ROBERT MUGABE CHALLENGED BY PATRICK KOMBAYI!

RESPONSE TO ROBERT MUGABE’S UTTERANCES AT CHIKEREMA’S HERO’S STATUS

Robert Mugabe’s baseless utterance and outright lies in denying an obvious hero the deserved National Hero status cannot go unchallenged. Mugabe had the audacity to call James Dambadza Chikerema a “run- away” politician undeserving of the honours befitting a hero when one of his closest bedfellows, Nathan Shamuyarira of the Frolizi notoriety, is there for all to see as the best example of a ‘run-way’ politician.
Does he really think Zimbabweans are blind, ignorant and stupid?
What does he really take us all for?
I, Patrick Kombayi was there in the struggle and saw with my own two eyes the people who deserted the struggle for such selfish power hunger as the formulation of FROLIZI and, if Chikerema cannot be buried at the National Shrine then Zimbabweans have the right to know how many people who today lie at the shrine should, according to Mugabe’s criteria of heroes’ selection status and exhumed. If Mugabe’s criterion of heroes’ selection disqualifies those who ran away from the struggle then he will definitely be embarrassed when Nathan Shamuyarira eventually dies. Shamuyarira ran away from the struggle together with Chikerema and a group of Zezurus to join FROLIZI in 1971 at KAFUE and I, Patrick Kombayi was there as Chairman and returning officer of the Biennial Conferences of Zanu to elect the Dare, the party’s Supreme Body.
Zimbabweans wonder, and they have all the reason to, how James Chikerema could be less deserving of his country’s honours than even such white liberals like Guy Clutton – Brock. Does Mugabe think Clutton – Brock could be a more deserving Heroes Acre candidate than Dambadza? It really boggles the mind how Mugabe and his clique in the Politburo have allowed their common sense to be so impaired. Mugabe can surely stand in front of the whole world to spell out dreamt conditions, which he and his cowardly bootlickers have dictated as necessary for hero status forgetting that a long list of people who he has buried there would be disqualified. A quick glimpse at the graves at our national shrine will bring out such names as Solomon Tawengwa, Border Gezi, Chris Ushewokunze, Mombeshora, Enos Chikowore and many more, particularly Zezurus who lie there simply of their regional – ethic belonging. But as I have always said over the years, Mugabe is a man who keeps grudges to the death. His greatest enemy is he who dares to speak the truth about him exposing his true colours. Chikerema, his own father’s sister’s son, dared to stand up for the truth and he paid for those ‘sins’ up to the grave. That Chikerema did not fight for Zimbabwe to the end is just a flimsy excuse and worthless bragging of a vengeful and cruel dictator. Look at what Mugabe does to justify the disqualification of the likes of Noel Mukono, Joe Taderera, Sheba Gava (one of the first Commissioned female officers and liberation war cadres), Bossopo Moyo, Lookout Masuku and many other cadres who really started the struggle whose fruits he enjoys today. But, according to Mugabe and his cronies, they were not all heroes! My foot!
Like I have already said in Mugabe’s warped thinking, once you stand for the truth, you become his enemy and therefore a traitor who should be persecuted up to the grave. I say this from a personal experience. My liberation struggle history is public knowledge, well chronicled with documentary and pictorial evidence. Even Fay Chung, a totally unbiased participant and keen observer of the political goings- on in the liberation struggle, commits considerable space in her recent book about the struggle:
“RE- LIVING THE SECOND CHIMURENGA” to my contribution which some of Mugabe’s closest mates in the ZANU PF gravy train cannot even fathom. Chung was observant enough to notice how Mugabe loathed any possible threat to his ambition – real or perceived.
She says on pages 161- 162 of her ‘Memories from Zimbabwe’s Liberation Struggle’…Many others flocked to Geneva. As already noted, one such person was Patrick Kombayi, a brilliant businessman who had helped fill the leadership vacuum caused by the arrest of all full time Zanu and Zanla members in Zambia between 1975 and 1976. A brilliant strategist, as well as an amazingly courageous man, he harboured ambitions to become one party’s top leaders. For his indubitable achievement, he demanded to be recognized as a top leader within Zanu, but Robert Mugabe would not allow this…. Mugabe had once been Kombayi’s teacher in primary school in Gwelo and probably this relationship had influenced his judgement against Kombayi. Although Mugabe was in some ways a populist, adopting the policies that would carry the most favour at a particular time and place, he was very adamant with regard to who should be in the leadership of Zanu PF. While he brought Shamuyarira back into the leadership, he was totally against allowing Kombayi in…”
Fay Chung also remembers in her book how I, Patrick Kombayi went out of my way and risked my own life to procure weapons of war and other supplies for guerrillas in Zimbabwe and how I personally handled the provision of food for wives and children of the imprisoned guerrillas and those who were injured in the war.
Page 99 of Chung’s book reads in part,”…….. A number of committees were formed with John Mawema, the only full time freedom fighter in the group, assisted by a rich businessman named Patrick Kombayi, put in charge of ensuring that weapons and supplies continue to flow into Zimbabwe…. The last committee, headed by Kombayi, was in charge of providing food to the wives and children for the imprisoned guerrillas and the injured combatants, who were generally kept in Lusaka for medical treatment….” And she goes on to say on Page 110 “…. Patrick Kombayi, the head of the food committee appointed by an ad hoc committee was a brilliant businessman who owned a nightclub in Kafue, a small town near Lusaka. We worked very closely with Kombayi, who showed both exceptional courage and brilliance in devising ways and means to solve the food problem…”
These are a few observations by one person who finds them important to mention in her book and for the purposes of our national history but my contributions are simply innumerable. Mugabe is one person who knows very well how much sacrifice some of us put towards the liberation struggle but being the man he is, he has rewarded me with gunfire, which has crippled me. All because, like Chikerema, I am a man of principle, who stands for the truth, come rain come hail thunder.
I have said before that I fear nothing and nobody when it comes to telling the truth and setting the record straight. I want Zimbabweans to know that there has always been a cloud of suspicion with regard to the circumstances surrounding Mugabe’s so called ‘run-way’ with Edgar Tekere to Mozambique. That, as most of us who were in the of the political goings- on in the party at that time, was a pre- planned move orchestrated by Guy Clutton – Brock and some white liberals who had arranged Mugabe’s move into Mozambique ostensibly to go and join the struggle when in fact they wanted Mugabe to lead the party and agree to negotiations as Chitepo, who had been killed, had constantly refused any negotiations with the white settlers.
As such, the death of Chitepo raised a lot of suspicion that Mugabe and the Zezuru clique with the collusion of the white liberals had wanted to get rid of Chitepo to pave way for negotiations led by Mugabe. They were determined to avoid a situation where the Karangas who were leading the real armed struggle on the front, would stage a shoot-in take over the country. This is how, soon after Mugabe took party leadership, as per their plans, there were several conferences held while the Kangaras were in jails and detentions. There was the Geneva Conference in 1976 where Mugabe’s leadership was further endorsed to make their dream come true. There was also the Falls Bridge Conference (I attended that meeting together with Enos Nkala as the only Zanu representatives and I have minutes of that meeting) and other conferences back home by Joshua Nkomo and Muzorewa.
It is in this light that I and many others strongly believe that Mugabe and his group of liberal Rhodesians, FROLIZI and the Zezuru clique cannot be exonerated from the death of Herbert Chitepo. The white liberals, the Zezuru clique and Mugabe himself are strongly suspected to have had a hand in the death of Chitepo in order to have Mugabe leading the party and country. And Mugabe has shown his gratitude, hasn’t he?
Where is Guy Clutton –Brock buried today while veteran nationalists like Chikerema have been forgotten? How was Guy Clutton – Brock really involved in the liberation struggle to warrant him out National Hero status? As Mugabe himself said at Chikerema’s funeral: “Zvinyorwa zvake zvinonzi kudii?”
Finally, it is important to remember that it was the Zezuru groups that led Zapu and Zanu to form FROLIZI together with the white liberals and, their stumbling blocks were J.Z Moyo and Chitepo, who were assisted by Josiah Tongogara and Nikita Mangena. The death of these four stumbling blocks can then be not such mystery to some of us! They were simply thorns in some letter and documents pertaining to that story- some of them Mugabe himself – for example the formation of ZIPA, the so- called 9-by-9. I remember meeting Mugabe when we were burying JZ Moyo in Lusaka. That was the time I was filling in the leadership vacuum created following the arrest of our leaders.

