HAVE YOUR SAY: 02071930174
It’s official. Zimbabwe has a new president, there was no coup and it was all legal. (1)
The culmination of seven days of political activity and intrigue (2) that would have stretched the most gifted thriller writer sees the southern Afrikan state at the dawn of a new era with new president Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa at the helm. In his inaugural speech the new head of state pledged to serve all citizens ”regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation.” (3)
It was a speech that arguably had something for everybody. For the Robert Mugabe loyalists, there was a glowing tribute to his “father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader.” (4) For those worried about reports of behind the scenes deals to bring back Rhodesian farmers (5) he affirmed that:
”The principle of repossessing our land cannot be challenged or reversed. Dispossession of our ancestral land was the fundamental reason for waging the liberation struggle. It would be a betrayal of the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in our liberation struggle if we were to reverse the gains we have made in reclaiming our land.” (6)
For the white world and their surrogates he declared: ”My Government is committed to compensating those farmers from whom land was taken, in terms of the laws of the land” as well as the obligatory overtures for foreign investors. (7)
Recent events have done nothing to dispel Zimbabwe’s uniqueness. As former colonised state that resisted a protracted, brutal European Axis regime change agenda (8) to the dizzying pace that the established president was supplanted. The rubber stamping of the process by the judiciary was key for had the transition been proclaimed a coup it would have resulted in Zimbabwe’s automatic suspension from the African Union and incurred new sanctions. (9)
Semantics aside, many are concerned about what lay behind the swift transition in Zimbabwe. It is apparent that former first lady, Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe is being cast by many on various sides of the political; spectrum as some kind of latter day Lady Macbeth as the main villain of the piece. (10) This is in spite of the fact that she is said to have pioneered the “Targeted Command Agriculture” that produced a bumper harvest in the 2016-17 farming season. (11)
These views persist in spite of emerging reports that plans to depose Robert Mugabe date back a least three years and allegedly included former Prime Minister and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, in spite of his previous support for sanctions and military intervention (12) and the fact that they are now regarded as a “weak, bankrupt and defeated opposition” (13). Another ominous sign was the suggestion that “ Great Britain had at least peripheral involvement in discussions.” (14)
Yet the world saw what appeared to be widespread euphoria at the ouster of ex-president Mugabe although reports of “professionally-produced signs” in the protests does suggest a degree of pre-planning and even orchestration. (15) There was also the often heard refrain that Robert Mugabe was in power for too long although few if any activists applied this thinking to Cuba’s Fidel Castro’s fifty years in power that he then handed over to his brother – often in denial of the racial strife that riddled the island. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j–AX9r6Lw0)
Whereas some are concerned that, with Emmerson Mnangagwa being allied with Robert Mugabe since the early 1960s (16) his essentially presidency represents more of the same. (17) While, the likes of Farai Maguwu, Executive Director Centre for Natural Resource Governance see the way forward as being internal and regional other observers are advancing their own proscriptions such as Matthew Davies, the BBS’s Africa Business Report editor advocate: ”Cash injection; Dump damaging policies and stamp out corruption; Negotiate with foreign lenders; Create the conditions to reduce unemployment and entice the diaspora to return and Create its own currency,’ all while peddling the ‘land reform created economic meltdown’ narrative. (18)
(1) AFP (25/11/17) Zimbabwe court rules military takeover legal. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2017-11-25-zimbabwe-court-rules-military-takeover-legal/
(2) Gregory Elich (20/11/17) What is Behind the Military Coup in Zimbabwe?. https://www.globalresearch.ca/what-is-behind-the-military-coup-in-zimbabwe/5619110.
(3) Emmerson Mnangagwa (24/11/17) President Mnangagwa’s inauguration speech in full. http://www.chronicle.co.zw/president-mnangagwas-inauguration-speech-in-full/
(4) Ibid.
(5) MacDonald Dzirutwe (15/11/17) Zimbabwe military says seizes power to stop ‘criminals’, President Mugabe safe. https://af.reuters.com/article/africaTech/idAFKBN1DF0JD-OZATP
(6) Mnangagwa.
(6) Mnangagwa
(7) Nqobile Bhebhe (25/07/16) Zimbabwe slams veterans as ‘traitorous’ rebels. http://www.theafricareport.com/Southern-Africa/zimbabwe-slams-veterans-as-traitorous-rebels.html
(8) Shenali D Waduge (20/12/13) Why is Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe not a Hero? https://www.globalresearch.ca/why-is-zimbabwes-robert-mugabe-not-a-hero/5362220?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles
(9) Prof. Patrick Bond (21/11/17) Zimbabwe Witnessing an Elite Transition as Economic Meltdown Looms. https://www.globalresearch.ca/zimbabwe-witnessing-an-elite-transition-as-economic-meltdown-looms/5619236?utm_campaign=magnet&utm_source=article_page&utm_medium=related_articles
(10) Ibid
(11) Baffour Ankomah (17/08/17) Cash crisis sours healthy harvest in Zimbabwe. http://newafricanmagazine.com/cash-crisis-sours-healthy-harvest-zimbabwe/
(12) Prof Jonathan Moyo, MP (03/07/11) MDC-T threat to Zimbabwe’s national security. http://bulawayo24.com/index-id-opinion-sc-columnist-byo-5245.html
(13) Farai Maguwu (17/11/17) Zimbabwe: The Dawn of New Error! https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en-GB#!topic/afritax/GZIqOaJfXUI
(14) Elich. Op. Cit.
(15) Bond. Op Cit.
(15) Ahjamu Umi (16/11/17) A Revolutionary Pan-African Perspective on Events in Zimbabwe. http://www.abetterworld.me/blog
(16) Ankomah. Op Cit.
(17) Julia Lynne Walker (16/11/17) Military is complicit in Mugabe misrule Statement of the Global Pan African Movement on the intervention in Zimbabwe. https://www.pambazuka.org/democracy-governance/military-complicit-mugabe-misrule
(18) Matthew Davies (22/11/17) Five ways to revive Zimbabwe’s economy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42079584
we ask the question:
WHAT NOW FOR ZIMBABWE?
- How should history regard Robert Mugabe?
- Should Rhodesian farmers be compensated?
- Is the coverage of Grace Mugabe fair?
- Will anything really change under President Mnangagwa?
- Are the reports of background machinations a cause for concern?
Our very special guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Guide To Excellence.