via Resist Mugabe monarchy – Dabengwa – NewsDay Zimbabwe August 6, 2014 by Nqobani Ndlovu
ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa has urged Zimbabweans to resist attempts to create a monarchy after President Robert Mugabe’s wife, Grace, was nominated to take over the leadership of the Zanu PF women’s league while their oldest son Robert Jnr is being courted to lead the youth league.
Grace was endorsed by women’s league members at a birthday function at her farm in Mazowe a fortnight ago, marking her formal entrance into politics and sparking debate over her husband’s succession plans.
In an interview in February to mark his birthday, Mugabe said Vice-President Joice Mujuru and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa would not automatically take over if he steps aside.
Dabengwa said the entrance of Grace and her son into politics should worry Zimbabweans.
“Zimbabweans should be very worried and take a stand against this now. The question is: Are we going to accept this or are we going to stop it? They (Zimbabweans) should be able to ask themselves this question now and take action before they find themselves in a monarchy because, then, it will be too late or difficult to stop it,” said Dabengwa.
The Zapu leader said he was surprised by Mugabe’s inaction to stop Grace from entering politics because “he has always been against monarchs”.
“It’s really surprising because from the way I know him, he has always been somebody who is against monarchs.
“He has always been against monarchs and one is therefore left wondering whether he doesn’t realise that this is tantamount to creating a monarchy if he does not stop it,” Dabengwa said.
He said this showed that Mugabe could be “having a hand in this [Grace’s entry into politics]” because “he should be able to stop it if he is against the creation of a monarchy”.
Dabengwa refused to be drawn into commenting about the Zanu PF chairmanship, vice-presidency and the Unity Accord saying he was no longer a member of the party.
MDC-T renewal team leader Tendai Biti also recently attacked plans to push Grace into politics saying Zimbabwe does not belong to the Mugabes.
“So they are allocating themselves positions within their family. It’s now becoming a family affair that the husband will take this position, the wife that one and soon children too. This Zimbabwe does not belong to anyone. This is our country,” Biti told supporters in Mutare.
“So in 2018, one of the battles we will be fighting is to stop dynastic politics. Zimbabwe has a lot of people and it cannot be Gushungo always.”
COMMENTS
And Mr Dabengwa was part of the problem in strengthening the Mugabe power. I thought he once bragged that he was the architect of preventing Chamatama from taking over using Makoni. We really do have a bunch of fools as leaders.
masvukupete
“……and many Shonas are actually part of the problem in that they ensured Mugabe’s victory in 1980; and that includes Tswangirayi, Makoni and others”
Now mfowethu – how far back do you want us to go?
It is amazing that as a supposedly educated nation we have such stupid leaders – criminals on one side and incompetents on the other
hmmmm Dabengwa – another buffoon – what do you know about Mugabe? what did you do to stop whats happening now – retire mhani, or we will retire you
Tozvi
I wouldnt be surprised if I heard that in the last 34 years, you were also a one time ZANU PF praise singer. Very few Shonas can escape that you know?
“Zimbabwe does not belong to the Mugabes”- plain and simple it belongs to the people
The trouble this 90 year old geriatric went fluttering around the world telling people in front of television cameras saying “Zimbabwe is mine” someone needs to find some balls and tell him it does not belong to him it was there before under a different name and will be there after he has gone to the grave
Zimbabwe must wake up and smell the proverbial coffee! May the good Lord pull the proverbial mat out from under their feet that continually run to do evil.
God doesn’t get involved with man’s
political, business or tribal stuff NBS!
Thus is the same Dabengwa who deliberately entrenched this monarchy by diluting the opposition vote.
Wethu
Blame Tswangirayi’s arrogance and stubborness. Leave Dabengwa alone. Tswangirayi has always thought the Presidency is in his bag; hence the arrogance of demanding opposition unity at public rallies instead of quietly approaching his comrades-in-arms within the opposition ranks.
You cannot seek my cooperation by creating an impression I am desperate to unite with you just because you happen to command the so-called grass-roots support. You have to respect me, even if I have fewer supporters, if you expect me to lend you my support to get to State House; otherwise, forget it!!
Imelda Marcos comes to mind!