By Dr Patrick Kombayi
Patron; The Zimbabwe Military
Academy

"MUGABE PLANNING MORE VIOLENCE THIS YEAR!" TEKERE

Tekere warns of pre-election violence

 

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/viewinfo.cfm?linkcategoryid=3&linkid=8&id=4390

HARARE - Firebrand nationalist, Edgar Tekere, has warned Zimbabweans of an escalating violence-ridden campaign in the period leading to next March's presidential and general elections.
The founding Zanu (PF) member said President Robert Mugabe would fight tooth and nail to retain power, and the current spate of abductions and torture of opposition officials would intensify in the run-up to the poll.
Tekere spoke as Mugabe called a special congress to endorse his candidacy as party leader and sole candidate for next year's presidential election. For the first time, the ruling party officially alluded to the Mujuru and Mnangagwa factions in Zanu (PF) and that they were embroiled in a bitter battle to succeed Mugabe.
Tekere said: "I think I know Mugabe fairly well. He doesn't like contests and when you stand against him he is going to fight tooth and nail."
The veteran politician was speaking in a telephone interview with The Zimbabwean from his Mutare home.
A former secretary-general of Zanu (PF), Tekere, who was once a close ally of Mugabe, was first expelled from the party in October 1988 for agitating against one-party state rule.
He formed the Zimbabwe Unity Movement and contested the 1990 presidential election, but lost to Mugabe. He resigned as ZUM president in January 2000.
He was reinstated into Zanu (PF) in 2005 but was fired again last year after publishing a highly controversial autobiography, A Lifetime of Struggle, insinuating that Mugabe was a reluctant recruit into the liberation struggle.
Tekere said Mugabe, 83, had boasted of having degrees in violence and openly said opposition officials "vakadashurwa (were battered)" and that they will be "bashed" again if they provoke police.
He said: "There is going to be lots and lots of violence sponsored by the Head of State, make no mistake about it."
He said Zanu (PF) would unleash violence during the campaign period, which would then be toned down just before polling to hoodwink international observers.
Tekere said: "They will have broken your ribs and expect you to remember that on polling day."
He said because rigging elections had become difficult over the last decade, the ruling party would compensate for that through violence.
"You are dealing with a man who believes there is no Zimbabwe without him. One day he is going to die, but he doesn't think Zimbabwe will continue after him. All affairs of state start and finish with Mugabe," Tekere said.
He dismissed the possibility of a military coup in the event of Mugabe losing to the opposition.
He said: "One who is very outspoken on the issue is Didymus Mutasa, my uncle. Don't be deceived by him. The army will comply with the result. You only hear that from people like Mutasa. Have you ever heard it from the real masters of war, Rex Nhongo or Vitalis Zvinavashe?"
Rex Nhongo was the nom de guerre of General Solomon Mujuru - the powerful husband of Vice President Joice Mujuru - a retired commander of the Zimbabwe National Army, during the liberation war when he was Zanla's chief of operations. General Zvinavashe is the past immediate commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, now Gutu Senator.
Mutasa, who is Zanu PF's secretary for admistration, is on record as saying Zanu (PF) would go to war if it lost the presidential election.
"There is going to be no such thing, I can tell you quite confidently," Tekere said.
He said youths were being trained under the guise of national service primarily to beat up the electorate.
Scores of people have been killed, mostly supporters of opposition parties, while more than 600 people have been tortured for sympathising with the opposition since March 11, according to opposition figures.
 

 

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THE INTERVIEW BY THEARCHBISHOP PIUS NCUBE!

PLEASE CLICK BELOWAND SEE AND HEAR FOR YOURSELF!

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=bHb_VwTIPm4

 

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URGENT "STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS" FROM THE OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT!

"STATE OF THE NATION" ADDRESS BY YOUR PRESIDENT!

I think there is a bit of confusion in our beloved country of Zimbabwe today!

Who ever said I won the Presidential Elections of 2002?

I never said so!

All I said was Tsvangirai's Election Petitions are "frivolous and vexatious."

I also pleaded with all patriots to "recognize" me as the Executive President.

I am the only person who can keep this country of Zimbabwe together!

If I removed myself from the top seat, the country will degenerate into chaos (racialism, tribalism, regionalism and all the negatives you can think of!)

Now we are in this whole mess because you simply refused to do the obvious- JUST RECOGNIZE ME. PERIOD!

Do you honestly think Tsvangirai can run this country?

I'm very disappointed with you, my fellow countrymen!

Running a country is a very complicated, delicate task!

You do your best and you are still accused of not doing your best!

WHO REALLY COULD HAVE MANAGED THIS ECONOMY BETTER THAN ME?

Now about the so-called rigging and the so-called-violence!

Your focus should be on the major issues!

Would we really stand by and allow Mr Blair to re-colonize our country, take away our Sovereignty and take over all our resources?

Would you allow someone to take your wife and you just stood by?

Please lets be very serious, Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and Friends!

About assassinations:be very careful!

This may break the whole Nation apart!

Who killed Cde Hebert Chitepo?

So why do you ask who killed General Josiah Magama Tongogara?

About the so-called "Truth and Reconciliation Commission!"

Where and when do we start?

Who will remain without blood on his hands?

Do you know how Dr Parerenyatwa died? Was it Smith's men or was it an internal struggle?

So will you raise the dead to ask them to testify?

Then last but not least: where in the world are "perfect people"?

The words "rigging", "assassinations" etc are English words!

Are they Shona words?

MUTIKWANIRE! (STOP THIS LUNACY!)

Please recognize me, rally behind me as your God-given father and lets move forward and re-build our Nation!

About the unfortunate isolated incidents in the Southern part of our country (the so-called "Gukurahundi Massacres"), please lets not open old wounds!

The Ndebeles can be very naive if they think we have forgotten their vicious raids against our peace-loving Shona people in the 1890s!

Please let all bye-gones be bye-gones!

MAY THE GOOD LORD ABOVE BE WITH YOU ALL!

Yours Faithfully,

ME.

 

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Mugabe pushes for reopening of Tekere murder case!

