zimbabwe; it can’t be a country that you can’t even talk about something that is underpinned in the constitution without fear of arrest. I am telling you that I became so about people who worked for me in Zimbabwe became so paranoid; each time the intercom went off you’d think, oh my God, could it be them again and this is the kind of fear that should never as Edson Zvobgo said in 1978 in Mozambique- we can’t countenance a country where every time you sleep with your doors barricaded, scared of the Special Branch, today we are scared of Law And Order that they might come and pick you up. I spoke to Jacob Ngarivhume when they were picking him up. The family was in fear and he called me and he said they are outside my house, and so it’s important to have an organisation that can give equal care to everyone who is a victim of this. The parties have failed to do this. Because if you don’t belong to a party, people are not interest in what’s going on around you.  If you belong to a party your party guys come and that is not right, we need to fix that. And we need to lobby for the diaspora vote. The Zimbabwean economy is nothing without the diaspora; they deserve to have a right to vote. They used to hide behind sanctions, sanctions were removed; the diaspora vote must come and we must lobby for it both in the region and across the continent; People in South Africa they know that they can vote in London and anywhere else. Why can’t we do the same? We need to fight for this. This shouldn’t be about lip service when it’s election time. It should be start now. The Zimbabwean diaspora deserves a vote. 

If it does not get a vote, we should impose our own sanctions, we will get to that at the appropriate time. But there are sanctions that we can impose until that vote is given to Zimbabwe and another thing that we can invite And as people in the region and I’ve spoken to a lot of leaders who have a agreed on this point.

… I have spoken to a lot of leaders who are ready to have this SADC tribunal needs to come back.  We have a dysfunctional judiciary in Zimbabwe that is used by Emmerson Mnangagwa to throw people in jail, deny them bail and things like that; we have people who have lost property black people. I’m not even talking about white people and I know black people including my own brother whose farm was taken and nothing happens, so we need to lobby for the return and we want to see which leaders are ready to say no; why would we lead in a democratic society and say we have a free judiciary to a professional judiciary?  And other things like fighting corruption, dealing with things like projects for healthcare, Education and things like that but more importantly, helping our citizens are citizens who are struggling. Do you know in 2019 when Dr Mashumba cried, when she was presenting her case to the former health minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo, it triggered me. 

I set up several hospitals I brought in some of the best minds in our society people like Dr. Guramatunhu, Dr Charles Mazhude, the former mayor Of Harare, Bishop Gandiya, I brought this group and we brought in goods worth millions of dollars and they were put in hospitals, they were brought into the country; we got duty free certificates for several hospitals. The program stopped because of Covid and we know all know the problems that I then faced after that when I started reporting about the looting of public funds by the president and his family and this corrupt network; but these things must be done because it’s important to us to do so and I was invited by a Zimbabwean that I met at Zimfest; he is a black Zimbabwe unassuming in dreadlocks who runs a multi million business, and he was saying Mkoma, I can get drugs that cost £4,000 a Burrel, and when they are close to 6 months to expiry 6 months before they can’t be used in the NHS, these medicines can be used back home sometimes we end up sending them to other countries because of that problem; but you see these are the things that Hopewell can’t do on his own; we need to have a network of Zimbabweans so like I said, it is a tentative thing of saying a government in exile, but we can change the name; if you think oh we need a different name, we can do that but the idea is based on what I’ve said. So some of the things that we can do, is to come up with something, we can give it a name like, take the city back, we want our city back; 

People from Mutare they know what their problem is, they can take their city back they have got people in the diaspora. I have reported in the past about how I got 10 fire engines, and 10 ambulances, it didn’t go through for reasons that I’ve explained, but if we have such an entity and we have people that we are working with on the ground, in Zimbabwe, it becomes easy. People look after their own home, all of us here we are 2062, we look after our own homes. 

We have cleaned our own homes today, and a city is like your home, you clean your home; so if you deal with people on the ground that are directly affected by that particular problem it makes it easier. People know who their community leaders are so we then work with them to say okay there is a problem, there is Cholera problem in this area, let’s respond to it immediately. Let’s not wait for people that we know are not going to respond because they’re busy looting our public funds and we look for people in those communities with a track record, they could be business people, they could be Community leaders, people that have a private life, track record that can be, like if you want to do a goat project in Murehwa you will know that Hopewell does goats, he has a track record of doing goats let’s go to him, let’s see how he can assist the community in doing this. There are social movements that solve local problems, those movements are robust in dealing with those problems, it’s different from someone in Chipinge sending a message to someone in Harare who is not directly involved in those things, but if you have a Govt in exile you will have someone in Chipinge; guys in our network, who is in Chipinge, let’s try and sort out these issues; and it becomes much easier because there is transparency, it’s not one person. It is not Hopewell who is doing a Gofund for this or that; it is something that is being done by all Zimbabweans by an organisation that represents Zimbabwean interests. 

You know, I often talk about the potential that our country has; all country has the potential to become a $200 billion economy. I have often talked years for years. I’ve talked on Twitter that our country economy used to be bigger than Kenya but today we are five times smaller than Kenya. Kenya doesn’t have the minerals that we have and I often give an example that I was given by Sam Levy in 2006 a man called Richard Mashave took me to Sam Levy and we were talking about so many things I learnt many things in that one hour one of the things that he talked about was about how as Jews they value their money something that as Zimbabwe went in the diaspora have not understood or have not engaged in yet so a dollar spends 20 days in the Jewish community before it leaves and in the Asian community, a dollar spend 30 days.

In the African-American communities, a dollar spend six hours and it leaves. I want to ask you a rhetorical question which I want to reflect on how many days or hours do you think a dollar spends in the Zimbabwe when Community in Britain or In South Africa? And so these are things that we can all work on when we are working together away from political parties we are not because partisanship creates toxicity because people then start following certain things and start fighting against each other. 

I have said this before Zimbabwe has got a roadwork of 88000 km; only 17,000km is tarred, which means it’s 20%; but when the current government got into power through the coup, [in] the first one month they had stolen US$3 billion. To tar all the roads including that which passes through your village, that which you know of, costs, costs only USD70 billion. But this government stole 3 billion in the first one month,  I am giving you these numbers so that you can reflect on them; our GDP today is 1300 but we have the potential once we have a $200 billion economy we have a potential to increase our GDP to $13,000 per capita; 

So I think I will stop here because I can see Uncle Ged you are agitated. 

