Source: The raising of Lazarus – Zimbabwe Vigil Diary: 27th June 2020
A miracle has happened in Malawi: first a rigged presidential election was overturned by the judiciary; and now the people have elected the opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera in the rerun.
Former Zanu PF ideas man Jonathan Moyo tweeted from exile in South Africa: ‘If Malawi did it, Zimbabwe can also did it’. (See: https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2020/06/huge-lessons-for-zimbabwe-from-malawi-elections-prof-jonathan-moyo/).
Moyo’s enthusiasm for change in Zimbabwe can only be welcomed but, as he himself notes, in Malawi the military and the judiciary were not against the people. He speaks of the ‘audaciously brazen theft of Zimbabwe’s 2018 election’ through the military and says that Chief Justice Malaba presided over a ‘sham’ Concourt hearing to endorse the election theft.
Nevertheless Professor Moyo has some sound advice for those opposed to what he calls the Zanu PF usurpation of the constitutional authority of the people, urging that ‘Zimbabweans must fight together as one, just like the Malawians’.
With their world collapsing about their ears, the last thing the Zanu PF bosses want is to hear Moyo’s praise of Malawians for standing up against a stolen election.
Floundering President Mnangagwa announced on state television ‘we shall not allow a situation where our people live in chronic insecurity, lack and deprivation’. Where has he been? He continued ‘It has become apparent that in our midst there are wolves in sheep’s clothing. The end is coming.’ Is he blaming the people for their poverty?
Taking a very different line, the defence forces chief General Sibanda got to the heart of the problem, saying ‘the level of corruption displayed by some of the country’s leaders is tantamount to selling out.’ (See: https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/main/zimbabwes-mnangagwa-warns-end-is-coming-for-economic-detractors/).
Other points
- Corruption is not limited to government. Amnesty International has accused three executives at its Zimbabwe branch of stealing US$700,000 through unexplained allowances and charging for six ghost workers. Oddly enough one of the three, the former board chairman, is named Takesure. One would have thought this might have warned Amnesty . . . (See: https://www.thezimbabwean.co/2020/06/amnesty-defrauded-of-thousands-of-dollars/).
- In time for the UN Day of the African Child a neighbour found 12-year-old Absolom lying unconscious on the ground in a village 40 kilometres from Harare. His 18-year-old brother had gone into the bush in search of wild fruits. They had not eaten for at least four days. Left alone when their father went to South Africa to find work three years ago, their 33-year-old uncle, instead of assisting, took everything donated to them to raise money for drink. He also reportedly abused the boys. (see: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/zimbabwe-economic-crunch-leading-to-starvation/1887818).
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