Mugabe pushes for reopening of Tekere murder case

By Our Correspondent   http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=834&Itemid=44   HARARE, May 1, 2007 - President Robert Mugabe is reportedly pushing for the reopening of the 1980 murder case of former government minister Edgar Tekere, who recently published an autobiography which is critical of him.   On August 4, 1980, a little over four months after Zimbabwe attained independence, Tekere, then Minister of Manpower Planning and Development, in the company of  bodyguards, visited a farm on the outskirts of Harare, where they shot and killed a white farm manager, Gerald Adams  .    Tekere went on trial, together with is bodyguards. But the High Court, on December 8, acquitted the veteran politician of the murder, bringing to an end a sensational case that threatened to undermine Mugabe's fledgling government.   Presiding judge Justice Pitman had found Tekere guilty of the murder of Adams and the attempted murder of five soldiers at Stamford Farm, but he was outvoted by the majority decision of two assessors Chris Greenland and Peter Nemapare, who agreed on the acquittal of the controversial politician.   The assessors held that while Tekere had killed Adams, he was acting in connection with the suppression of terrorism in terms of legislation inherited from rebel Rhodesian government of Prime Minister Ian Smith.   Tekere's autobiography, A lifetime of Struggle, which was published in January, was subjected to a barrage of criticism by ruling party politicians who claimed that the controversial politician was seeking to distort the history of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle in order to promote himself.   In his book, Tekere explained the role he personally played in Mugabe's ascendancy to power. His version of events riled Mugabe and his lieutenants, who dimissed Tekere as a mad man bent ondistorting history for personal gain.    Following this controversy, sources in the ruling party now say there are steps being taken to re-open Tekere's old murder case. Mugabe is reported to have ordered the Attorney General's Office to revisit the case and find if they are any loopholes to bring the firebrand politician back on trial.   "As we speak right now some senior police officers have been instructed to re-open the case," said the source. "They have been asked to do a thorough job on the matter.   "It's an uphill task, but they have no choice. You know if that man gives you orders...you have to act accordingly he is the most feared man in this country."   Legal experts, however, dismissed the attempt to bring Tekere back to trial as a futile exercise by a desparate Mugabe, who had failed to run the country and now sought to vent his rage on every one opposed to his views.   "There is no legal basis to re-open the case," a legal expert in government said. "You can never be re-tried once acquitted by a competent court on substantial the same charge, even if there was new evidence to show clearly that he committed the crime.    "It's the president's strategy to discredit his rival."    Tekere, a former secretary general of the ruling party was expelled from the ruling party for the second time, last month, after the Manicaland Zanu-PF provincial executive found him guilty  of "denigrating and vilifying" Mugabe in his autobiography.

 

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"DOES MUGABE WANT ALL OF US TO BE HIS WIVES?"

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk/viewinfo.cfm?linkcategoryid=3&linkid=8&id=4174 Patrick Kombayi, one of the leaders of the movement that fought the liberation war and later became the first black mayor of Gweru believes his former teacher President Robert Mugabe was corrupted by absolute power. He also blames the people of Zimbabwe collectively for the current problems bedevilling the country. He speaks to our special correspondent. SC-On March 24, 1990 you survived an assassination attempt by two CIO officers, Alias Kanengoni and Kizito Chivamba, who were sentenced to seven years in imprisonment but then pardoned by Mugabe through the use of Presidential powers of clemency. What is your view of the powers Mugabe wields under the current constitution? PK- Mugabe and I never saw eye to eye again from the moment I said we had to give it to a people's congress to elect the leader of ZANU whilst he wanted to grab the position. Then came the elections of 1990 where I stood against his handpicked Vice President, Simon Muzenda and before which I was almost killed by the CIO people. I wasn't surprised by the pardon knowing Mugabe as I do. He wanted me eliminated. He allowed the election to be held in the constituency despite me fighting for my life in a Bulawayo hospital. If it was in progressive democratic countries, the election could have been postponed. Despite that, I won. The people who were counting the votes called me straight from the command centre to congratulate me. However, Tobaiwa Mudede when announcing his own version of results gave my 14 000 votes to Muzenda and gave me his 8000 votes, 2000 of which he claimed had come from postal votes by army members fighting in Mozambique. He failed to justify such a shocking claim when I challenged it. SC-What role do you think your ZUM party played in moulding Zimbabwe's current so-called multi-party democracy? PK-We definitely managed to stop the system of one-party-state. We didn't form ZUM because we wanted to rule at the time. We knew Mugabe was still popular and had not yet made many mistakes as is the case now. Even when we formed the Forum party, the main purpose was to stop the one-party-state system. Having experienced Kaunda and Nyerere failing with the one-party-state system we decided with some international cooperation from some Front Line leaders to form ZUM and FORUM. SC-You were the first black Mayor in post-independent Zimbabwe. What is your view of local governance in Zimbabwe at the moment? PK-It is no longer local governance. It is now Mugabe's type of rule where the people that were democratically elected into the local councils kicked out to be replaced by appointed commissions. But consider this: Sekesai Makwavarara leading the Harare Commission after the ouster of Elias Mudzuri quit the liberation movement together with Nathan Shamuyarira to form FROLIZI. Ignatius Chombo, who is orchestrating all this chaos, was also a member of FROLIZI. He is picking his former FROLIZI colleagues to fill the commissions. SC-You worked closely with Mugabe during the liberation struggle in Zambia. Do you think he still remembers the reasons you went to war for? PK-Yes, he still remembers. The only problem is that he is a politician with hunger for power. He got absolute power, which corrupt absolutely. But I don't blame him alone because we the people of Zimbabwe have contributed to this mess. Let me cite some few examples. He sent soldiers to Mozambique without approval from parliament. We don't even know how much was spent there, even the number of casualties. We remained quiet. He did the same with the war in the DRC, where my brother Col Kufa died and the story was the same. Zimbabweans didn't do or say anything. When we got independence we received a lot of money such as that from ZIMCORD. We don't even know how much it was, only Mugabe and Chidzero did and the account is still private to Mugabe. We never questioned. Even the money which came from Britain for de-mobilisation of our army members was never accounted for. There was looting of state funds by ZANU PF as a party as well as money from NSSA and ZIMDEF without us questioning and that is why I blame the people of Zimbabwe. SC-You are now MDC secretary for Gweru. Do you think the MDC has the intellectual clarity and gravitas to form the next government? PK-If intellectual abilities are what determined the capacity to provide good leadership, then the MDC has the right material because there are many intellectuals in the party. But in my view, it is not merely academic power that matters in leadership but the need for good policies, which the MDC has as well. The leadership of the MDC is very capable of implementing these policies. I am confident because we work as a team in the party, guided by a clear constitution. SC-Founding Zanu (PF) secretary general Edgar Tekere has just published an autobiography claiming Mugabe was a reluctant recruit into the liberation struggle. How accurate is Tekere's narration of events? PK-Very accurate. Remember it was Tekere, Eddison Zvobgo, Enos Nkala, Morris Nyagumbo, Rex Nhongo, Herbert Ushewokunze and sometimes myself who could manage to stand up to Mugabe and tell him the truth after he had made himself very powerful in Zanu. Hence all of us became his enemies. I remember Nkala saying 'khati hau madoda uMugabe ufuna ukusiyenza abafasi bakhe yini? (Mugabe wants all of us to be his wives).'

 

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ABIGAIL MPISA'S PERSPECTIVE OF MUGABE, TEKERE !

Mawere and 'the hand that profitably fed him'

 

 

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/tekere7.15868.html

 

 

• Masawi threatened over Tekere book • Tekere unfazed by Zanu PF expulsion threats • Hysterical reaction to Tekere belies fear • Book shop won't sell Tekere book • Tekere absolves Mugabe of Tongogara's killing • 'We produced a creature that destroyed this country' - Nkala • Tekere says Mugabe 'insecure' in new book

By Abigail Mphisa

Last updated: 01/24/2007 03:22:41

 

 

HAVING read Edgar Tekere's book, I did not get the impression that we were being told that Robert Mugabe did not have a mind of his on, which got me asking; did your columnist Mutumwa Mawere actually read it?

It is dangerous to join a debate based on a book that one has not read. He has concluded that Tekere sought to re-write history. In order for anyone at all to make such a categorical statement against liberation stalwarts like Tekere, it then becomes necessary to provide readers with sources of accurate records of the liberation struggle.