Gerald: Thank you very much for that, you know Hopewell. The reason why I wanted you to go ahead was for you to give us the background, an introduction and the background to do what you propose as the solution- the issues that you’ve spoken about these are the issues you as the Journalist has raised, you know previously we all know about the issue of the healthcare in Zimbabwe the issues that you have raised pertaining that the issue about the economy of Zimbabwe the issue about the social fabric of Zimbabwe you have touched on those issues. Those are issues that are not new to most Zimbabwe ones, those that subscribe to the opposition movement in Zimbabwe but we have had an opposition in Zimbabwe. The opposition in Zimbabwe is not new opposition political parties have existed in Zimbabwe when I’m talking about opposition political parties I’m talking about up for formidable opposition political parties … We all know the individual that is scouted as the individual in the face of Nelson Chamisa. Right now you’re proposing this Govt in exile. I want you to talk to us what this means because when I want you to talk about the government government and example we are talking about an outfit that resides outside the country right? it does not have legal power but is something that is foreign it is outside the country so can you walk us through how you think this entity will work our situation in Zimbabwe where we have got a government that says it was elected by the people a government that says it is legit a government that says it is doing right for the people talk to us about this creature this government in exiled that you have proposed and what it is that it will bring to the masses of Zimbabwe and where do we begin to see the differences for a government in exile and the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa the one that is in power. And why do you think that this is the proposition that Zimbabweans should be going into right now?

Hopewell: So at the moment I want to give examples, so I asked the Commonwealth when was the last time you spoke to any form of opposition in Zimbabwe and they said it was 2022 and I said when was the last time Zanu PF or anyone representing Emmerson Mnangagwa came here and they said April. Which means the government that is oppressing us is not resting they are fighting. They are fighting us at home but they are fighting for their survival internationally. We need to fight for our own survival and the only way we can do so is to create a vehicle that is credible internationally; you can imagine that the attacks I get, you know I go into offices, I met parliamentarians in Britain in France I spoke to some and they were all laughing at how when they do a Google search. ZimEye is always spreading all of this stuff but if it was but if it wasn’t for my international reputation, I wouldn’t be able to open these doors, so I am saying there are many Hopewells that are working in international organisations, some of those doors you see me entering have been opened because of Zimbabweans who are working in those organisations that are behind Zimbabwe so with those Zimbabwe that work in the United Nations they work in the African Union, they work in the SADC they work in different places, for us to harness the power that they have, we must have an institution. Mnangagwa has got his discredited government, that is why President Ramaphosa is not going to open that Show in Zimbabwe. Because it meant President Ramaphosa as Sophie told us last week, had to take his Agriculture Minister, who is the DA leader, but because of the issues to do with Zimbabwe the president that is opening the agricultural show now is coming from Mozambique, contrary to what we had been told by our government in Zimbabwe that it’s going to be President Ramaphosa. Logging There is a lot of lobbying that happens, without me or you or anyone else knowing about; there are a lot of Zimbabweans in the diaspora, so for instance if I were to call Dr James Manyika today and say, you know we need to do something on AI in Zimbabwe, you heard what he said that I don’t want to be embarrassed because of the behaviour of you know who. He doesn’t want to be embarrassed. He is the President of Google. He has got a reputation to protect but if we have something that does not embarrass our people out there internationally they will also be able to contribute they don’t have to be part of it but they will be able to contribute. If a simpleton like myself, a journalist like myself could bring in millions worth of medical consumables what more about Zimbabweans who are directors of big institutions? The current country director for UNDP right now in a country like South Africa is from Zimbabwe. These are people who can help that can help; they are not interested in politics but they are even able to source scholarships for young kids that’s why I keep saying our politics should not be toxic to a point where we destroy that which is good. Someone like Jonathan Moyo Professor Moyo, Prof Moto set up STEM. I’ve met so many people that have been saying to me if it wasn’t for Jonathan Moyo I wouldn’t have gone to America. STEM helped me. But the current government came because of their hatred of the other faction they destroyed everything to do with the other faction, and it can’t be a country that lets say one loses an election the next person comes and everything is destroyed. We can’t do that. So we need an institution that can unite all of us as Zimbabweans. I met people at, I met a couple of people at Zimfest, who are ZANU PF, who sat down with me and I said, aaah guys I came here to enjoy and they said, oh no, no no we won’t see you after this and they were talking to me about the dream they have for Zimbabwe; everybody wants to go home and retire, but we all know that as we get older our health needs become more apparent. How do you go back to a country where there’s no healthcare? I’ve got a cousin who died with money, he is a millionaire and I wrote about it on Twitter last year, they couldn’t even get a plane to fly him from Murare because there were no lights on the runway. These are basic things the government in Zimbabwe has failed and everybody who is sane in the world they know that it has failed. So we need to have…

BIG GAP…. 

So we have got the opposition that existed in Zimbabwe right? Are you saying that the opposition has failed and you Hopewell as a journalist? We all know that Journalist can be turned into politicians? I can give you an example of Boris Johnson he was once the editor of one of the newspapers, here in the UKEditor worked also for the telegram and the issues that you were speaking to about right now these are bread and butter issues that speak to the politics of Today and you are speaking about the issue of Zimbabwe government in excel you as a journalist are you trusting yourself right into the middle there and saying you want to be part and parcel of the political establishment of this animal that is called the GOVT in excel? Are you putting your name in the pot? 

Hopewell: 

I am not doing that what I’m doing is that as as Zimbabwe who also suffers from the eels created but the current government who also has to pay for children of cousins at the village who can’t afford to pay as little as $10 who has to buy school uniforms for children of cousins who can’t buy school uniforms who has to pay bills medical bills for Widows left with children who cannot buy their medication for blood pressure I have realised that I have a rot to play. I don’t want to form a political party. I don’t want to be part of a political party but I want to put an idea that can create a collective that has interest of all Zimbabwe across party lines there are Zimbabweans who live in South Africa who support Zanu PF they are Zimbabweans In South Africa who support MDC and they are Zimbabweans in England who support no political party those Zimbabweans need representation they need somebody and that somebody is not an individual it’s A group of people it’s an organisation that can represent their interest. I can knock a door at Whitehall and it opens but I am opening it while I’m doing that it is for an individuals if I was interested in fame I could do that. I am already famous. I’m not looking for fame. I am looking for an idea that I can put on the table an idea that can help Zimbabwe to deal with the problems that are back home if we speak with one voice that is endorsed by Zimbabwe and this voice is not often an individual but it is the voice of a collective there is a better chance for us to be listened to then for one person called Hopewell because he is a famous journalist adore will be opened. It will serve me as an individual. But I am saying I want something that serves all of us. I want all of us to be agents of change. This came after a long thought process where a lot of Zimbabweans said to me I want to participate but I don’t know how to participate. I don’t want to be part of a political party I don’t want but I want to participate in shaping the future of my country and making sure that there is pressure on the current government to do the right thing if it means that pressure will make this government change then that is fine if it means that that pressure will create, a situation where people become bold to do things then that’s fine. It is not illegal for Zimbabwe to come together and form an association that serves Zimbabwean interests.

