‘Zimbabwe Today’ by Robb WJ Ellis (08-05-2008)

I think it is safe to say that we expected nothing less. I really doubt that any soldier worth his oats will admit that they have mauled, tortured and killed the opposition.

“Zimbabwe™s army on Wednesday broke its silence on political violence in the country to reject charges that soldiers have violated human rights and murdered opposition supporters since March when President Robert Mugabe™s government suffered electoral defeat.

Army deputy public relations officer, Major Alphios Makotore, said the army was concerned by the allegations that soldiers have spearheaded a campaign of violence, torture and murder against opposition supporters to force them to vote for Mugabe in a second round presidential election.“

If what this spokesman says is correct, then who is perpetrating the violence? Simple really – the war veterans, the youth brigades and the militia. And it is all under the direct instructions of Mugabe and his illegal government.

“The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) wishes to raise concerns over articles being published in the print and the electronic media on allegations relating to the alleged political violence, assaults, harassment and robberies perpetrated by men in army uniforms the army categorically distances itself and any of its members from such activities.”

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party accuses the army of spearheading and directing a campaign of violence and murder by gangs of ruling ZANU PF party youths and war veterans that the opposition says has killed 24 of its members and displaced another 5000, while 800 homesteads have been burnt down.

The MDC has alleged that the army has deployed more than 200 senior soldiers to orchestrate violence in what the opposition party has described as a war being waged by Mugabe against voters in a bid to intimidate them to grant him another five years in office.“

But if Mugabe’s soldiers say they aren’t committing the violence, then I suppose they aren’t…

“We have names of soldiers perpetrating violence,” Chamisa said. “No amount of denials will take away the fact that the army, police, CIO agents, war veterans and ZANU PF militia are brutalising our supporters.“

What struck me, was the headline of this story…

“Gukurahundi By Any Other Name” – together with this photograph of one of the victims slain in the post-election violence.”

The death toll of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters killed in post-election violence that is being investigated by South African officials has increased to 24.

Shepherd Mushonga, an MDC MP for Mazowe Central, said four MDC members had been killed in Chiweshe, 100 kilometres north of Harare, on Sunday night after being beaten by youth militia loyal to Mugabe™s ZANU PF party.

Mushonga told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that the youths went door to door looking for MDC members and that several other people had been hospitalized with injuries following the attack.

It was not possible to immediately verify the report, which the MDC says brings to 24 the number of people from within its ranks killed in revenge attacks by mainly ZANU PF youth militia and soldiers following Mugabe™s party™s defeat in March parliamentary elections.

The MDC defeated ZANU PF in the 210-seat House of Assembly. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai also took more votes than 84-year-old Mugabe in the presidential election, but not enough for an outright win.“

So, if the army are not carrying out the violence, then who is? Months ago, I coined the phrase “Gukurahundi II” and stated that violence would break out all over the country – and that if the election did not fall in favour of Mugabe, that the country would slide into civil war.

Echoes of Rwanda/Burundi 1994?

A senior cop has told fellow senior officers that a Tsvangirai vote will lead to a civil war.

When people who carry some authority in Zimbabwe, albeit within the armed forces (and in this description, I include the ZRP), threaten the people with a civil war, then we know that the situation is beyond redemption by Zimbabweans alone.

How many more people have to be sacrificed before someone sees the error of ZANU PF’s way? Ruling by intimidation, violence and death is no way for any country to be run. And yet Mugabe says nothing, smiles contentedly and claims that the election runoff will be won easily by ZANU PF.

Well, if they are allowed to continue with their campaign of merciless violence against the people, then the results are predetermined are they not?

“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is expected to announce a date for a runoff between the two leading candidates in the coming days. Mugabe has said he will participate but Tsvangirai™s Movement for Democratic Change, which insists he won decisively, has yet to announce whether their man will partake.

A team of South African officials led by Local Government Minister Sydney Mumafadi has arrived in Zimbabwe Monday night to investigate the violence.

“They are already here and they are busy conducting wide-ranging interviews. This is not going to be a selective process. They are going to talk to all relevant players,” William Geerlings, First Secretary at the South African embassy in Harare, said.

The African Union (AU) was also due to discuss the Zimbabwean crisis at a two-day meeting in Tanzania™s northern town of Arusha starting Tuesday, the country™s foreign minister Bernard Membe confirmed.“

“Players”? So they think that the political violence is a game? Tell that to the families of those beaten and killed! What a halfwit! Just because their esteemed leader, Thabo Mbeki, is Mugabe’s ally and friend, is no reason to belittle the Zimbabwean people with depreciative comments…

And, as we have seen in the past, there will be little decided or agreed upon, and the reports will land on desks, never to be published or made public. And the violence will continue…

As one might expect, the violence in Zimbabwe continues unabated, and will take the headlines every time. I have not doubt that this is a deliberate ploy by Mugabe, as if the people have something else to worry about, then they can hardly concentrate on what he and his hoodlums are up to…

“Post-election violence in Zimbabwe intensified late Monday as soldiers and self-styled liberation war veterans attacked four villages near Chiweshe in the constituency of Mazowe North, Mashonaland Central Province, killing 11 people and leaving more than 20 others seriously injured, according to opposition sources.