What exactly are the "misunderstood democratic values" that the country appears to be in search of? If, in accordance with Mawere's views, Mugabe does possess democratic values, why is there overwhelming evidence to the contrary? I personally would need specific examples.

A democratic leader would not have abolished the post of Prime Minister and become an executive president without seeking the mandate of the Zimbabwean people. He would not have unilaterally sent Zimbabwean soldiers to their deaths in the jungles of the Congo and pulled Zimbabwe out of the Commonwealth because he was being asked to adhere to the Harare Declaration. The ascendancy of Joice Mujuru to the deputy presidency was undemocratic. People were dismissed from the party for seeking to exercise their democratic right to lobby for a candidate of their choice. The list of undemocratic actions carried out by Mugabe is endless and Mawere knows it.

I hold no brief for Jonathan Moyo. In my view, he played a pivotal role in the economic and political demise of Zimbabwe. Anyone who conjures up laws such as AIPPA, calls it an excellent piece of legislation and goes on to actively support POSA is downright evil. He was an active participant of the land reform project, claiming it would create 800 000 jobs and some say he was a multiple farm owner. He was determined to see the destruction of Kondozi Estates and the fact that many former workers were abandoned along the highway to Mutare did not move him. In fact, I do believe a Jonathan Moyo with power would be an extremely dangerous person. He proved it beyond any reasonable doubt during his five year reign of terror while in government.

But, to claim that in his piece "Hysterical reaction to Tekere belies fear", Moyo sought to defend Tekere sounds illogical. Defend him from what and whom exactly?

ZANU was never really a democratic force. One only needs to compare it with the ANC of South Africa, or even ZAPU. If ZANU had been democratic, amendments to the Lancaster House constitution would have been those meant to strengthen democratic institutions instead of creating a dictatorship, as has been the case in the majority of the 17 amendments. Who exactly are those people who want their versions of history to be the only ones in relation to how leaders in Africa ought to be selected?

Here is one statement that I had to read several times because I genuinely thought that a person of Mawere's intellect cannot possibly believe in it; "We do not have any record of Mugabe being comfortable as a beneficiary of an opaque selection process or seeking to avoid elections." Where has this gentleman been? Zimbabwe might not have missed a single election but, apart from the reprehensible and downright barbaric manner in which our elections are conducted, the electoral laws themselves are meant to ensure that Mugabe remains in power. Only a democratic coward could have enacted such laws. Whether Mawere likes it or not, Mugabe and his lieutenants are indeed afraid of the vote. Very much so! Here are a few examples;

Excessive use of force by Zanu PF More than 150 people died in the run up to the 2000 and 2002 parliamentary and presidential elections respectively. In one example Tichaona Chiminya and Talent Mabika of MDC were petrol bombed in their campaign vehicle in broad day light and they died in the inferno. The alleged murderer was one Joseph Mwale, a CIO operative who has never been brought to trial. Not a single statement was issued by Mugabe condemning the violence. He had in fact, at a rally in Manicaland, proclaimed that "death will befall you", a message intended for all those who were bent on opposing his party.

Downright rigging happens in our elections. Margaret Dongo proved it in the case of Sunningndale. Bernard Chidzero congratulated Henry Hamadziripi for having won Harare Central in the 1990 elections but was surprised later to be told he had won because some postal votes from somewhere were added to his lot. More recently in 2000 Zanu PF victory was nullified in the case of more than twenty constituencies. Needless to say the Zanu PF parliamentarians in question did not vacate their seats because they appealed and not surprisingly, the appeals were never heard.

It has also been proved that Zanu PF uses food as a weapon against peasants who may wish to support the opposition.

Opposition parties cannot campaign freely. Under POSA, they hardly ever get permission to assemble. In the event of permission being granted, their rallies are often violently disrupted by the Mugabe sponsored youth militia.

The voters' roll has always been a bone of contention because it has always been a shambles. The Registrar General consistently refuses to provide electronic copies and the costs of securing hard copies are prohibitive. It has been proven that dead people do in fact participate in our elections.

Mawere has to be aware of the implications of the Citizenship Act which was passed into law just before the 2002 presidential elections with the enthusiastic support of Jonathan Moyo, one might add. Millions of Zimbabweans by birth were deprived of their right to vote because this new piece of legislation claims that because their parents were born elsewhere, they are deemed to belong to their parents' countries of birth. Twisted logic indeed. Jonathan Moyo now views it as a "primitive" law, even though he supported its enactment.

In the 2005 parliamentary elections, observers were only invited from countries whose favourable views were a foregone conclusion. Mugabe personally vetoed the invitation list. It was as if he was inviting people to something as private as a wedding.

I did not get to vote in the presidential elections of 2002 despite investing 21 hours of my time in a queue. For some inexplicable reason we were simply tear gassed from the polling station. Voting stations in urban areas had been drastically reduced so there were only 60% of the 2000 numbers.

Mugabe single handedly appoints the Electoral Supervisory Commissioners.

One could go on and on. There is overwhelming evidence that we did not elect Robert Mugabe to be our leader in 2002. For that Mawere should turn to the numerous reports by international observers. One of them, in fact that of the Commonwealth observer group, partly explains why we are no longer a member of that body. Mugabe was incensed that a fellow African, a Nigerian, authored a report that questioned his democratic credentials. The fact that we allowed Mugabe to stay in power even though we did not vote for him is a different story altogether and has been and continues to be debated at different fora. And by the way, if Mugabe was not afraid of elections he would not be seeking to extend his term by another two years to 2010 in the name of harmonizing parliamentary and presidential elections. Why not harmonize in 2008?

Mawere argues that Mugabe's behaviour is consistent with that of a democrat. If Mugabe believed that the move to remove Ndabaningi Sithole from power was undemocratic, why did he not speak out against it? How come Sithole's remains are not interred at the national shrine when in fact Mugabe is the only one who decides who gets buried there? Without listing them, Mawere also alludes to values that inform Mugabe's choices. For examples, what values informed his choices when he gave land to people who are unable to utilise it so that Zimbabwe is now a basket case when less than a decade ago we used to export food? What values informed his decision to award $3 billion dollars to ex-combatants against the advice of his Minister of finance, thereby triggering an unprecedented economic downfall?

It is patently dishonest to say when Tekere set up his own political party Mugabe allowed him to compete freely for the national space. Patrick Kombayi, the then ZUM candidate for Gweru urban nearly lost his life at the hands of Mugabe's henchmen. His crime was to dare exercise his democratic right against Simon Muzenda. Elias Kanengoni and Kizito Chivamba (head of CIO for Midlands and ZANU P.F. youth league member respectively) were found guilty of attempted murder. Instead of condemning such acts of senseless violence, Mugabe pardoned the culprits. What sort of message does that send and what does it say about Mugabe's democratic credentials when an individual whose salary is paid for by the tax payer commits a heinous crime and is immediately shielded from jail?

Contrary to Mawere's assertion under the heading "Disclosure Two", Moyo did not express the view that Mugabe should have been eternally grateful to people who propelled him to the throne. He simply pointed out that Mugabe marginalised anyone whom he viewed as a potential contender to the throne. This point of view, one might argue, is actually borne by facts. For example, how would Mugabe explain the selective sacking of Maurice Nyagumbo, Dzingai Mutumbuka and Enos Nkala in the aftermath of the Willowgate scandal? In the case of Nyagumbo, Mugabe's heartlessness could not have been better demonstrated. Nyagumbo offered to resign as soon as his name appeared in the press. Mugabe begged him to stay, arguing that he would feel abandoned since he viewed Nyagumbo as one of his closest confidants.

