via Zanu-PF ‘worse than Smith regime’ | News24 2014-04-14
Zimbabwean opposition parties have reportedly taken a swipe at the ruling Zanu-PF party and described it as “worse than the Smith regime”.
This comes after hundreds of people were left homeless following the recent demolishing of their houses in Ruwa and Chitungwiza suburbs, according to a News Day report.
Government said the houses were illegal structures.
Movement for Democratic Change’s national orgarnising secretary Nelson Chamisa said Zanu-PF was “anti-people” as its government destroyed the houses without offering alternative accommodation to the people affected.
Housing for the poor
The report said there were plans to destroy more houses in other suburbs.
In 2005, government embarked on Operation Murambatsvina (Clean out filthy) which displaced at least 700 000 and destroyed the livelihoods of thousands in a country bedevilled by high unemployment.
Chamisa said the Smith regime was “actually better in providing housing for the poor”. He said Smith’s government respected the ordinary people.
Ian Smith ruled Zimbabwe – then Rhodesia – from 1964 to 1979 before President Robert Mugabe took over after independence in 1980.
Gilbert Dzikiti, the interim president of DARE said the mushrooming of illegal housing developments was a pointer to the failure of government in providing housing.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said they would challenge the constitutionality of the demolitions.
COMMENTS
You don’t say.
I CONCUR! SMITHH NEVER HAD ANY CORRUPT OFFICIALS! NOR AN INSATIABLE LOVE FOR EXPENSIVE CARS, MABENZI ETC! AH , BUT THEN, THESE THINGS ARE NEW TO US! FROM THE BUSH TO BUCKS!
You hit right on the nail!
I understand that Smith drove a black Peugeot 404 sedan and did not move around with bodyguards. Another story is that he used his old, cold-weather clothing issued to him after World War 2 to attend the Geneva conference, as he had no other clothes of this type. The British apparently found this very funny as the clothing was 30 years out of date!
People of Zimbabwe made a very big mistake by voting these people in power. Zvikwekwe zvinorarama nekukweva ropa revamwe. Vasveta simba vanoshandisa vanhu vavasingabhare. Guys let us be serious and wage really war not just demostrations, that will take us nowhere. Ava vanhu ava varoyi vskuru vanotoda kunwiswa muteyo kwete mvura yekumasowe haishande. Demostrations imvura yekumasowe haishande.
What friggin amazes me is that it has taken you clowns 34 years to realize that you voted for a moron, now is it going to take another 34 years to get rid of this murdering, thieving moron and his party !!!!
Absolutely right, the only hope now is for than when it finally implodes that the UN gets involved and then an election, under their control takes place
I have lived under both and can attest to the fact that this regime is worse by far. I did not condone the suppression then and I don’t now but as for the current lot. Well! They have a lot to answer for. They take the cake!
Well said!
I lived under both cruel and inhuman regimes and given a choice I would take the Smith regime. That there just tells you how bad Mugabe has been. The liberation that we are supposed to be “enjoying” is just pure political fiction. Mugabe should be ashamed to call himself president of Zimbabwe.
Lets not get carried away here.
If one thinks of the indignity meted out by the rhodies to us them days, then its a tough call.
Of course Smith did not destroy the country’s infrastructure whilst he and his cronies were lording it over us.
Ngoto, not a tough call at all. Mugabe destroyed the infrastructure , the economy., family social structure, and then him and his cronies loaded it on us.
I also can testify that we are worse off now than we were in Rhodesia. Matororo ayi imba achiti “tichagutsa munhu wose novufumi bwe Zimbabwe” . Hanzi muri kudya nhoko dzezvironda na Smith. Promises turned to lies as I can witness from 1965 todate, we have witnessed untold suffering from the hands of our self appointed liberators. Smith and his cabinet never spoiled themselves with posh top of the range cars, Smith never spent money on motorcades sezvinotwa nema socialists edu anhasi.
Tichizvitaura tosungwa nama colonisers edu ava tema.
I wonder what happened to the leadership code of 1980 -who killed it(leadership code). Mbavha dzavanhu.
ZANU PF stop tormenting the people of Zimbabwe. Munyodzvo ibva negushe wakaipa. It is too much and beyond tolerance and boiling point. The houses you are destroying in Chitungwiza and Ruwa were allocated by councilors of the GNU meaning ZANU PF and MDC were involved. MDC must not play the angel here because it is equally to blame for allocating residential stands in unplanned areas. Zimbabwe-Rhodesia government was a GNU run by lucid minded people guided more by standards than whimsy. They knew the importance of wet lands (matoro) and they preserved them. The “hwindi councilors of the GNU” had no discretion.