Gerald:  Ladies and gentlemen for those were coming in right now thank you very much for coming through. We are listening to Hopewell. We are covering the state of the nation. He has begun his contribution by giving us a background of what he thinks he is wrong and he is proposing that we look into A government in excel as a solution to the things that we are facing can I ask you ladies and gentlemen to repost this space? Repost this space? Please can you do that? It will allow others to also come in and listen to our conversation here and joining in our conversation. 

Hopewell I am going to allow people who are listening to come in into this conversation to ask you some questions but before I do that I want us to continue with this exchange between me and you so that we do this background that will allow others to also come in and join us. 

So still on this government in exile what will it take?  We have the idea of a national transitional authority the one that Ibbo Mandaza was talking about it will then usher in and create an environment where we are able to have a situation that will allow Zimbabwe to choose leaders of their own. How does this government in exile fit into this? How does it fit into all this here? 

And in terms of then connecting with what is happening with what is there on the ground? How does that process work? Walk me through that? I need to understand. 

Hopewell:  yeah, I think that you missed the bit where I explained that this is a group of Zimbabwe in the diaspora. 

Gerald: Who chooses these people? Are they voluntary that say? Hey I am up for it. I am uncle Jed. I want to be part and parcel of this. What qualifies these individuals to be the people that constitute this government in exile is it just being Zimbabwe? What qualifies them?

Hopewell: So Today, what I as I said I am putting the idea on the table. It’s a family conversation that we are having . I want people to go and reflect and think about what I have said and then ideas will come; the problem that we have had in Zimbabwe is personality politics where one person prescribes what needs to be done. I don’t want to give the prescriptions today, to say this is what needs to be done. I have spoken to so many people some who say this is a brilliant idea. Someone who say ooh I am not so sure. Some who say this is rubbish. I see it even in the comment section. 

Some people come and dismiss it, some people, but this is how, when I was a young man when I was 15 years old those of you that grew up with me in Glen Nora, they will tell you that I said I don’t want to work for ZBC, I want to be a journalist. I was 15 years old and I was told oh I said I want to go to London. That wasn’t desire that was my dream to go out and study and work in London. And I was told that I am mad.  Some people don’t have the capacity to think big I was told that I am mad but I went to London. I started deed in London and I worked for the BBC and I wanted to but if I had listened to small minded people I would not have done that so there are people that are going to commend insult because they can’t see a vision beyond their nose; But there are people that are able to see well let’s look at this idea and see how it will work. I am not the smartest thinker in the room. There are people who are smarter than me who are able to say you know what we quite like this idea. Let’s shape it this way. So I don’t want the type of Zimbabwean politics where me as your leader as the leader of a political party I will come as Mnangagwa and then propose that I want a third term and it happens; a government Minister told me that govt doesn’t decide anything. things are decided in Kwekwe over the weekend at the president’s farm; and they just endorse that. So that’s the politics that we want to move away from, we want collective politics where Zimbabweans [and] because our interests are intertwined as Zimbabweans, we can speak to each other with one voice. We can speak to each other as Zimbabweans; we can speak to each other about so many things because our destinies manifest, we are together so I don’t want Today to say so and so must be in so-and-so can’t be in. I want this to be a family discussion. I have put it on the table I want us to discuss; Maybe what you need to do uncle Ged is to then have another space on a different day where I’m not there and people can reflect or even today after the space you can have another space where people can then reflect on what I have said and can exchange ideas. What I don’t want the same opportunities that were given to me by society not to be given to others.    

Gerald: Right. You are talking about the opportunity you got; we are talking about an environment that is different from your environment back in the day because you are talking about in the 90s when you got the opportunity the opportunity to have that dream and you worked towards the fulfilment of that dream and it became a reality and right now we are talking about a situation where we have had generations obliterated generations that have come and gone; young people that though maybe if they would if exposed to these or maybe get to these heights but they could not get to there because of the situation that they are currently in right now so talk to me how will you how will this be instilled into a generation that has endured so much hardship in Zimbabwe that they do not see a way out.

Hopewell: I think what you’re asking me I can’t figure out how to respond to this. I avoid to personalise issues because I don’t want it to be a Hopewell project. I wanted to be a People project. What I have simply done is to plan an idea; to plant an idea in people’s minds and then probably Some will say oh this idea is good but let’s call it this because it will work in a better way. We need to move from politics of personalities because politics of personalities create toxicities if you crititique someone that I like then you become a problem; there are people that support Emmerson Mnangagwa genuinely from their heart regardless of all these problems if you tell them that he is the author or he leads an organisation that is the author of our problems they will be angry with you but if you say okay, we are in this village and in this village everybody wants a better life. How do we go about it? And we start creating that better life then people will respond; if I am able; if I go along to DC today. And I go and I am given an audience by an American president today. And a decision is made on the basis of what I have said in DC you will all say on whose behalf were you speaking? You have created a problem for the whole country, you have used your influence; on whose behalf where you speaking?;

But what I’m saying Zimbabwe let us this institution because we have realised that inside the country people are afraid people afraid to the point where we are even being cartooned because we have proposed let’s use section 59, they said come and lead, like come and lead. So how do I come to the ground when you know

that immediately when I step out I am going to be in Chihwai? I said even people that are learning that are supposed to know better because they are reading they were ridiculous me when I said Division labour I was using what my skills has given me God gifts to be able to pick up the phone and call. Piki Nyandoro They have given me the ability to send an email to … That is the division of labour but you find some publications cartooning me… That division of labour… There are times when we get help from Masiyiwa he is not entitled to help us in the country there are times Strive Masiyiwa has come into the country to put medication in our hospitals. 