However, when public and international opinion expressed disgust over the issue, Mugabe felt the need to fire a few people and Nyagumbo was identified as one such scapegoat. The three were not the only ones who had misused the Willowvale motor vehicle facility. There were a host of others, among them Mugabe's late wife Sally Mugabe. By asserting that a president of a country should put national interests above those of the party, it is as if Mawere actually believes that Mugabe adheres to this principle. Since when has Mugabe ever put Zimbabwe's interests above those of Zanu PF? It is an open secret that Zanu PF dips into state coffers with impunity and civil servants are often coerced to fund party activities.

Mawere, for whatever reason, might decide to see no evil and hear no evil, but Mugabe does come out as an evil and vengeful leader. Twenty thousand people perished in Matabeleland between 1980 and 1987. Those who oversaw the bloodbath were rewarded with promotion. In June 2005 seven hundred thousand people (18% of Zimbabwe's population) were rendered homeless through the infamous operation Murambatsvina. In excess of 2 million people were indirectly affected by that operation. Only an evil leader can do that to his own people! His treatment of Joshua Nkomo, one of the luminaries of Zimbabwe's liberation struggle, was downright evil.

Under "Disclosure Three" Mawere questions Moyo's support for the view that Mugabe is 90% responsible for the mess that our country is in. The point is, we may quibble over percentages but being leader means being responsible for the direction that one's country takes, warts and all. Mugabe literally sowed seeds of corruption and nursed them to fruition. Now our country boasts being in the top 30 most corrupt countries in the world.

Gideon Gono drives a US$138 000 vehicle because those are the values that Mugabe inculcated into the national psyche. Mugabe is driven in a custom made bullet proof vehicle which at the time of purchase was said to be the fourth such vehicle on the continent. The vehicle was purchased at a time when the fuel situation had started to bite and 4 million Zimbabweans needed food. He is escorted by a fleet of no less than ten vehicles. He has two state houses opposite each other in Harare, apart from the fact that he now has a private home in Borrowdale where he is making life miserable for his neighbours. Let us not forget that Ian Smith drove around in a Peugeot 504!! So, what percentage in terms of blameworthiness would Mawere rather attribute to Mugabe?

I am not too sure what Mawere's problem is regarding Moyo's New Year resolution. Why on earth does he believe that 2007 is a year of action for Zanu PF only? How does Moyo's designation of 2007 as a year of action translate into an assertion that Zimbabweans should expect it to be a better year? Mawere argues that Moyo got it wrong on Tsholotsho hence he cannot possibly get it right on 2007. What kind of logic is this? Isn't life about sometimes getting things wrong and at other times getting them right? Besides, what exactly did Moyo get wrong about Tsholotsho? The long and short of it was that a group of people got together to put together a strategy to have their preferred candidate elected and were punished for it. If anything, Tsholotsho confirmed Mugabe's high handedness and lack of respect for the constitution of his own party.

In the end, the debate shifted from issues raised in Tekere's book to an attack on Moyo's hypocrisy. The bottom line is, Mawere is of the opinion that Moyo should not criticise the hand that profitably fed him. How tragic. For me the big question that Mawere should have asked, instead of accusing Tekere of re-writing history (sadly, without providing evidence that this is indeed the case) is, why has Mugabe remained mum? Why are people falling all over themselves to defend a man who is very much alive and has all the resources to make himself heard?

Mawere does seem to have joined the list of Mugabe's praise singers. Could there be truth in that he was a beneficiary of the Zanu PF patronage machinery hence his reluctance to criticise – to use his own words – "the hand that profitably fed him", with the hope that his properties may be returned to him?

By the way, I did read the numerous articles in which Mawere sought to rubbish the view that he benefited from being well connected to those at the top of the Zanu PF hierarchy. I am saying this so that he does not feel the need to tell his side of the story once more. At the end of the day, after having advocated that people should avoid getting personal when debating issues of national importance, Mawere failed dismally to adhere to that principle. The starting point should at least have been to read the book.

Abigail Mphisa writes from Bulawayo. She can be contacted on

 

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MASAWI SURVIVES TEKERE TURMOIL!

Masawi survives Tekere turmoil

 

Staff Reporter

 

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=2899

ZANU PF deputy information secretary, Ephraim Masawi, appears to have escaped unscathed by the farce that gripped his party over Edgar Tekere's controversial memoirs for which the maverick nationalist was sacked from the party.

ZANU PF's influential youth league had recommended that Masawi, the Mashonaland Central governor, be suspended for attending the launch of a book by former nationalist Tekere, which dims President Robert Mugabe's liberation war credentials.
John Nkomo, ZANU PF chairman and head of the party's national disciplinary committee, had indicated that the matter was in the hands of Masawi's Mashonaland Central province.
However, Chen Chimutengwende, leader of the party's Mashonaland Central provincial structure, said his province was not handling the matter.
"Chimutengwende said Masawi would be treated differently from Tekere since the latter had been an ordinary member, whereas Masawi held a position of authority in ZANU PF.
The Masawi saga had opened up rifts in the party, with one faction latching on to the controversy to push for ZANU PF Guruve Member of Parliament Edward Chindori-Chininga to replace the ruling party deputy information secretary.
Chindori-Chininga, a former minister of mines and mining development, was dropped from President Mugabe's Cabinet in 2004.
But, according to Chimutengwende: "There are no vacancies yet."
The ZANU PF youth league had felt that Masawi "failed to defend the party's first secretary", leaving the task to people such as opposition activist Patrick Kombayi.

 

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TEKERE THREATENS TO SUE THE STATE MEDIA!

Tekere remains unfazed, threatens to sue state media http://www.zimbabwejournalists.com/story.php?art_id=1636&cat=4

