Source: The end is coming for Mugabe: Zimbabwe looks to be on the brink of revolution | Metro News Sunday 10 Jul 2016
Zimbabwe looks increasingly likely to be heading towards revolution as street protests and national work boycotts become more prominent.
No longer scared to speak out against Robert Mugabe’s decades-long oppressive rule, people have been taking to the streets.
The battered economy means banks have run short of cash, government salaries have not been paid and basic imports have been banned.
Added to that there is a severe drought at the moment leaving millions hungry and the 92-year-old president’s health is increasingly uncertain.
‘People are beginning to ask who the source of their problems is. The anger is mounting,’ Rushweat Mukundu, a political analyst with the Harare-based Zimbabwe Democracy Institute think-tank said.
‘The spontaneous acts we are witnessing now may escalate into mass uprisings.’
A national ‘shutdown’ strike closed many businesses, shops and schools last week, with public transport and some government departments and courts also ceasing to function.
‘The spontaneous acts we are witnessing now may escalate into mass uprisings.’
A national ‘shutdown’ strike closed many businesses, shops and schools last week, with public transport and some government departments and courts also ceasing to function.
The strike followed days of sporadic protests triggered by a sudden outbreak of demonstrations on the outskirts of Harare over police road blocks accused of extorting cash from motorists.
That unrest, in which at least 113 people were arrested, started on a small scale among public minibus drivers but soon spread, with rocks thrown at police and tyres burnt in roads as unemployed young men joined in.
The riots revealed the long-bubbling frustration normally kept under strict control by Mugabe’s ruthless security forces in a country where 90 percent of the population are not in formal jobs.
A few days earlier, around 70 people were arrested in the town of Beitbridge at the border with South Africa during protests over a ban on imports of commodities such as canned vegetables, powdered milk and cooking oil.
‘Civil servants who were loyal to the government because they were getting salaries or using state infrastructure to engage in petty corruption are now among the discontented,’ said Mukundu.
Even the police and army – essential to Mugabe maintaining power – have been affected, with both forces paid about 12 days late last month.
‘As things stand, there is no capacity to address the crisis,’ Ibbo Mandaza, head of the regional think-tank Southern Africa Political and Economic Series, told AFP.
‘Nothing short of political and economic reforms will stop the crisis. It will continue like this until the end comes.’
But Mugabe has proved a tough survivor since coming to power when the country won independence in 1980, and he is expected to fight to retain his grip on the country.
His rule has been defined by antagonism towards the West, and authorities have accused unnamed ‘Western embassies’ of sponsoring groups organising the protests.
One target of that jibe is thought to be the #ThisFlag internet movement, which has grown rapidly as Zimbabweans have embraced social media as a relatively safe and open way to express their opposition to Mugabe.
ThisFlag founder Evan Mawarire, a Baptist pastor, shot to instant fame after he posted a video of himself on Facebook venting against state corruption and the government’s failure to provide basic services.
Now the hashtag has become a unifying symbol for the various strands of protest, and Mawarire has suggested another national shutdown next week.
The government is desperately seeking an IMF loan, but international donors are wary of support that could prolong the regime rather than encourage reform.
Zimbabwe, which abandoned its own currency in favour of US dollars in 2009 to end hyperinflation, spends more than 80 percent of its revenue on state workers’ wages and is rated among the most corrupt nations worldwide.
‘Security forces have reacted heavy-handedly (to protests), including beatings and arbitrary detentions of activists,’ Robert Besseling, head of EXX Africa risk intelligence, said in a note.
‘A military coup or other form of political intervention is increasingly likely.’
COMMENTS
Yazviwana ngwarati
Zimbabwean men of Shona tribal origin are pathetic cowards, layabouts and braggarts. The Matabele historically regarded the Shona as no better than insects or dogs: seems they were right. The Matabele would not put up with the sh*t doled out by Mugabe and his cronies if they were in the numerical majority. Mugabe used the Gukarahundi to neutralize the Matabele: sadly this brutal act of genocide worked all too well. He knew his own were too passive and docile to be a real threat for decades. He knew he could buy them off with freebies, soft government jobs, bits of land and pensions. Now all that is left to reform Zimbabwe are millions of subsistence level street dealers and vendors, too lazy even to go back to the rural areas and back to their roots of small scale farming. At least the latter would feed enough of the population to avoid the absurd situation of Zimbabwe importing staples like mealie meal.