I am 53. I will be lucky if I will be around in 30 years time, but I want all to remember me that Judge generation they oppressed me but they were able to do ABCD.

Gerald: Hopewell, a question that I have for you … I am going to allow the remainder of the time to get others to come in and pause questions and I am hoping that we would be in the position to see that into the next hour 45 minutes if you allow us to do that as well, because I am thinking that this is around 8 pm is that okay with you? 

I am happy to answer any questions as long as the questions are constructive and that are trying to enquire what I am saying

Gerald: Any questions I will put I will announce the floor that you have got the right not to respond to any questions that you feel. The question is a personal attack on you. That does not bring any benefit to what we are not talking about here you’ve got the right to do that, but before you do that before I introduce my cohost for the night you know him he does not need any introduction. I want to ask you this question, there are some people that have looked at you as Hopewell the Journalist and they are looking at you as an individual that is working against the alternative in terms of the leaders that I existing right now that you are trying to upset them you’re trying to be in competition with them. You are trying to bring in this kind of animal which will put them into the sideline and there is a lot that has been said that you being Hopewell you seem to be looking out for me Mimi me III How do you respond to this accusation that you as an individual that has interacted with the alternative opposition in Zimbabwe? You are trying to upset them or backstab them because you have got your own ambitions that you have?

How do you respond to that?

I think it is pettiness it shows a lack of depth in understanding the things that are going through in our country. I think I don’t want I avoid talking about what I have done the opposition that is an existence today. I have actually publicly endorsed them. I have fund raised for them Fund for election campaign I have used my personal funds and I think both the opposition presidential leader and the secretary general the original ones not the fake ones they can tell you this. I am the one who fund raised the money that was used the opposition campaign that was used in. Kwekwe so anyone who says that I am against the opposition they are misplaced. They are never minded. They don’t understand the role of citizens. The role of citizens is to ask questions and critique their public affairs people that are in public affairs are CRITIC Emerson MNANGAGWA every day today was CRITIquing Mafume…

I am not trying to attack anyone. I am not aware of the person who came up with the idea of the lightbulb or the candle nor these other people who came with two different ideas and they live side-by-side today we still have the candle and we still have the lightbulb and anyone is allowed to bring an idea But what is important is to say how do we refine this idea so that it suits what is good for our circumstances during the time that we living in and that suits our people so anyone who says you know Zanu PF it was an individual. It was not five people. It was an individual that decided we should form Zanu PF and other people sat down and said so, really? Starts from an individual you can’t have two people speaking about the same thing. So that is why I’m saying we need to start thinking beyond parties and ship the role that Brian Kagoro… said… 

Does he not want to be President? I see it in the comments section and it’s embarrasses us when our neighbours can read such comments who say he just wants to… So should I keep quiet and let people continue dying? Should I keep quiet and let people go into prison? We don’t raise awareness.? Don’t even know why Zimbabwe is not in the Commonwealth because they are people who lobby for this . I expect that kind of thinking from people like Matigary, I don’t expect that kind of thinking from well meaning people. 

You are talking of this thing of bringing people from the diaspora. I’ve always had people saying that Hopewell has blocked us. You have blocked some of a lot of people so people are asking questions. How can we do that when we cannot bring or contact you?

There are people who have accused you of not being consistent that you say something today and then the next day is something that is different. You remember at one time that George was saying that anything anyone saying something about the Gold mafia we will imprison you and you came out with a tweet saying that you heard what George said, you are no longer going to tweet anything about the mafia because you don’t want to be arrested ..

I have the question. Let me answer both questions. The first question about blocking the facility was put in place. It is because of our mental health. I am mental health Advocate so I advocate for people to block anyone who are no longer meaning anything on social media, I don’t want to be have a conversation with someone who sends me a message, I can send you into your inbox so that you can see some of the messages insulting my mother and my father and I block you. It is difficult for anyone to say why are you blocking me? I’ve never blocked anyone that is having a conversation with me, I have had tough conversations with so many people I’ve never blocked them but if you become Pedante and  You start insulting me, it is my right to block you. Secondly the issue of the Gold mafia you are telling me so we are firmed that we are smart people but sometimes that smartness doesn’t get through what any smart person doesn’t understand is that I was using my profile to highlight that this is what the presidential spokesperson in Zimbabwe is saying if you ask the generalist who are on this call from South Africa and MINE other countries because of my profile they then reported that George the presidential spokesperson of Zimbabwe is intimidating people that was my way of putting it out there  There is no generalist who covered who had so much commentary on those films more than me continued doing so so I expect people to be critical in the thinking to say did he stop? I didn’t I was highlighting an issue so that international media can see that this is what Zimbabwe are being put under there are these revelations that are coming out but they are being intimidated that if you comment on about it they are going we are going to put you in prison now as one of the most prominent journalist from Zimbabwe if I report about that I am now creeping Quiet it raises questions on international media and it did exactly that the question is did hope. No, I didn’t. I continue reporting but I needed a creative way for people to see that journalist in Zimbabwe are being intimidated by the presidential of spokesperson from commenting on the gold mafia documentary. That is what it was about. I have never stopped reporting. I have even called Emma Nhongo at thief when I was in Zimbabwe that is why I was sent to PRISON so how can someone say that I am afraid to comment about our So that is why I have spoken things that have affected me and my family.

Gerald : so hopeful are you also saying that when you mentioned on this space that coming back to Zimbabwe for saying that the stuff you were saying in the last few days or few weeks about Amazon MNANGAGWA you should’ve said them on the ground if you had seen them in the ground you would’ve been arrested are saying that it is better to say these things outside of Zimbabwe because you will be arrested. Are you doing that on the same line of thinking? 

My purpose in life in serving my country is better when I am not in the country because I am able to do a lot more there is nothing that I do when I am in Zimbabwe that I can’t do when I’m out of Zimbabwe but there is a lot more that I can do when I’m outside Zimbabwe that I can do I don’t understand the reason why I left the country is because I have got an international job and I don’t know why people think that I should stay there in my home in Chisipite I have got my international job let’s delve into the issues that we are here to talk about

Gerald: I wanted to have clarification on that issue because of late you have been on the owns slot highlighting issues that are wrong with Amazon MNANGAGWA you were doing that outside of the country but I just needed to find out that it is the same line of thought line of thinking to highlight that if I was seeing this things in Zimbabwe saying this things in Zimbabwe just like Jameson I would’ve been 

Let me put it out there is nothing that I’ve said Zimbabwe I’ve said INSIDE the only thing I didn’t say when I was in Zimbabwe is Crooked ED. 