By Ian Nhuka MUTARE - Maverick war veteran, Edgar Tekere, embroiled in a storm over his book that fires broadsides at President Robert Mugabe's leadership style, does not care about the criticism he is receiving from Zanu PF or threats to expel him from the party he helped found in the 1960s. Tekere, a nationalist and respected Mutare-based war veteran, told zimbabwejournalists.com in an interview here Tuesday that while he accepted reasonable criticism, he did not like "malicious statements" carried by sections of the State-controlled media since he triggered the on-going national debate when he launched his book some two weeks ago. He threatened to sue some government-controlled media outlets for defamation over some stories they have carried since he unveiled his controversial book. He did not specify the offending statements or the media outlets that he thinks defamed him. Tekere charged at his critics saying they were rushing to criticise him, but some of them have not read his autobiography, "A Lifetime of Struggle," which was edited by Dr Ibbo Mandaza, an academic of note. He said: "They are falling over each other to please Mugabe by attacking me.  Some of them have not even read the book.  You can see that from their arguments, which I think are not informed at all." In the book, Tekere says President Mugabe is a weak person, adding he is responsible for the economic crisis gripping the country.  He regrets playing an leading role in elevating President Mugabe to head Zanu during the liberation war. Over the weekend, the Zanu –PF Youth League, asked the ruling party leadership to expel Tekere from the party, a little over a year after he was re-admitted into the fold. His readmission came after many years spent in the political wilderness following his decision to wind up the Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM), a party he founded to challenge Mugabe in the 1990. The youth league also proposed punishment to be meted on some leading party officials who attended the launch of Tekere's book, among them Mashonaland Central governor and Zanu – PF deputy politburo secretary for information and publicity, Ephriam Masawi. The party leadership is now considering the request for Tekere's expulsion, according to reports in the public media yesterday, which quoted senior officials. "I do not care if they expel me," said Tekere. "If they do, that will further show that there is no democracy and freedom of speech in Zanu PF.  The book contains my personal opinions about the war.  So why will I be punished for my opinions?" Last week, a State-controlled weekend newspaper said in its lead story Tekere was not a serious person since "he suffered bouts of mental instability in the past." The newspaper quoted George Rutanhire, a war veteran and former deputy minister who said: "Tekere munhu akamborwara (Tekere once suffered mental instability)." Another publicly-owned newspaper followed up the story, scorching Tekere's claims that he was personally instrumental in the rise of President Mugabe during the liberation war. It said freedom fighters, through the Mgagao Declaration of 1976, collectively made the decision to elevate President Mugabe to the post of interim Zanu leader, replacing the late party president, Ndabaningi Sithole who had been sacked for alleged prevarication. Tekere has often ruffled the feather of senior party members.  At some stage in the late 1980s, he clashed with President Mugabe over his dictatorial leadership style and his failure to curb corruption. That precipitated his expulsion in 1988, after which he formed ZUM.  His party contested in the 1990 elections and won a number of parliamentary seats and did well in the presidential race. However, the party soon fizzled out after the violence-ridden poll but the veteran politician still commands respect from the Zanu – PF ranks. Now, he spends most of his time in Mutare or at his horticulture farm, near Old Mutare. In the interview with Zimbabwejournalists.com, Tekere also lashed out at police commissioner, Augustine Chihuri and presidential spokesman, George Charamba, for attacking him in the media. Charamba, is widely believed to be the writer of a weekly column, The Other Side, published on Saturdays in The Herald under a pseudonym. The column recently savaged Tekere soon after he launched his book, claiming that he did not have the moral ground to criticise Mugabe who, according to Charamba, salvaged him (Tekere) from financial ruin a few years ago. In his newspaper interview with The Herald, Chihuri said Tekere has a history of violence, mental instability and is an alcoholic. But Tekere remains unfazed. "These people are attacking me but they do not know that they are committing a serious offence of defamation.  I am considering suing them for defamation and the publishers involved.  Some of their criticism is malicious," he blasted. Tekere was readmitted into Zanu PF late 2005 but was barred from seeking election to any post in the party for five years. It is because of that condition that he was barred from contesting in the senate polls that were held in November 2005. "I am not bitter about the party's decision to bar me from holding any post although I think it doesn not make sense.  However, I will remain a card-carrying party member. --- I have heard some people saying that I am criticising Mugabe in my book and at other forums because of that decision.  That is not true.  --- I started writing this book seven years ago, so it is false that the criticism of Mugabe is an attempt to get revenge on my part," he said.

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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CDE EDGAR TEKERE!

  Tekere, Edgar

CANDIDATE DETAILS   http://www.ourcampaigns.com/cgi-bin/r.cgi/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=44033 Affiliation ZANU - Patriotic Front    Name Edgar Tekere Address , , Zimbabwe Email None Website None Born 00, 1937 Died Still Living (70 years) Contributor Pimpalicious Last Modifed Thomas Walker Feb 21, 2007 03:58pm Tags Info Edgar Zivanai Tekere (born 1937) is a Zimbabwean politician. He was a leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union who organised the party during the Lancaster House talks and served briefly in government before his popularity as a potential rival to Robert Mugabe caused their estrangement. He fought against Mugabe in the 1990 election and was heavily defeated, but remained involved in politics and has recently rejoined ZANU (PF). Tekere was an early ally of Robert Mugabe within the Zimbabwe African National Union (of which he was a founder member in 1964) during the fight for independence and against the Rhodesian Front government of Ian Smith. Mugabe and Tekere went together into Mozambique in 1975 to launch the war against Rhodesia, and Tekere was appointed as Secretary-General of ZANU. When ZANU won the 1980 elections, Tekere was appointed Manpower Planning Minister from 1980 in Mugabe's Cabinet. He followed his appointment by making a series of outspoken speeches which went far beyond government policy. Shortly after his appointment, on August 4, 1980, he greeted Mugabe (then Prime Minister) and visiting President of Mozambique, Samora Machel in combat fatigues and announced that he was going "to fight a battle". Tekere and his bodyguards went looking for supporters of Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU outside Harare, but failing to find them, went onto a neighbouring farm and shot a white farm manager called Gerald Adams. Tekere retained his government post when he went on trial together with seven bodyguards who were all former guerilla fighters in the independence war. On December 8 the High Court, on a majority decision, found him not guilty of murder. Two out of the three assessors held that while Tekere had killed Adams, he was acting in connection with the suppression of terrorism. Tekere was dismissed from the government on January 11, 1981, a decision he was reported to be happy with; he retained the Secretary-Generalship of ZANU. In April 1981 he was detained by Kenyan security forces to prevent him from speaking to students after giving a newspaper interview in which he said he was proud of the killing of Gerald Adams. In July, Tekere referred to some ZANU representatives as having "inherited the colonial mentality", which was straining relations between them and the party's supporters. Mugabe hit back by saying "Those who are complaining that the revolution is not continuing .. are the most immoral and laziest in the party". Tekere was increasingly seen as a leader of a rival faction to Mugabe, and was dismissed as Secretary-General on August 9 with Mugabe taking the post himself. When Mugabe launched 'Operation Gukurahundi' against Joshua Nkomo's supporters in Matabeleland in 1982, Tekere voiced his support for the action as necessary to prevent "a Biafra situation". After criticising corruption in the party, in August 1984 Tekere was elected to the Central Committee of ZANU (PF) and carried shoulder-high from the Congress; he was also being supported by the Whites in Zimbabwe after opposing the farm squattings by ZANU (PF) supporters which he described as "donga watonga" (chaotic government). He was provincial chairman of ZANU (PF) in Mutare. Tekere supported Mugabe at the 1985 elections but by October 1988 his consistent criticism of corruption resulted in his expulsion from the party. When Mugabe voiced his belief that Zimbabwe would be better governed as a one party state, Tekere strongly disagreed, saying "A one-party state was never one of the founding principles of ZANU(PF) and experience in Africa has shown that it brought the evils of nepotism, corruption and inefficiency". He ran against Robert Mugabe in the 1990 Presidential race as the candidate of the Zimbabwe Unity Movement, offering a broadly free market platform against Mugabe's communist-style economic planning. Mugabe won the election on April 1, 1990 receiving 2,026,976 votes while Tekere only got 413,840 (16% of the vote). At the simultaneous Parliamentary elections the ZUM won 20% of the vote but only two seats in the House of Assembly. Zimbabwe Unity Movement supporters were the targets of violent attacks from supporters of ZANU (PF), and five candidates were murdered, a student represantative Israel Mutanhaurwa of ZUM was abducted in broad daylight by suspected state agents at the local cinemas in Gweru to be dumped later in the outskirts of Mkoba a local surbub unharmed, noone was arrested or convicted of the crime. Those convicted of the attempted murder of former Gweru Mayor Patrick Kombayi who was shot in lower abdomen but survived the shooting, were pardoned immediately afterwards. Tekere dropped out of sight after the election, fuelling rumours that he was planted as an opposition figure. In 2005 he voiced his wish to stand as a ZANU (PF) candidate for the Senate of Zimbabwe but was rebuffed. In 2006 it was reported that he had rejoined ZANU (PF). A letter sent to him by ZANU (PF) national chairman John Nkomo dated April 7, 2006 said "You will not exercise your right to be elected to any office in the party for a period of five years. You will be required to uphold all the duties of a member listed in Article 3, Section 18 of the amended Zanu PF constitution". [Link] JOB APPROVAL POLLS BOOKS Title Purchase Contributor EVENTS Start Date End Date Type Title Contributor NEWS Date Category Headline Article Contributor DISCUSSION [View Previous Messages In This Discussion (1 Previous)]

 

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TEKERE: "ZANU-PF's SUPPORT FOR MUGABE A DISASTER!"

