Sanctions: You lost the plot, Dr David! – MuckRaker

via Sanctions: You lost the plot, Dr David! – The Zimbabwe Independent February 21, 2014 by MuckRaker

Where did Dr Mario David come from? He is the European People’s (Portuguese) Party vice-president and has been part of a EU fact-finding team ahead of the EU’s review of sanctions this week.

He said sanctions were scaring away investors and should be scrapped.

This is rather a naïve view. Sanctions were imposed in 2002 after the head of the EU’s observer mission headed by Pierre Schori found evidence of electoral manipulation and political violence.

Schori was kicked out of the country as a result of this inconvenient disclosure. The Zanu PF regime thereafter persisted in pretending that the sanctions that were imposed were the product of a bilateral dispute between Britain and Zimbabwe over land.

This dishonesty was taken up by the state media which repeated the land myth at every opportunity.

Many of the remaining sanctions will probably be lifted after the EU consultations this week. But Dr David has ignored the torture and abuse of opposition activists such as Tonderayi Ndira, proceeding to claim sanctions were scaring away foreign investors.

That is indeed probably the case. But the sanctions were put in place to teach Zimbabwe’s rulers that torture and electoral manipulation were unacceptable to the EU under the Cotonou terms.

Dr David should not encourage Zimbabwe’s rulers to sweep
such dirt under the carpet. In any case, it is indigenisation that is scaring away investors, not sanctions.

Pots and kettles

Then, as if to confirm that Zimbabwe’s leaders are serious about their conduct, we have Manheru calling the American ambassador a warthog. How old is this guy? This is the level of Zimbabwean diplomacy.

Manheru refers to “cheap potshots that seek to disguise his (the US’) country’s immoral racist policies”.

He obviously hasn’t heard of pots and kettles!

Censored

Muckraker wonders how many people know that the gentleman heading the Board of Censors is 93 years old. We know this because the board has just given the thumbs down to the Wolf of Wall St, the outstanding movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio. But the swearing scuppered the film.
An animated film also got the chop at the same time. The censors didn’t like the little dog shaking its backside after getting wet.
Get the facts right

The Herald told us on Tuesday that a new outfit has been formed called Zimbabweans Against Sanctions. It is headed by a Mr Matthew Smith while former national cricket team captain Heath Streak is spokesperson.

“We are forming this lobby group because the truth about Zimbabwe needs to be heard,” Smith said, “and for that truth to be heard it needs to be heard from our perspective, especially as white Zimbabweans on whose behalf these damaging sanctions were supposedly imposed.”

So whites have been lumped with responsibility for Zanu PF’s warped record.

Smith should be more specific. A glance to the past might be helpful for those for whom he speaks without examining the facts.

Currying favour

Where did all this start? Who was responsible for the death of David Stevens and Martin Olds and in what circumstances? Who was responsible for the seizure of farms and the subsequent downstream collapse of agriculture? Who helped themselves to free seed and equipment?

Those whites who think they can curry favour by parroting the blandishments of Zanu PF need to think again. Sanctions have been imposed on us by a parasitic gang who are still grabbing farms and can’t understand why the EU and US react as they do.

We were, however, amused to hear that Streak had to make his remarks in Bulawayo because Air Zimbabwe had cancelled his scheduled flight to Harare.

Stop racist seizures

Rugare Gumbo claimed there was nothing to celebrate about piecemeal lifting of sanctions.

That’s OK. If he can prevent the continued arbitrary and racist seizure of farms, we are sure the international community will reciprocate by removing what is left of sanctions. That includes properties in Mazoe.

Strange happenings

Among the many strange things that have emerged during the recent exposure of malfeasance (don’t you like that Norman-French legal term) at Air Zimbabwe is the case of the disappearing Airbus engine which the airline doesn’t appear able to account for.

How on earth can you lose an aircraft engine? Do you hide it in the garage alongside the wife’s car and the Chibuku bottles? Or is it so well covered it looks like part of the surrounding bush?

Peter Chikumba, former CEO at AirZim, subsequently began all his meetings at the Celebration Centre, to which he was subsequently assigned after AirZim, with a prayer. We could then say he got by on a wing and a prayer!

Chikumba is still CEO at the Celebration Centre, we gather, although he now has to carry out his mission long distance! He used to give lectures on good corporate governance. Does he still, we wonder?

Perhaps when he left AirZim he took the engine with him. The Celebration Centre by the way bakes outstanding cakes. But that doesn’t excuse them promoting religion.

Mandiwanzira breaks with tradition
Deputy informantion mininster Supa Mandiwanzira has said radio stations that would be licensed soon should not be used as political tools by individuals.

That would be a difficult tradition to break! The story of Zimbabwe parastatals since Independence has been one of political involvement and interference. Air Zimbabwe in particular has been a tool of the regime. Herbert Ushewokunze designed the current livery himself.

Muckraker will be been to see that new board members are subject to due diligence. We dont want to see Mahoso-style panel shows on the overhead screen!