Gerald: I wanted to ask you about crooked ED that thing about crooked ED

Titus: Some people are asking I was blocked by Hopewell

Gerald: but in all fairness we have been on this journey. If you remember the last space they were people who came to ask their people who have blocked us and then they were people who came up and some of the people that he had blocked. He ended up and blocking them and he said uncle Jed this is what I have always been talking about instead of these people coming into debate things and being critical and constructive criticism but I don’t mind but for someone to go below the belt, I will go ahead and block them and I have highlighted some of the things that he is referring to and even with me I would understand and I would go down the same  thing the same route and say I am unblocking people that are some people who I would block and you would be interacting with them because in terms of the conversation they will not bring anything meaningful apart from just insulting you so let us just move on this is what we’re going to do Titus It is now past 6:30 we don’t have much time so we are going to bring in individuals that are going to be asking questions but I want to do that one individual at a time come in and ask your question, 

We are going to be bringing in a question at a time and we will be responding to that and we’re going to be bringing in another individual so this is what I am going to do. There is the first individual that I’m going to be bringing in onto the space is Chaka Chaka your question to Hopewell and then Hopewell responds. 

Chaka: hopewell was right that we will never agree on anything but to be honest my question is based on what Hopewell said today. He is a person who is talking about a network of Zimbabwe who are in the Daughter and whatever I want to know how he can achieve that how he can convince people to buy into his idea when he is the one who blocks people every Tom Dick and Harry he picks extreme examples he blocks everyone the moment you disagree with him he can come and pacify himself and say I am a good person in the lake and then the second thing he’ll come and say I don’t like to hear the things that  you have done. I don’t agree with you Hopewell you talk a lot about the things you have done you talk II Mimi you talk always my final thing is you can block people people will not stop because you block them. We have to argue the cases you may believe in what you believe so strongly the fact that the next person doesn’t believe in you the same in you they should become your enemy , convince people I’m done 

I want to repeat that I would like to discuss substantial issues about what I have discussed. I think it would be disservice to the 2700 people here everyone’s issues about blocking. I blocked you specifically you Chaka you were saying you were repeating things that I am banned in England saying that I am but I don’t see why I should engage with somebody who says what Simba-Chikanza has been saying in the last three years …. I’ve never been arrested Or taken to court in England, England

If people are serious about discussions about institution, I will never block you using the Company Twitter handle. I have a constitutional right to block you with my personal handle because it’s my right to do so I don’t want to talk to you don’t fuck yourself on me, I don’t want you counting me. You are lying about me if you get angry than I’ve blocked you, why should I keep engaging with someone who lies with you? If you want to reach out to him to say that block you know what you know? Find a solution you know way out but for now you know the most important thing you know that I think of you guys would agree with me. Is that issue of GOVT in excel again or can we have question? Do you know that that , not that you know that Only but I think it is an important thing that is talking about and most people might want to hear more you know that is there for me is that perspective? So absolutely so I’m gonna bring in one of the leaders that we have was my daughter , please come with your question 

This is a discussion so my question would be if you’ve been able to set up a platform with individuals engage with opposed to talking to us not talking to you you with that you have resources that you have that comes automatically again is why are we running away from political parties when dealing with an issue political power, we came ourselves to the same box which is that we are trying to wrestle MILITARY power… why are we running away from something that we will always come back to? Ground outside outside eventually … 

Hopewell:, having an entity outside Zimbabwe, which unite Zimbabwe is actually an intensification of the struggle… I think we should agree with that so when we move forward …

We want to give a voice to a young sister in Ireland. We want to give a voice to a mild age guy in Johannesburg. It’s not about taking power from people. It is about harnessing the skills that are available back in the Dhire that are not received and because of limitations so I will give you a good example people were short and killed on the 1st of August. nobody talked about their compensation. Nobody has attempted to go to another courts outside of Zimbabwe GGIE thing will do that it will say this is an offense. We saw the secretary general of the teachers union that was tortured. Torture is an international offence but you can’t take it to the Zimbabwe courts and Zimbabwe Lawyer cannot leave Zimbabwe and go to another jurisdiction but Zimbabwe lawyer practising law in New York can make representation… 

The second thing was Will decides what with legitimacy who decides what all those questions if you were listening from the onset I said I don’t want this to be about Hopewell. It’s an idea that I am floating. I want this to be about all of us including yourself, Dr Tony I want you to say okay this idea I think it is a good one. Let’s do it this way or I don’t think it will work because of ABCD I can’t come here And say … but luckily they are in the minority. I have got over 750,000 people following me not everyone dismisses what I am saying or hates me. There are people silent majority that listens to what I say and they digested and they say all this works this might work or this might or this doesn’t work that is the adult conversation that we should be having, as adults it’s not the first time it has been talked about it has happened so many times in history from Second World War. It shows the immediate Ness of the problem that we face in Zimbabwe that we are so desperate we have had to set up we are now so desperate the world must listen to us that’s all I am say but someone also has a right to say no let’s continue with political parties.   but as far as I am concerned, political parties have failed but we are Gemin and people that everyone who supports Zanu PF is evil not everyone who supports Zanu PF has a pure heart. We are just human beings by nature so they are people who are interested in the development of the country when we expose corruption most of the time it’s coming from people even within the regime itself sometimes even from other cabinet with Minister were fed up so they can’t do anything so they will say you … And I think it was Elias who then reported a bit of it and then me and Mduduzi Went and report a bit of it… So when we speak, let us be mindful that there are certain people that are useful there is nowhere in Africa where change has happened without … before we open our mouth, we should always reflect to understand what is it that is being talked about should I go below the belt or these are serious issues that might affect you one day even when you live in London one day there might come into Zimbabwe and you need to go into a hospital and they are not painkillers. It doesn’t affect people because they are Zanu PF or they are Ccc or they are. Madhuku people Zimbabwe conversation and you are free to be a part of it… 

There are some who are going to say I want to be part of it.  

Gerald: Can I bring in Mkoma Fainos.

Fainos: By creating this diaspora government in exile… Are you not on the resume change agenda?

