via Zimbabwe, a year after elections | SW Radio Africa July 31, 2014 by Tichaona Sibanda
A year into Robert Mugabe’s 5th term as President, the high expectations and hope from his supporters, that led to his ‘crushing victory’, have given way to impatience and mounting criticism from all opposition parties, and many in ZANU PF.
Since ZANU PF’s controversial ‘win’ in the July 31st poll, Mugabe and ZANU PF’s popularity have plummeted as the economy continues on a downward spiral.
Political commentator Munjonzi Mutandiri told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that while Mugabe’s first year after elections has been beset by scandals and disappointments, the country’s opposition parties and civil society organisations have also contributed to the problems.
Mutandiri noted that the infighting within the opposition groups, mainly the MDC-T, has left no one with the guts to hold the ruling ZANU PF to account.
‘It’s a pity that the opposition and civil society groups are not as organised as we would want them to be. The country’s economy is struggling with high unemployment, yet ZANU PF is getting away with murder as no one is taking them to task over their failures,’ he said.
He added: ‘I remember a day after ZANU PF were declared winners, I had an interview with your station and told you that ZANU PF does not have the capacity to resuscitate the economy. So here we are one year later. What has changed, nothing, yes nothing.’
Mutandiri said that what has happened in the past twelve months is exactly the opposite of what the party promised in its election manifesto.
‘The party promised 2 million jobs. But what we see on a daily basis are companies closing down. There are only 500,000 people in formal employment out of a total population of 14 million. You cannot point to anything positive when you have half a million people working out of a possible 7-8 million,’ he added.
Journalist and political analyst Itai Dzamara said today (Thursday) Zimbabwe marks the day twelve months ago of the greatest betrayal of the people’s aspirations for a democratic state.
He said: ‘July 31, 2013 was a watershed moment, which was stolen and abused to become a great betrayal and the implications and resultant circumstances are too ghastly to behold as well as tolerate.
‘They don’t need a genius wordsmith to articulate. They are self-evident.
Zimbabwe is an eloquent story of failure, hopelessness and doom today.
Even the architects of the disaster are marooned, mesmerized and clueless,’ he said.
To mark the day, as millions of Zimbabwe wallow in poverty, Mugabe and his ZANU PF ruling elite have entertained themselves to some fine wine and food at State House.
Party spokesman Rugare Gumbo told journalists that Mugabe decided to have a party as it was important to remember the ‘historic feat.’
NewZimbabwe.com quotes Gumbo saying that, only “Politburo members, Members of Parliament, the Harare leadership and captains of industry” can attend.
COMMENTS
Some of us did not watch and wait with baited breath to see what would happen. We knew. Anyone who failed politically for a period of 34 now going 35 years can not suddenly have a brain storm and find solutions which have been alluding them for all that time. The Ironic part is that the answer are and were staring them in the face but they refuse to see. Most of it was because of greed and the fact that they had amassed so much wealth they could basically have thriving “ECONOMIES” within their houses and circles. That being the case they did not care a damn about the starving Masses.
Funny enuogh so much was going on in other countries e.g. the Arab spring and they still failed to look at this and say “this might happen right here” Up to now they still think they have it sewn tight. The winds of change are on the horizon, and I have said the we need people of conviction to prepare to step forward and be counted. If we are not careful the same thing that is happening in Libya and happened in Somalia can and will happen here. Our problem is that the opposition is so busy fighting each other and those that rule have been blinded by their ill-gotten riches and do not realize just how naked they are. There are ripples in the wind that suggest that there is a lot more than meets the eye building up in the background.In the words of a great man this situation will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. If you have ears and eyes hear and see.
Dr DL: I already respect, admire and like you from what I have gathered from your regular posts. Now the cherry on the top – you refer to Bob Dylan as a ‘great man’. Spot on Sir!
Angela Wigmore as much as I like quotations from Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill and many others Bob Dylan always stands out because what he wrote all those years ago “Back in the day” has become relevant now. Be assured my friend this will end. The only thing that bothers me is how.
Agree Dr DL. Hopefully in the not-too-distant future we will be able to quote George Harrison: ”Here Comes the Sun”.
Totally agree. Keep the faith and don’t ever let anyone tell you are not what you are. It makes me so proud that people like you and Clive S still care about your home, and it makes me prouder that we wrestle with the devil and he has not beaten us. We have exorcised our demons. I only wish others would do the same.
Party spokesman Rugare Gumbo told journalists that Mugabe decided to have a party as it was important to remember the ‘historic feat.’
Having a party is one thing, and he is right to say we have to remember the historic (not feat) cheat. We must so that we can make sure this kind of a thing is not repeated in a free Zimbabwe when it comes.Nobody ever thought that the troubled eastern Europe would ever fall. Charles Taylor thought he was an untouchable. Now he languishes in a Western jail. Party whilst you can for tomorrow will surely catch up with you.
I believe the root of opposition fights are ZANU PF itself. My late uncle was a top ZANU PF official and he used to say one of their strategies was to always join any opposition party to eventual cause division and disagreements. They use the tactics all the time. They did that with ZUM too
Gadaffi abacha caesescu Mubarak Saddam Chavez Manila etc also threw “victory ” orgies
Sound analysis, Doctor do little, as usual.
Unfortunately, for Africa, the times are a changing for the worse.
Ngoto Zimbwa my brother all we can do is hope. As I have said it is people like you that will make the new country good because you have looked past tribe color and race.We do what we do for a teapot shaped country called Zimbabwe.
Why is everyone fixated on the political system and political parties. It is the people of Zimbabwe, the ordinary citizens, the civil society who have the country’s destiny in their hands. For goodness sake, forget the politicians, they are nothing in the future of this country
It is time for the new generation – I feel that I have done my bit.
Just remember that The Rule of Law must be paramount and that tribalism and racism (and lawlessness) are what has killed the country
Hope, is all we can do Doctor do little, because without that, we might as well close shop and go home.
When the author of this article writes that the opposition parties have also contributed to the problems Zim is facing today, one can only but feel a sense of despair.
Shout and rant as much as they want, the opposition are not even bit players in the Zim equation.
Anyone who doesn’t realize that ZANU has the country so tightly shut down has to be in a comma.
So occasionally I do feel like C. Frizell, its tome for the younger generation to take up the cudgel.