Returning a few dozen farms to white ownership and control, free of stupid political interference, would transform Zimbabwes fortunes within one or two growing seasons. Come to think of it, abolishing the theft of businesses in general by ‘indigenisation’ would do the same. But no, the Shona braggart is too proud for that…….
Hie man its not all shonas and khalangas who support mugabe work up zim whether ndebele or shona has one common enemy mugabe be united and fight thid devil together ok
In Great Brittain, the Scottish nearly voted to become an independent nation. In Spain, Catalunia is on its way to become independent. No boundary on Earth is sacred.
I can see no way Zimbabwe can remain united, once true democracy is installed.
The unjustices inflicted upon the Matabele are too serious, ever to be forgotten.
The international community would welcome a new member. Where are the Victoria falls, in Matabeleland of course.
Such a stupid comment. Better keep quiet than utter nonsense. You are just a devilish tribalist
Strange to call a European a tribalist. Let me explain.
* The present boundaries of Zimbabwe were imposed by Europeans, had Africa run its course without interference, there would more probably have been a Mashonaland and a Matabeleland.
* In Europe, wherever regimes were replaced by true democracy , several countries choose to split up for the common good . Those recent splits are mostly based upon language or culture.
Examples: czech republic, Slovakia ; Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo.
* One of the principle arguments to suggest self rule is agression of a state against part of its citizens.
must I remind you of gukuragundi?
I agree with an independent South Sudan, if that is tribalist, then maybe that is the best solution for Africa. Call me names as much as you like, I would also agree with an independent Palestine, Armenia and Matabeleland. I will not eat my words, “no boundaries are sacred”.
Mugarbage you have a very good point. One that most Shonas find unpalatable. One way or another Mthwakazi will be independent. Shelton needs to get real. It only makes sense. Would Shelton accepttp a Ndebele Presient? I don’t think so. If there is any devilish person then ity’s you Shelton and your ilk
Chaminuka’s land is eternally indivisible and that includes all the south western parts presently occupied by among other people , Ndebeles who arrived in 1843.Please understand that land is occupied by such people courtesy of us Shonas. We have no objection to the setting up of the so called Mthwakazi except it won’t be on our land . Maybe somewhere in South Africa.
You are sick in your mind, wena Chaporonga. This whole land belongs to the Khoisan. We will liberate ourselves.
the price of freedom is blood. … zvakamfanana kusiri kufa ndekupiko.. let’s strike ne husiku
I am a Zimbabwean who would rather see sense and facts than be mudslinging. We are Zimbabweans regardless of what tribe or clan one comes from. Ndebeles, Shonas, Manyasaland and many other minor tribes and races including whites, we did not opt to be Zimbabwean but we do opt to be either MDC , ZANU PF, ZAPU , ZIMPF and any other political party. To be frank we even opt to be Christian , Muslim, Hindu or traditionalists. Where am I going with this ? instead of castigating each other on tribal lines we are to unite and agree at least that chronic failing is the order in Zimbabwe and the refusal of the government to take responsibility is nothing but an insult to our very own intelligence.
I was in Malaysia and Singapore the heaven of the political elite children for education, health and holidays while we are to content with broken systems at home. ZANU PF perhaps delusional with the belief they have the God given right to the answers of our problems as they are building mansions and filling foreign bank accounts with anything they can lay hands on is clearly failing, it doesn’t take a Ndebele to see that. With the opposition that treat us with the same contempt as those in power we better off standing up as a nation not as political entities of, or for anybody. MDC has disregarded its own constitution , ZIMPF was in bed with ZANU PF , till they fell off the bed of roses and started to cry wolf. Tsvangirai was all for the people until he had a taste of power and became a womaniser and a state assets grabber , getting treatment from abroad like Mugabe he denounces.