Hopewell: I didn’t say opposition parties I said political parties in Zimbabwe

Fainos: So if political parties are failed where we were derive the power that you are talking about?

Hopewell: Thank you very much. I want to emphasise again that I didn’t say opposition political parties. And the second thing is legitimacy is derived from the people when Joshua, and Robert Mugabe and Advocate Chitepo Went outside the country and did what they did where did they get the legitimacy from? Legitimacy comes from the people. We can’t stop trying because this is coming from maybe one or two or 34 or… 

A lot of people that are in very high positions who are in Zimbabwe believe in GOVT and GOVT structure and legality as I said you can’t go and sue someone without legality so it’s important to have that we are not taking power from political parties. We are saying let’s help them with our limitations, that they have they can’t get certain things done because of … The diaspora which is always seen as a cash machine for anyone who wins money if they come involved in everything that is happening then things will be lighter for everyone if we have got a sister in Canada who has got who is a barrister and someone was tortured in Zimbabwe and the evidence is there we can take the case there to an institution that can represent all of us is that not better, should we just sit and get hammered?  Recently Minister a Mozambique government minister was sentenced. I think it was two or three years in jail. The case was prosecuted in the United States of America then must be a course for people to follow. They must know that if he touches people they are consequences we can even sue him in his personal capacity and go after the property he has outside the country that are owned by certain entities that are aware so this is not about us taking power from political parties. Political parties cannot do what I have explained but if we work together the common agenda here I have is Zimbabwe that is what we have in common. 

My question is regarding you are saying this is about unity and because the political parties in Zimbabwe have failed us. My question is that a government in exile it is a political group. You have got a political philosophy and so there is going to have to be a structure there is going to have to be a leader there is going to have to be a philosophy here though you are saying yes… 

hopewell: 

Okay I have heard your question. I did explain earlier on that. It is not a hopeful idea. It is an idea that any other people have and I just happen to have a lot more people following me and that is why a lot of people have picked it up. it has been discussed so many times you might just have missed it. The second thing is that I also explained that I am not giving prescriptions today to say who is going to lead what I am not doing that why don’t you want to carry the responsibility off going home to think and then come back to say these are my thoughts, to do what I must do we want …..  

30min GAP

Titus: when you talk about if Mwaanga wants to speak to you, he would listen to you because as long as you have guarantee that you cannot be arrested… 

Cucsman: thank you very much, okay thank you very much my brother Titus can you hear me? Thank you my brother Hopewell for coming into the space. My question is this given your extensive international connections and influence. I am quite puzzled by your reluctance to assume a leadership role in the movement to liberate Zimbabwe by declining to lead. Are you not perpetuating the same cycle of cowardice that you accuse others including Nelson Chamisa if you are not willing to take the reins who do you wish to take that initiative to lead mining change, because probably we will be talking about this year in year out election election while we have someone like you who like you something I would equally support you myself. I feel that I was very much disappointed after elections. I thought my leader would do something after elections action oriented, but now I discovered that even after blaming him, I’ve got nothing that I can do that is my question thank you very much. 

Hopewell: thank you very much man I want to say something to address this platform. I have unblocked you and I want to tell you why I have unblocked you. I unblocked you because you are somebody that I loved your music. They are some people who don’t support your cause, but don’t follow your music but I was very disappointed last week when you started seeing things taking things from Simba-Chikanza and spreading them I have unblocked you now I have coming to your question. I don’t want us to focus on the past and blame an individual about what happened. We all know what happened. Sometimes it’s not worth it opening old wounds because it opens hurts as I said I come tonight in peace I want us to build our country. I am happy to have a conversation as I said with anybody including MNANGAGWA and Nelson Chamisa I can talk to them. There are so many people that you wouldn’t even want to believe you would think they hate me on social media  and I called them and they talk to me because they are Zimbabwe and I love them so you and I you have got a gift to sing you lifted the election lifted lifted and I would go on my timeline to check if you had posted something and I re-edited and I will tell you that I’ve re-edited and I would post. We really enjoyed your work with. Magaisa Frustrations to get to you we are all frustrated and feel free. You have got my phone number. Feel free. You’ve got the phone to call me and say my brother. I have got a problem like this like this. We all have frustrations to some of us to the point that we cry we got to the point do you know that central hospital like Chitungwiza doesn’t have an x ray machine? My cousin was taken to the hospital and they didn’t even have an x-ray but let us not allow frustration to get to us. If you read the history of our struggle against colonialism there are many people who didn’t make it. There are many people that were frustrated. There are many people that have sold out that sold out because they couldn’t there are many Nyatis  In the struggle. 

If you ever get your mental health to struggle and you get to a point where you are now failing to pay for medical expenses a lot of people are struggling. In South Africa are struggling over 600,000 Zimbabweans you need to go to the Vine Aunt in Stellenbosch and you will see how people are struggling there people will be bleeding and they will be struggling working in the grape, farm, but let us be great to each other let us be great to each other. My journey has taken me to every other space. I grew up at a farm and then I grew up went to high school and then I went to invest in Britain and all that it doesn’t matter.

Gerald: our time now is 20 minutes time to 8 pm and so we are going to get to 7:50 and then the final 10 minutes we will give Hopewell to give his final remarks and then we will round of the program so we are taking a couple few more questions that will take us to 10 to 8 and then the final 10 minutes it will be Hopewell to give the final to us and then we will round up .

The next person to ask a question is Godfrey. 

Godfrey: Around the time of the SUMMIT, a lot of people got arrested. Do you feel that these people are being represented or we need another ORGANISATION?

Hopewell: Thank you very much for that question. I just remembered that there was a question who will lead believe in organic leadership. Leadership should come from the collective it should be organic because the idea of appointing or ordaining leaders we have seen the problem that it causes across the continent we want people to imagine because they are capable of doing something we don’t want to people to imagine I don’t want you to say Hopewell lead because I’ve got 700,000 people following me I’ve got 100 people following up Cross my social media platforms perhaps I don’t have the skills that I needed for a particular space so the skills should determine who does what if we want a health advisory council? Hopewell has never studied medicine has never been in this so he knows nothing but someone might say I want Hopewell or someone might say I like Hopewell because he talks about he can rap he talks like Buju I like that old man. We don’t want that that kind of thing. If I go to the ghetto and I talk, Wagwan, people will say that they want Hopewell. If I speak like you, they will love me because they identify with me if I say that we want a government in exile tonight let’s talk about it. They will like it because they will say this man is bad. He speaks what we like but am I the right person because I can sing about the GOVT in exile but I don’t have the scale so we should, focus on the skills not personality because ideas matter not personality . 