These sources said the attackers were led by a recently elected member of parliament for the ZANU PF party of President Robert Mugabe, Cairo Mhandu, a recently retired soldier. Sources informed on conditions in Chiweshe said soldiers continued to go door-to-door in the area on Tuesday beating suspected opposition members.“

Why am I not surprised to read that the violence is led by a former soldier and elected MP?

Whilst the illegal government of Robert Mugabe denies that the soldiers or any of their people are behind the violence…

“In the Maramba-Pfungwe constituency of Mashonaland East, a mother was said to have collapsed and died on Monday as she watched ruling party militia members beat her son. In Hwedza, Mashonaland East, activists were severely beaten at Mwai Farm and the ZANU PF militia was said to be denying them access to medical attention.

“Sources said soldiers and militia members were torturing opposition supporters at the Nembudziya business center in Masvingo Province, where a camp has been set up.

Senior members of the army and war veterans were warning, meanwhile, that the violence is set to escalate. These sources said members of the army and war veterans have established camps on farms to train ZANU PF youth in military tactics.

Such camps have been set up in Murewa and Mutoko in Mashonaland East and Shamva in Mashonaland Central. Army sources said top army and police officials in the past week have been moving from one camp to another telling junior officers to be ready to defend Zimbabwe against the allegedly Western-backed opposition.“

Of course the army are saying they are not responsible for the violence – it is the people who they have trained that are terrorising the people!

“Five more MDC activists have been murdered following heavy attacks by the ZANU PF militia bringing the total number of killed party supporters to 25 since the 29 March elections.

However, the cases might be higher as some of the deaths are going unreported as the families of the deceased fear further retribution from the illegal ZANU PF regime.

Tawanda Meda, Joseph Maguranhende and Alex Chiriseri all of Nehasha village in Chiweshe communal lands, Mashonaland Central province were beaten to death by ZANU PF supporters who were accompanied by men in army uniforms on 5 May 2008.

Meda, 28, was an MDC polling agent in Mazowe North constituency and died on the spot after being severely attacked.

Maguranhende and Chiriseri were also attacked in the same manner.“

And, because the ZNA say that it is not their members perpetrating the violence, we are all meant to believe them? So what happened then? These men beat themselves to death? And the ZRP are proving to be almost as efficient as the economy…

“Police were notified about the attacks and the attackers have been identified but no action has been taken.

Other villagers also sustained serious injuries and several of them are receiving treatment while others have fled their homes and have sought shelter in the mountains.

In Kotwa, Mudzi, Gilbert Nyagupe a well known activist from Nyagupe village was axed to death by ZANU PF youth militia and one of the assailants was identified as Jessie Nau.

In another shocking incident, Catherine Makwenjere of Mwenezi died on 29 April at Morgenster Hospital in Masvingo after she had been assaulted by Zanu PF supporters for voting and supporting the MDC.“

How can the entire world stand watching the events in Zimbabwe and do nothing? Yes, the South African government has launched a ‘probe’ – but let’s remember that South Africa is led by Mugabe’s close shamwari and confidante, Thabo Mbeki, whilst the African Union are sending in a team – but we know the leaders of the union are almost scared of Mugabe – so I expect nothing to change.

“The continued assault and destruction of people™s property by ZANU PF on accusations that they voted for the MDC in the last elections is a desperate attempt by the party to cling on to power despite clear evidence that the people of Zimbabwe have rejected ZANU PF after they voted for change and jobs in March.

The ZANU PF thugs are also confiscating national identity cards of people perceived to be MDC activists in an attempt that these people will not vote in the event of a runoff in the presidential election.

At least 33 families at Vine Farm in Mutorangashanga, Mashonaland West, were evicted from their homes on Monday 5 May after being accused of voting for the MDC.“

And so the violence and intimidation carries on, unabated and with extreme prejudice.

“Meanwhile, the MDC parliamentray candidate for Chakari, Moscow Chabvamuperu was left for dead after he was attacked by over 20 armed ZANU PF thugs and people claiming to be war veterans at his home on Sunday.