Zimbabwe's Ruling Party Backs President Robert Mugabe In 2008 Run

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7006926560

April 2, 2007 1:27 p.m. EST

Ihuoma Ezeh - All Headline News

 

Harare, Zimbabwe (AHN) -

 

The Zanu-PF party, Zimbabwe's ruling political party, is supporting President Robert Mugabe in his run in the 2008 election.

The news came as two opposing party factions were eager for Mugabe to stand down in order to end the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

Nathan Shamuyarira, the party's spokesman, announced in a meeting in Harare that the party was endorsing Mugabe as its candidate for the 2008 election.

"The resolution was accepted by the central committee," Shamuyarira said. "The candidate for the party in 2008 will be the president himself."

Edgar Tekere, a Zimbawean veteran, said endorsing Mugabe would be a disaster.

"They are engaging in their madness of singing 'Mugabe, Mugabe!' That's no good for the country and for the party," allafrica.com quotes Tekere as saying. "It means we are going to continue to sink."

Peter Biles, BBC's southern Africa correspondent, said Mugabe's critics are convinced that his leadership is strongly damaging the country, and that with the economy out of control, Mugabe should step down.

The Movement for Democratic Change, an activist group in Zimbabwe, said the news was shocking.

Mugabe, 83, has been president since 1980, when Zimbabwe obtained its independence from Britain.

 

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Dear Dr John Makumbe,

We heard you "LIVE" on Radio "702" here in South africa giving an Ultimatum to the South Africans about their expected role in the resolution of the Mugabe-made crisis in Zimbabwe!

 

We agree with you in full and we are asking you issue that particular ultimatum in writing so we can post it on our blogsites!

 

We hold you in the highest esteem and we thank you for your kindest co-operation in this regard!

 

Rev Mufaro Stig Hove.

 

THE RADICAL SOLDIER.

 

mufarostig@yahoo.co.uk

 

revmshove@yahoo.co.uk

 

Cell: 0791463039 RSA.

 

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MESSAGE FROM THE ZCTU AND ZINASU!

We are starving; we will eat your teargas!!!

 

.

 - Zimbabwe National Students Union

 

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)

 

has resolved that:

• All workers be mobilised to stay away from work from 3 to 4 April 2007
• National actions will be called for after every three months and they will be incremental until the situation improves

Poverty. Hyperinflation. Oppression. Unemployment. Failure of basic services.

• Show your disagreement with how our country is being mismanaged and SUPPORT the ZCTU and STAY AWAY ON 3 and 4 April 2007
• Read the ZCTU communique about the stay away on http://www.zctu.co.zw/html/stmts/21906.shtm or contact them for more information, on email info@zctu.co.zw or phone +263-4-794702/42 or +263-4-702517.
• Lobby your friends and colleagues - forward this email on to them.

Let the workers organise. Let the toilers assemble. Let their crystallized voice proclaim their injustices and demand their privileges. Let all thoughtful citizens sustain them, for the future of Labour is the future of Zimbabwe.

 

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CDE EDGAR TEKERE RECOUNTS THE VISIT OF THE GREAT ROBERT NESTER MARLEY!

http://www.weblogalot.net/bob-marley/bob-marley-march-22-2007-1231-pm/

 

http://www.fingaz.co.zw/story.aspx?stid=2666

 

Stanley Kwenda
Harare

FORMER ZANU PF secretary general, Edgar Tekere, recounted recently how he invited the late legendary reggae icon Bob Marley to Zimbabwe's Independence celebrations in 1980.

"Bob Marley was my guest. I was responsible for looking after him, I invited him for the celebrations," said Tekere to a raucous response from journalists who packed the Ambassador Hotel's Quill Club. "I sent out two people to Jamaica, Job Kadengu and Godern Muchanyuka. Each one of us who was in government at that time had an opportunity to invite two guests paid for by the state," he said.

Tekere, who spoke passionately about Marley, said a Serbian friend, Olivier Jovanovich who is now at the Serbian embassy in Pretoria helped him hook up with Marley. "The whole affair was organised by Richard Hove who was taking care of the finances. I liked music and sometimes I could take time off and go to Londoner to enjoy music," said Tekere.

Tekere also said that he had a very good relationship with the then Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Mann who helped facilitate Bob Marley's trip to Zimbabwe.

"Mann told me a lot about Bob Marley's expenditure on the poor. He told me that at any given time there were hundreds of poor people feasting at his house. The guy was a friend to Marley," said Tekere.

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SPECIAL COMMENT POSTED ON WEBSITE!

Zimbabwe is about White Supremacy

BY John Iteshi

http://johntina1.spaces.live.com/

Izhiogoagbo@yahoo.com

London

Racism, the worst kind of racism is the only reason for British media's
obsessions about Mugabe. Nothing in Zimbabwe equates to one tenth of what
happens in each of the 36 states of Nigeria. What the opposition leader
Morgan Tsvangirai, did by trying to instigate mass uprising, cannot be
attempted successfully by anybody in Nigeria today. Just dreaming of it
aloud will put you in jail in Nigeria let alone starting it. Before 2003
general elections key political opponents of the Federal government and
various state governments were assassinated, but they made no real news to
BBC and other western media. Just few months ago in Ebonyi State one of the
poorest States, the governor locked up two journalists for over three months
for publishing articles which accused the governor, Sam Egwu of corruption
in a local newspaper. What a pity, this fact did not make any news to the
democracy loving western media! Currently, oppositions at all levels are
being openly suppressed and systematically excluded from contesting the next
elections by the electoral body headed by a government stooge (in fact there
are clear evidence that the head of the electoral body has forged
certificate but he cannot be removed because he has a mission to install
government candidates). The vice president of Nigeria is openly humiliated
and denied his official privileges just for standing up against the plot by
the president to extend his rule through the back door. One would have
expected the democracy loving white world to stand up against the evil
regime of Obasanjo, but nothing like that has happened.

The clear message being sent across Black Africa seems to be that all one
needs to succeed as president of his country is to be a friend of the west
even at the expense of his people just like Obasanjo and not transparency
and good governance. The fact is now clearest that any Black African leader
regarded as good by the west is definitely evil or incompetent. Example
Obasanjo vis-à-vis General Abacha who was condemned in the west but has left
indelible landmarks of great infrastructural development in Nigeria... For
the benefit of those who are unaware of the facts. Abacha ruled Nigeria
between November 1993 and June 1998 during which the oil market was not at
all booming, but used the meagre resources wisely enough to rehabilitate
roads, hospitals universities and other public amenities through the
Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). Obasanjo's democracy has ruled Nigeria since may
1999 witnessing unprecedented increase in revenue through the unprecedented
oil boom and irresponsible disposals of the most lucrative public
corporations in the name of privatisation, but has achieved virtually no
definite success in any sector. Roads are basically left where Abacha left
them in 1998 and I speak as an enlightened Nigerian who knows Nigeria. I
visited Nigeria in 2005 October and travelled by coach round the country to
see if there has been any changes. I travelled from Abuja to Abakaliki via
Enugu; from Enugu to Onitsha - Benin - Ore - Lagos and from Lagos to
Ibadan-Okene-Abuja and was shocked to see that we have wasted 8years of
unprecedented economic boom. There are global drumming about economic
reforms and progress in Nigeria, while the reality is that only white rogues
collaborating with the government are the gainers. Destroying landline
phones networks and public payphones in order to force every Nigerian to
depend on GSM (which enriches mainly white South Africans) is what people
call economic progress in Nigeria. The fact that western media and their
governments have continued to praise a government as evil as Obasanjo's
despite clear evidences of everything they claim to stand against makes me
confident that any government condemned by the west might not be all bad
after all. Perhaps, Idi Amin might have not been as bad!
It seems to me that the only reason the white world is against Mugabe is
because he expelled white farmers because genuine concern for the Black race
would have meant that Nigeria being the largest Black society would be given
greater focus. It is now clear to me that BBC and other British media are
far worse than the British National Party (BNP) which is labelled racist.
The BNP is not threatening the existence and survival of the Black race
while British journalists are. I am most grateful for the hospitality of the
British state for affording me the good life and respect that no Black
country can afford its Black citizens. I do not shy away from the hard fact
that the most racist white country would treat ordinary Black immigrants
better than the best Black country would treat its own citizens. Therefore,
I am grateful to Britain, but at the same time believe that my people must
be enlightened about the true location of racism. The real racism is not
about local people genuinely resenting to uncontrolled immigration of
dubious people into their country. I put myself in the shoes of ordinary
white British people who have no other country to run to! What I call racism
at its worst is the one-sided stand of the "white world" on Zimbabwe.