Hurumende ye GNU ndiyo yakapa maChaina mvumo yekuvaka mumatoro. Tarisai mazisana enzou akavakwa next to the national sports stadium nemaChaina mukati mema wet lands anotoyerera mvura. Sei vasiri kupazirwawo ivava. Varidzi venyika ndivo vodzungaidzwa maChaina akatambarara muswe uko nekoko. Besides, the Chinese have turned Belgravia into a Chinese squatter camp very much remindful of the Murambatsvina that saw many structures destroyed and our people made homeless up to this day. Why should the Chinese do what our people are not allowed to do? Destroy Chinese illegal structures first before you destroy innocent peoples’ homes. Hamunyare makaitaseiko imi.
Ngoto….What dignity has Mugabe availed his people, we are the laughing stock of the world, we don’t see even half of what the world thinks and says about our dear leader because of his own protection laws…time must be up…
Smith had his downfalls, I lived under them as well, but we had education, Hospitals, Food, work, Unemployment was virtually nil unless you chose to do nothing, Inputs to Subsistance farming was available, no queuing at the banks at till at Government buildings, Very little corruption and people were wanting to assist when it cam to their jobs.
Work was for most a sense of Pride whether Civil servant or Private employee, and in those days you could be fired for not doing your job, not arriving on time, or even being smelly.
things have changed we don’t care about work ethics, about who we serve or how, just go to a supermarket, teller serves you and while you are trying to pack your purchases they are asking for cash and then starts doing the next customer, no help, no patience.
I Remember having to go to Botswana in about 1975 and suddenly realising my passport had expired (5year)and could be renewed for another 5years I went to the passport office in Bulawayo and was updated and out of the office in less than an hour at no cost it was free. Efficiency that what it was.
Yes Smith had his downfalls, the RHODIES had their downfalls but we were all better off and dare I SAY IT Freer than today.
At least you could tell Smith and his government what you thought of them, were you arrested no, verbal critisim was accepted thats how countries and people grow.
would I go back to those times, YES, and would hope that people would live together knowing what we now know.
We cocked up so now we pay.
I think it’s soon coming to a time where you cannot compare Smith’s time with Mugabe’s reign because Mugabe’s reign has been so bad beyond measure. Mugabe has been atrocious, he has literally destroyed everything and whilst himself living a lifestyle so detached from the people it’s not funny.
Here is a guy who goes overseas for medical treatment, he hosts a million dollar wedding then refuses to compensate ordinary villagers affected by floods.
In Smith’s time hospitals were places of treatment, today in Mugabe’s hospitals you even catch more deadly diseases.
In Smith’s day urban buses stuck to a timetable and roads were well maintained and teachers could afford to fill up the school car park, not so in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
I could go on and on, Mugabe is possibly the worst leader Africa has ever seen.
Things were good sure, compared to today.
Then why did so many young men leave for Zambia and Moza in 74-75?
They were second class citizens in their own country, that’s why.
Everything was running smoothly for the benefit of the white man.
Blacks were not free in their own country, being confined mainly in the servants quarters, T/ships and TT lands.
A situation like that was unsustainable.
Just like today.
Out of interest, why is there so much focus in the media over the past few months on Ian Smith? Does anyone know?
It just seems odd that’s all…I mean, why the sudden focus on a man and system which is so long gone?
It is because people are realizing that Mugabe treats them worse than Ian Smith did despite the propaganda telling them how good they have it. The worst crime of ZANU-PF is making people nostalgic for Rhodesia. They don’t really care about their image because they are above the law. Who cares about a new constitution when they will ignore any constitution?
Smith boasted that he could move around the capital without any body guards. Mugabe on the other hand would be stoned to death if he tried the same thing. That is why he moves around with a small army.
Smith versus Mugabe? Racial polarisation and guerilla war versus economic devastation and corruption? Hard call.
I would choose neither one.
@Rwendo. I agree – very good point! Are Zimbabweans capable of building something better?
My gut feeling is, sadly, no.
I would choose Smith and hope that the next revolution is not stolen by the most evil of people.
Amen.
Smith-Mugabe-Tsvangirai. Smith-Mugabe-Mujuru. Smith-Mugabe-Mnangagwa….
What is our problem?
God knows.
We seem to be a cursed people. Cursed by ignorance, which is ironic given that we keep telling everyone how intelligent we all are!