He is battling for his life at Kadoma General Hospital where he is in the intensive care unit.“

I find this sort of article questionable – only because this is showing their cards before the deal is complete. The MDC have this habit of pre-warning the Mugabe regime of their activities and intentions – and then pay the price for it, when they find ZANU PF waiting for them at that event.

“Even if President Mugabe bludgeons his way into a victory in the runoff he will find governing during a sixth term untenable, warns Zimbabwean opposition legislator and legal expert, Mr David Coltart.

He spoke as it finally dawned on election weary Zimbabweans that a second round of voting was now necessary after the country’s electoral body on Friday announced the long awaited outcome of the March 29 presidential elections.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) released the results over a month after the polls were held giving opposition leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai the lead, but not the simple majority needed to avoid a runoff with Mr Mugabe, the second-place finisher.

Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) rejected those results as fraudulent and on Saturday held off a decision on its participation in the second round.

The opposition has threatened that it will not take part in the runoff because it believes that it won outright.“

We all know that failing to participate in a runoff would be a fatal mistake – for the Zimbabwean people – as the law then states that the remaining candidate – Mugabe – would be declared the winner by default. In the event that the MDC refuses to take part in the runoff – even if they have been forced into it – they will be letting down the millions of Zimbabweans that have pinned their hopes to the party, and the many thousands of Zimbabweans that had the courage to vote for the MDC in the first round.

Let Mugabe and his cohorts threaten civil war. Let them threaten and bully the people. The point is that there must be a point which the people say; “ENOUGH”

The free world is not rushing to the Zimbabwean people’s aid, so the solution is truly a Zimbabwean one.

“Analysts warn the run off will not be a run in the park for the opposition as evidenced by the current wave of political violence in rural areas that human rights groups and aid agencies say has killed several people and forced hundreds to flee their homes. Rights groups and the MDC say the violence is mainly aimed at opposition activists or people who voted for the opposition and is designed to intimidate them into voting for Mr Mugabe in a second round.

But some analysts say if the 84 year old manages to use violence to win the runoff he would not be able to rule the country with the iron fist that has characterised his 28 year-old rule.“

Whatever happens, we can expect more violence, more audacious moves by Mugabe and his continued illegal tenure at the top of the tree.

During any one day in my life, I read an awful lot on the internet. And whilst some reports may seem a little biased one way or the other, or a story might not carry the authorities I would need to include it on my daily discussions, I do like to keep a finger on the pulse of the people, and I achieve some of that be reading the comments that people make on various web sites.

Now some of the comments would never make this page as they are laced with racial epithets or contain the most vile swear words (just why people need to express themselves with gutter language, I have to discover) – but one site I do like to visit whenever the opportunity arises, is ZimDaily…

An example of the voice of the people: “The matter was very simple. The sanctions were supposed to rig and steal the election on behalf of the MDC. By now the opposition party was supposed to be in power. ZANU PF was supposed to be in total disarray not knowing what has eaten its struggle. On Independence Day, last Friday, the MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was supposed to have addressed the nation as the country™s president. But what would Mr Tsvangirai say on Independence Day? The MDC cabinet had already been drawn. The country™s new service chiefs had already been notified on the onerous task ahead. They are even telling the people that inflation would have suddenly gone down and the economy would have been kick-started by the Germans with the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr Gideon Gono, waiting to hear when the firing squad would call his name.“

And it goes on to rip the MDC to shreds for having an ego.

Whilst another commenter, and there always is one, says: “Leave Mugabe to rule until he dies, or MDC cut ties with Bitish funding. Aything besides this run off or run over or what ever will not remove ZANU PF, not even USA, on what grounds? MDC chill, coz if you keep angering Mugabe, you will get innocent people killed and you will be in big trouble if he stays in power. You know him well. We have no oil so USA wont come, never deceive yourselves.“

Hardly the voice of reason, but it does give me a shrewd idea as to the inner thinkings of the Zimbabweans.

I was in communication with a friend in Zimbabwe this last week. And I asked how on earth they survived in Zimbabwe with the inflation through the roof and the cash shortage.

This contact explained to me that they had calculated that for a five member family to ‘get by’ in Zimbabwe for a single month, they would need to clear somewhere in the region of 15 billion…

Think about that. Fifteen billion!

To put that is context, a litre of motion lotion in Zimbabwe is sold at ZW$200 million… Unless you are on a serious wicket, and are driving a company vehicle with fuel being paid for by the company, it is hardly worth going to work for!

But the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. No job, no money, no food, no medical…

Almost daily, for some weeks, I have been calling for the MDC to publish the photographic evidence of the voting results posted outside polling station – as provided for within the constitutional amendment last year.

Whilst they do this, the should seek a court order for the ZEC to furnish them with their breakdown – on a polling station by polling station basis.

THEN conduct a comparison.