In all this the common person suffers, as our leaders are of the same mentality, get to the top and fend for yourself and God for the rest, we are squashed in every corner we turn to even churches the leaders so wealthy standing on the shoulders of the poor.
We lack true leadership and its no tribal thing, that is not tribal Mugabe has made us all so self centred we can hardly care about anyone’s plight. For that we are all guilty no matter what race or tribe we are.
Never thought this translated to a tribal issue at all. Let’s face it, we all disapprove of Gukurahundi. It killed and hurt Zimbabwean citizens and that is unforgivable.
From where I stand, the Matibili era over. His system of genocide and autocratic rule had no economic agenda. It was simply to keep him in the cookie jar undisturbed together with his hure remuroora wekwa Goreraza and their hanger’s on. Now, it’s sure coming to an end and if Lumumba was to lend us his words…”Vana vake must pay for their father’s excesses”. We must do to his children what he did to our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters. Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife, Elena relived soon!
Zimbabwe must be free Zanu stop acting stupidly because you have guns and power the drums of freedom you can hear the sound zimbabweans are yelling for freedom at any cost and freedom will come kill as you want remember freedom is coming You are failed leaders go soon war will be in zim no matter how much you avoid it no matter how strong ur army is people shall resist people shall fight all killers whether police. Cio oneday you will regret the innocent blood you are spilling Free The Pastor now Zanu pf Thugs how long will you kill the innocent you stole all the money and farms why are you abducting pple surely this shall be the begining of a new revolution for people of zim mugabe and zanu will go where is saddam banda hitler bin ladden mabuto seseseko zanu pf end is here
In the event of Mashonaland becoming an independent state, I have just the National Anthem for it.
Mati bili Mati bili
watch watch watch watch
ké um Bob ké ala
ali a tsalma, a tsalma Gono watch
ali a tsalma, a tsalma Grace watch
I draw your attention to “the man behind the flag”, Mr Garbage.
Ah, sorry, you were too busy composing your Mashona anthems!
This is not the time to bang on about our hate of the Mashona, (I am Shona by the way and am not proud of my tribe’s legacy), however this is a time to rally behind the flag and rid Zim of the nasty scourge ZANU.
Ngoto, who put Zanu there? Deal with it. You want to put another failure under our watch? Do that in your Zimabwe and leave Mthwakazi to find it’s own future.
how can a country be led by as grand-grand father Zimbabweans wake up, it does not take a scientist to realise that you are being fooled around.Mugabe no longer knows anything even the fact that you are on strike he doest”know he is old please.All he needs is prayers .
my parents . my siblings , our cattle and my pet dog . were killed by gukurahundi soldiers . i survived by hiding my 18yr old skinny self under a granary . we were being persecuted for not being able to speak shona . my mother’s stomach was sliced 0pen as she was pregnant ” to remove the dissident ” in her belly . they were all later shot at point blank range and their bodies were loaded into a truck to a destination i will never know . i only came out from under my refuge 6 hrs later when it had become dark . that is when i went to the cattle kraal to see that all cattle had been stabbed to a gory death . my pet dog had also been ripped open but still alive . instinct and love made me try to revive it but it died too. i could still hear distant gunshots and knew that more of my kin were still dying. all because of ” a moment of madness ” . the perpetrators still walk the hallways of their offices . i personally know one of the soldiers who killed my kin and folk who is now retired and lives at a location i occasionally frequent . he does not know me . i greet him with a plastic smile on my face . how then do people think i feel about the ” moment of madness ” ?
Umbambe umqume amasende. Lawe Ndlangamandla udlala ngeskhathi.Hawu. Msusele amanqe.
Ndebeles read your history if you feel that you are nt a zimbo just go men we are better off alone.
Royal Myopic you are an educated idiot or you are simply an idiot. This is 21st century.It is exactly your attitude that has landed Zimbabwe in this situation. It is exactly your attitude that has made Ndebeles want to be on our own in Matebeleland not in some far flung territory. This will happen. Like it or not. Scream and shout it’s not gonna help. You have failed to build a nation. You were given a spot kick with no goalkeeper and you hooked the ball all the way to the top and it landed behind you!!!! Uzokunya.