Gerald: Yeah man! 

Titus: there is a guy in Manchester called Matavera He always bring a piece of music Demloot, So we need that vibe. 

Tino: thank you very much host this GOVT in exile is it something that we are going to pressure the government and what exactly may be that we are going to pressure them which they will say that because for now they might say we are doing this we are actually political parties, although we know what these political parties what they are going through in Zimbabwe and also with this I heard you saying something like there will be mobilising some resources to help the communities with how we know the government of Zanu PF how paranoid are they given for the fact that for them to just hear that there are some demonstrations that might happen which were not even certain that they might happen they start rounding people whoever they suspect of wanting to demonstrate and now people they are still in prison what more about if it’s now  GOVT in exile which they might even consider like it is like hostile to them. How are they going to allow those resources that are going to be mobilised? Are they going to allow those things? So how are we going to do such a scenario or maybe we are not going to have it as a radical approach maybe  so that it can continue to have maybe to be accepted is it not the same as like? Maybe to have a call to act something like Call to act where people mobilise their resources? How are we going to convince other people that it is different from that and to from this government in exile thank you. 

Hopewell: Thank you very much. I think that I’ve mentioned maybe you were not on the call. I’ve mentioned that they are certain things that I believe should be at the top so for me the SADC election OBSERVE MISSION REPORT SHOULD BE USED TO PUSH. WE CAN CERTAINLY USE THIS REPORT BECAUSE IT IS AN AFRICAN REPORT BY A REGIONAL BODY WHICH REPRESENTS A REGION WHICH ZIMBABWE IS IN SO WE CAN USE THIS REPORT TO PUSH FOR REFORMS BUT WE DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THE SAME SPACE REMEMBER THAT OUR FRUSTRATIONS ARE BASED ON THE FACT THAT ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED ALL THE TIME. THEY HAVE BEEN BEEN ANY REFORMS FOR THE PAST 24 YEARS WE HAVE FAILED TO GET THOSE KIND OF REFORMS. WE HAVE A CONSTITUTION THAT IS GOOD ON PAPER, BUT IT IS NOT RESPECTED. WE HAVE A CAPTURED JUDICIARY. WE NEED TO LOBBY THOSE ISSUE AND THEY MUST BE IN INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES TO MAKE NOISE ONLY IN ZIMBABWE BUT THEY ARE go into Zimbabwe it is easier for me to go to New York and Saba because I am able to express and explain and show good cause that I will not get relief in Zimbabwe. I have been jailed three times by the Zimbabwean courts without having committed a crime that is good reason to go to a certain country I will never get justice in this country, there are issues we can harness. Let’s see the diaspora in terms of business away from politics. In fact, the money that is used for corruption is coming from the diaspora that is the money that they’re converting so it is difficult to use the zig To do corruption they take that money and they will buy cars and things like that and again it is also easy to resolve certain problems that exist in our community. There are certain things that I am able to fix in Glen Norah or maybe when I am in. Murehwa, it is easier to do when it is done institutionally. It then becomes an issue of Hopewell, If it is said that the project is an individuals it will not go far but if it becomes a community where everyone is a participating regardless of where that coming from it makes it easy for that money to be raised and achieve what it needs to achieve. 

I want to bring in Victoria

Victoria: Thank you, uncle Jed… I don’t want to go into wrong narrative please correct me if I heard you wrongly did you say in your presentation that they are people that approach you to bring this idea because you have got a big network?

No I didn’t say so. I said I have discussed this idea with many people in higher places. I thought that I have responsibility since I have a wider reach to put it out there so some guy who has the brilliant idea but he has 10 followers cannot sell that idea but I can sell that idea. I can bring an idea. I have done so many times as I said I brought the idea of several hospitals because I have a wider network and I put it on the table and it had People who bought into it and we brought in millions worth of hospital consumables so my role in Society is the role of that person who has a wider reach who can that can so if uncle Jed had said Victoria is coming and I am going to have sessions with Victoria very few people might have come because they don’t know you and people come  Because of Name recognition so it is important to use that name recognition for positive things in our society rather than using it for negative things so no I did not say that I was sent. I am saying that this is something that we have discussed in different forum and I thought this is a good idea. Let’s put it on the table and see how we can fix it and refine it or if it is not workable we can look for something else. 

Okay thank you. Thank you now I get you. I think I got it upside down. Thank you for your explanation. Do you think this can continue here? Or are you going to organise a space where people can discuss and look for the way forward?

The king of spaces and queen of spaces people like uncle Jed and Solani and I encourage them to have another space. Uncle Jedd can have another space tonight where people reflect on this or any other day and we can meet another time when people have the time to reflect on these things and we can come back and say this is what I think this is what I think should work, this doesn’t work. It’s not like I am going to prescribe this is going to be done. I’m asking you as citizens to take responsibility because this is a country after all. 

Thank you, my brother Hopewell so for the guys who are asking to bring up obviously I wish we had more time I wish we had more time the next 12 hours but we don’t have much time. They are 90 or so people that want to speak. I just want you to understand, we are trying to balance the conversation, everyone, has to just have a conversation 

Can we try to aim for nine because I have got a commitment elsewhere?

For 9UK time? 

I am assuming Zimbabwe so our time it would be 8 o’clock

I think that is the idea. I think will bring the question and will probably bring the question.