It is accepted that the takeover of white farms could have been more
diplomatically done, but it cannot justify the current scale of global
condemnation of Mugabe. What the white supremacists pretending to be
messiahs are insinuating is that Zimbabwe cannot survive without white
farmers who clearly were not even farming to feed Zimbabweans in the first
place. What is being propagated around the world is that no Black country
can survive on its own even though, I know that there had been no evidence
of starvation since the controversial take over of farms. What needs to be
done by enlightened and decolonised Black people is to rally round and use
the Zimbabwean case as an inspiration for building successful societies.
Zimbabwe is by far more democratic and successful than most other Black
African countries like Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, DRC etc., but today it bears
the ignoble reputation of being one of the worst places to live in. Even
though nobody can prove that the best of the 36 state governors of Nigeria
is not worst than 10 Mugabes as I have severally challenged the BBC to do,
we are still being fed with lies about Mugabe. It is therefore very clear
that Mugabe would have remained a friend of the west if he had not expelled
white farmers. Hence, it is purely and squarely about race!
John Iteshi

http://johntina1.spaces.live.com/

Izhiogoagbo@yahoo.com
London

"Blame Mugabe, not West, for crisis!" SAYS CDE EDGAR TEKERE!

Blame Mugabe for crisis and not the West, says Tekere http://news.sulekha.com/nlink.aspx?cid=399695 http://news.sulekha.com/newsitemdisplay.aspx?cid=399695&cat=Source

Edgar Tekere.   By Dennis Rekayi MUTARE - Edgar Tekere, the controversial former Zanu PF secretary general, says Zimbabweans must not be fooled by President Robert Mugabe to believe that the country is under Western-backed sanctions because the punitive measures are targeted only at a few individuals in the ruling government and party. The tough-talking maverick politician said Zimbabweans should never accept propaganda by Mugabe and his party that the whole population was under the sanctions backed by the European Union, the United States, New Zealand and other countries in the West. He said problems bedevilling Zimbabwe should be placed squarely on Mugabe and his bungling government which promised people milk and honey at independence only to drive the country into chaos through greed, corruption, mismanagement and related things. Tekere said this while addressing members of the Mutare Press Club at the weekend. Mugabe and his government have for the past few years been blaming the so-called targeted sanctions imposed by the EU and others after the disputed 2002 presidential elections for crippling the country's economy. Many blame Mugabe's controversial policies such as the land-grab programme for destroying the backbone of the country's economy. Tekere said Mugabe was deliberately hoodwinking the entire population to believe the country was under sanctions when it was not. "The sanctions are targeted on Mugabe not all Zimbabweans," Tekere told members of the Mutare Press Club. "That's a lot of nonsense because the sanctions are not targeted at all Zimbabweans." He said Mugabe was the biggest loser since can no longer to travel to England, a country "he is so fond of". "Mugabe was very fond of London. Even if he could travel to Latin America, India, or countries in Africa, Mugabe would make it a point that he went via London," said Tekere. "Now he is no longer going there to shop around." At the Mutare Press Club, Tekere warned he could take legal action against individuals such as Augustine Chihuri, the police chief, for defaming him after the launch of his book, the Struggle of a Lifetime, which the Zanu PF government has been trying to rubbish since it was published. Chihuri was quoted in the state-controlled Herald newspaper last week saying Tekere could not be considered for the leadership of both Zanu PF and the country during the war of liberation because he was a "drunkard". Chihuri was dismissing claims contained in Tekere's book that it was the former Zimbabwe Unity Movement leader, who propelled Mugabe to the ruling party and the country's leadership. "That is serious defamation," Tekere warned. "Chihuri is a custodian of the law. He should not trample on it." Meanwhile the campaign urging the EU to renew the targeted sanctions against Mugabe and his lieutenants is gathering momentum with human rights groups and international labour unions leading the way to present evidence why the EU should not be divided over the issue. The sanctions expire in February. The British government has since dismissed media reports that there are divisions within the EU over targeted sanctions imposed in 2002. There are also on-going campaigns to stop the French from inviting President Mugabe to the Franco-Africa summit which is set to be held in the Cannes.

 

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Bro Moeletsi Mbeki Paints A Gloom Picture For Zimbabwe !

http://crybelovedzimbabwe.blogspot.com/2007/03/moeletsi-mbeki-paints-gloom-picture-for.html

Moeletsi Mbeki Paints A Gloom Picture For Zimbabwe

I watched Moeletsi Mbeki's interview on Sky News this morning and I am afraid the picture is bleak. He starts by pointing out that Zimbabwe is a landlocked country that if any pressure was needed then it can only be exerted by the neighbouring countries i.e South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. He then points out what he conceives as the primary reason for the neighbours for not exerting pressure on Zimbabwe is mostly because they fear that their support for MDC and Morgan Tsvangirai would send a wrong message for Africa's most industrialised region. Souther Africa being the most industrialised has more people working and this has given rise to trade unionism, the trade unions using their sheer size are becoming more and more political. He cites the case of Zambia where Kenneth Kaunda was ousted by a trade union leader after 27 years in power. Therefore African leaders are reluctant to be drawn into the issue of Zimbabwe for fear that they own labour movement might oust them from power one day. Mr Mbeki argues that the influx of refugees would not make a big policy change as he acknowledged that even in South Africa, COSATU the largest umbrella labour body in whole of Africa poses a threat to South Africa's ANC led government. COSATU is only civic body together with The Church Council of Souther Africa which issued a statement concerned by what was happening in Zimbabwe. On Human Rights day in South Africa it has promised to demonstrate against South Africa's quiet diplomacy and the illegal arrest and torture of Zimbabwean's opposition and civic leaders on their way to a prayer meeting.

Mbeki having lived in Zimbabwe when he was forced to flee apartheid was there when Mugabe ordered the massacre of more than 50 000 civilians to crush Joshua Nkomo's opposition Zapu PF which later merged with Mugabe's Zanu PF. He then uses this example to say that things will get worse before they get better in Zimbabwe. Asked about the fact that The MDC President feels that last Sunday's events were a tipping point, he answers that Morgan is an optimist. He says he knows Mugabe personally and know that he has an appetite for violence and will continue to exert brutal violence to stop regime change in Zimbabwe.

Mr Moeletsi Mbeki is a brother to South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, has a strong background in journalism, with a resume that includes a Nieman Fellowship and time at the BBC. He was a media consultant for the ANC in the '90s, and is currently the chairman of Endemol South Africa. He has always bee outspoken and differs on many things from his brother South Africa's president. He caused waves when he said: Africans Were Better Off During Colonial Times Than They Are Now

 

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