This will prove to the whole world just how corrupt the ZEC, ZANU PF and Mugabe’s illegally parked government are. Then, and only then, will the international community have the reason to intervene.

Without that evidence, it all looks like to seriously self-opinionated people having a squabble over a small piece of land.

“President Robert Mugabe could rule Zimbabwe for another year, going by utterances of the country’s electoral chief and a new round of court challenges to the March 29 election results.

In Pretoria, ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo, head of the SA observer mission, claimed the failure of the Movement for Democratic Change to supply its collations of results in Harare wards had prompted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to release its own tallies as the final result.“

I am not so sure about the next sentence.

“This allowed Mugabe to remain in power, as no presidential candidate won more than the required 50 percent of the vote.“

Where, in the Zimbabwean constitution does it say that in the event of no definitive result in the Presidential election that the sitting President is to continue with that rule until a second round decides the winner?

I doubt that even such a provision exists. I think you will find that there is provision for the appointment of a caretaker President. And that caretaker President is not selected from any interested party.

Government can then be convened based along the parliamentary election results, although no cabinet can be convened. This way, at least government can continue with running the country.

Mugabe’s continued rule with his illegally re-appointed cabinet falls outside of the constituted provisions.

“The MDC’s blunder was made during the verifications of last month’s re-count, which Mamabolo and others of the Southern African Development Community observer mission, headed by Angola, witnessed. Critics have rejected the re-counts as fatally flawed because the ballots were removed from ZEC premises and were with Zimbabwe‘s armed forces for some time.

While the re-count had not altered the original outcomes of the parliamentary poll, giving the opposition a majority for the first time in 28 years, discrepancies in a small number of wards might have had a significant effect on the presidential result.

The ZEC announced that Mugabe won about 43 percent and the MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai just under 48 percent. The MDC claims this robbed Tsvangirai of an outright win.“

Perhaps my understanding of the constitution is flawed, as one analyst believes that Mugabe continues as President legally, although I do question the re-appointment of cabinet.

“He pointed out that the Zimbabwean constitution demanded that a runoff election be held within 21 days after results were announced. But it also allowed postponement of a runoff due to conditions on the ground, such as a lack of resources. His understanding of the constitution was that Mugabe would be the caretaker ruler of Zimbabwe during this time.“

It is also thought that the filing of some 105 petitions with the Hight Court by ZANU PF and the MDC could conceivably extend any poll delay.

And finally (these postings seem to go on forever these days), it would appear that if the army or the police want anything, they just sweep in and ‘confiscate’ it, adding tho their collective larder.

“Zimbabwean police raided and ‘looted’ the popular Mbare Musika retail section in the capital, Harare during the weekend, in a suspected political move, The Zimbabwe Gazette has learnt.

Eyewitnesses say it took the police the whole weekend to clear the goods that were being sold and stored in the market place, and took them to an unknown destination.

“Surprisingly, no one was arrested. The police came in trucks and ordered everyone out of the market place.”

“They took away large quantities of rice, salt, mealie-meal and cooking oil, among other things that were stored in the market place.”

“It remains a mystery where they took all that stuff to,” said an eye witness who preferred anonymity.“

In a country where Mugabe’s armed forces do what they will, when they will, against who they will, this sort of practise is not only common, it is accepted. The affected vendors will not report any crime to the police for fear of being victimised.

Imagine not being able to report a crime to the police, because the people that you report the crime to, are the very people that committed that crime!

Welcome to Mugabe’s Zimbabwe…

“In the country, it is public knowledge that the ruling ZANU PF party uses council property such as vending stalls, especially at various market places to lure supporters. For an individual to be allowed to rent a stall, he or she has to be a ZANU PF supporter.

This is mainly common with large market places such as Mbare Musika and Mupedzanhamo market, in Harare.

The eyewitness said all the traders in the Mbare Musika retail sections stored their stock at the same place, as security is provided.

“Everyone who had stock inside lost everything, as the police did not allow any room for negotiations with anyone.”

“Some market traders went to the extent of crying as for example, one lost hundreds of kilogram™s of rice,” he said.“

And because the police represents ZANU PF (note I did not say the government), they are permitted extreme latitude and nothing legally will ever come of this. The vendors will have to take the loss and continue without. Any attempt to report the theft will result in the vendor concerned being arrested and tortured, and then left to rot in police cells until they have learned their lesson.

“Many of the policemen who raided the place, and were loading the trucks were cleanly shaven young men clad in new uniforms – probably from the notorious youth militia.“

There was a time when wearing a police uniform whilst not being an attested policeman was a serious criminal offence in Zimbabwe. But no doubt the militia will be excused their crime since they carry out these crimes in the name of ZANU PF and Mugabe.