Hi, thank you for allowing me to be the last Speaker. I’m going to a lot of issues. I hear that there is feminine so we need to be honest with each other so my issue is to do with the idea of GOVT in exile comes from number one. I feel like we are denying the current system this current structure that exist in Zimbabwe already I think we are running away from the fact that our system is a binary system and a binary system in the fact that we have Zanu PF and opposition in the form of Nelson Tshisa so I felt like having a conversation in exile is denying the fact that there is a voice and a very strong voice of over 2 million people who have spoken on who they want to have a rep their voice to representatives so we not having a government in exile particularly because different interests or certain people that felt that they should be participating in a particular conversation are not included in the conversation hence why we are now talking about something that is fictional. I’m calling it fictional because voice is in the diaspore , I am speaking as a Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe so we had the clothes for the matches and so on at the time of the SUMMIT and it was said that Nelson Chamisa needs to stay out the conversation because there was no one there and that was because the ex extend to a certain extent Nelson Chamisa did not take  Involved so let us not ignore the fact that there is someone who Command the voice that matters so our problem that we have here is a political problem so we have required a political solution so my issue is are we not running away from the solution because the conversation was supposed to be having about a government and waiting or about a government or rather creating the necessary support system around the character or a person that has already been selected by the people regardless about what anyone might want to do or always be in it 2 million people 2 million Zimbabwe and have already spoken because if it is not that conversation then it means that we are building something that we are building from the beginning but we  But let us not ignore the fact that why are we acting as if Zimbabwe have not spoken and that is where my issue is 

Hopewell: I think. 

Gerald 

Hopewell I hate politics or personality. It is not about issues of hope it is about everyone else. I don’t see anything wrong with having a group of people that can go around the world putting light back on the regime in Zimbabwe unless we are saying no those were outside. They don’t use your influence. That is what I can say, unless if you want me to wrap up

Gerald : This is what I said that you can now wrap up so please in the next five minutes or so you can give us a close

Thank you very much. I would like to thank everyone who came through and the 2318 who are here and those who came and listened and left I would like to thank everyone I would also like to say I would like everyone to reflect on what we discussed if there are people That think they are better ideas that we want to put on the table please feel free to come back and reflect what you think can be done and bring the Beatter ideas and do not see this as an attack on SUPPORT opposition supporters. This is an attack on the corrupt system that is not working. This is an attack on a corrupt system and a dictatorship and auto Italian. Those are the people that we should be worried about. We need to put pressure to get a better Zimbabwe if you are in the opposition and you’re fighting for change I don’t see any reason why you should worry if someone else comes with  an ex and say let’s take down this tree together let’s do it together in the diaspora. We need to respect them extremely respect them. Many people in Zimbabwe could’ve been dead without the people in the Jasper. They have after families they have sent siblings and cousins to school they have built homes for people back home. They have put food for people back home. They have even brought a better quality of life for their parents buying them cars so we should respect them. Let’s not disrespect people in the diaspora so as I said that 80% of working Zimbaaaa in the diasoora so I don’t see . I wanted to say that when I set up hospitals and some people came and asked me how is this thing going to be done? They came on board because they are close to me because they trust me and they know who I am people like Dr.Gyramatunhu, my lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, Dr Mazhidu… I had all the clinical directors of all the institutions in Zimbabwe and they even came and they brought the stuff and you saw the stuff and I even brought about it so I want to say when an idea is brought on the table let’s not rush to kill it because it has been brought by someone let us not rush to think that it has been brought by someone else anything that is brought should be allowed to how it should be what we debate how we debated what do we call it? Should we call it? GOVT in exile? Should we call it something else? Those are the things that we need to think about? If you think that Zimbabwe went back home? Don’t need the help of the diaspora to send medicines in a structured way, then that is fine… But I am saying reflect and then come back on the table. 

Gerald: Tete, do you have something to say?

Titus: Thank you very much, Hopewell when we met at Zimfest…. For me there is one thing that I know when people come to speak person to person and on a life basis there was that conversation when people just speak there are animosity and political differences but then people can actually speak come together and speak in a special way so what I’m saying to you Hopewell when you bring that thing that you are bringing, I think it is a very good thing. There are a lot of people that can relate to it so I think what we need to do. We just need people to believe it to understand each other…

By A Correspondent| Zanu PF party structures are working to close the door on Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s chances of succeeding President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2028, pushing instead for constitutional amendments that would allow Mnangagwa to extend his rule indefinitely.

As the party gears up for its 21st Annual People’s Conference, to be held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds in Bulawayo from October 22 to 27, there is mounting support for these proposed changes. If adopted, the amendments could be fast-tracked through Parliament, where ZANU PF holds a commanding majority, with backing from the opposition CCC faction led by Sengezo Tshabangu.

At a recent provincial inter-district conference held by ZANU PF’s Harare Province, the most significant resolution was the recommendation that Mnangagwa should continue to lead the country beyond 2028. Harare provincial chairman Godwills Masimirembwa stated, “The Constitution of Zimbabwe must be amended to enable him to continue to lead beyond 2028.” He suggested possible avenues, including extending the length of presidential terms, increasing the number of terms allowed, or removing term limits altogether.

Additionally, the Harare conference recommended amending a constitutional clause that prohibits any changes from benefiting the incumbent president. However, legal expert Thabani Mpofu argued on X (formerly Twitter) that such an amendment would not be legitimate, stating that Mnangagwa cannot constitutionally benefit from an extension of the presidential term limit.

Mnangagwa first assumed office in 2017 after the military ousted long-time leader Robert Mugabe. He then secured electoral victories in 2018 and 2023, though both results were contested by his main rival, Nelson Chamisa.

By A Correspondent

Zimbabwean political activist Majaira Jairosi has recently alleged that President Emmerson Mnangagwa is considering replacing Vice President Constantino Chiwenga with a female candidate.

Jairosi made these claims in a post on his X handle, which has stirred significant interest and debate within Zimbabwean political circles.

According to Jairosi, there is a strong push from Mnangagwa’s family for this change.

He wrote, “Mnangagwa’s wife & children have requested to have General Chiwenga replaced by Auxilia’s friend.”

This assertion suggests that the President’s family is playing a pivotal role in influencing the potential reshuffle.

Jairosi further elaborated on the supposed motivations behind the move, noting that the President’s family aims to “complete the Mafidi Dynasty” by nominating a female Vice President from the Zanu PF women’s league. He alleged, “To complete the Mafidi Dynasty, they want a female VP nominated from the women’s league.” This statement implies that the selection of a female candidate is part of a broader strategic goal.

In addition, Jairosi claimed that Auxillia Mnangagwa, the President’s wife, has been actively involved in orchestrating this change. “Allegedly, Auxilia met a number of women in her office at ZanuPF HQ 2nd floor to plot the move,” he asserted.

This claim suggests that strategic meetings have been held to advance the push for a new female vice presidential candidate.

The claims made by Jairosi, if verified, could have significant implications for the power dynamics within Zimbabwe’s ruling party and government. However, these allegations have yet to be officially confirmed, and further developments are awaited.