Funny but I have a tiny bit respect for dumiso – more than I have for tswnkerai who jumped ship in July 2008 as sell out inches away from winning the marathon when a few martyrs were willing. The rest is history
This goes to show how zanu will rule forever. People are worried by party structures ? These are not national appointments or anything ndezvedu muzanu
When we write history books 100 years from now nothing nice to encourage our children will be said about Mugabe or the rest of these so called freedom to hell leaders
What Mugabe says is not what he does
dabengwa you are just as equally to blame for all this ,,intelligance supremo who failed to see that he was working for a dictator,you worked in this govt even after you witnessed gukurahundi both you and joshua nkomo,,you sold out and were oytdone by the shona people ,,what you utter now is totally rubbish coming from you,,,even joshua died supporting his very worst enemies what kind of men are you that cannot simply say no thanks,,from joshua nkomo to you and all these so called leaders who at one point in time joined mugabes govt go to hell and shut up,,you not even shy,,,i hope they take your farm from you to show you that you were never intelligent afterall
stobbs
There is nothing I find as irritating as people who talk loudly from pure ignorance. When were you born? Where you around in the 1980s, and if so how old where you?
Do you know what led PF ZAPU to merge with the gukurahundi ZANU PF party?
Dr Dabengwa has explained his position on this merger, both from a historical context and the present many, many times in the past. If you are the kind who refuses to see or hear or listen – nothing can be done about your predicament.
Just to show up your ignorance; and gukurahundi ZANU PF twisted head, you say:
“…..both you and joshua nkomo,you sold out and were oytdone by the shona people…”
So, in your parorchial ignorant mind; by definition ZANU PF is Shona people; has been Shona people and Shona people are ZANU PF and have been ZANU PF?
Its not a secret that ZANU PF manipulated Shona tribal sensitivities to subjure PF ZAPU; but to equate ZANU PF to Shona people in general is really stretching it. You must know that many Shonas especially in rural areas who supported ZANU PF were totally ignorant of what was happening to PF ZAPU and Dr Joshua Nkomo in Mthwakazi.
While its true some might have been driven by their anti-Ndebele sentiments which ZANU obviously manipulated; I can bet you, the majority were just driven by the ZANU message which they could identify with; especially when ZANU appealed to their cultural values; language; identity and spirit mediums. Dont forget again that there was a lot of violence and cohesion too!
Please, if you dont know, shut up.
why does Biti always talk of 2018 this 2018 that….we dont want to wait for 4 years…chakatengwa!
@stobbys stop displaying your stupidity in public forums like this.Why can’t you do a detailed research sir and then present your facts in a more dignified manner.Dabengwa did not create this mornach,it was created by those who despite all the signs of misrule continued calling people like Dabengwa to be persecuted for being ndebele.It was created by those who kept on singing,(pamberi naMugabe,Pasi naJoshua Nkomo).Those are the same people who are blaming Dabengwa now for snubbing Tswangirai for Makoni forgetting that Tswangirai was a Zanupf youth during Dabengwa’s persecution.leave DD alone.
Dabengwa would do Zimbos a bid favour by shuting up his stench, shameless mouth.
Zimboz have certainly not forgotten how this Dabengwa guy teamed up with Simba Makoni during 2008 Presidential elections to ensure Mugabe rig election & remain in office for life. One wonders, what could be the problem for Dabengwa now, if Mugabe was such a good leader in Dabengwa-Makoni’s view merely 6 yrs ago (i.e 2008).
Plse this Dabengwa must spare Zimboz his despicable nonsense. Honestly, after 28 yrs of misrule (1980 to 2008)how could Dabengwa and company still believe Mugabe was the only thing in town? Mind boggling; isn’t it?
Some of these idiots supported Dabengwa’s detention when he opposed the Gukurahundi party’s dominance and persecution of ZAPU supporters,now that the very darling of theirs has turned a monster they shift the blame to Dabengwa.When these same people shunned ZAPU for ZANU,they had one thing in mind to extiminate the people of Mthwakazi..shame shame on you.Deal with your Matibili and leave Dabengwa alone.
Mangena
Exactly my point. In fact many of them who are shouting loudly against Mugabe today; either them or their fathers were in the forefront shouting unprintable obscenities against Dr Nkomo.
They missed him by inches when the sprayed bullets into his Mercedes Benz just before he skipped the country to Botswana that night. They were so drunk with gukurahundi tribal power that they forgot there is a tomorrow and a future.
They gave all the power to the gukurahundi, telling us to “DZOKERAYI KU SOUTH AFRICA”.
Today, they are crying for unity (their own version of unity, of course where they are always the leaders in everything)!!
We all get it wrong.ZANU PF is doing what ZANU PF, must do, protect the family. The mafia is paying allegiance to the dictates of the Cosa Nostra and paying too much attention to it is shear waste of time and intelligence. What ZANU PF does within its own structure should be by now irrelevant, only we are failing to get it. Waiting for ZANU PF to implode on its own is very myopic and frustratingly naive. Let them do what the want to do and it should not be a campaign talking point for the opposition. What the opposition leaders need to do right now is to galvanize people to stand up and realize that we have the power to determine our own destination and not to concentrate on ZANU PF’s restructuring. And by the way shooting ethnic barbs at each other is not going to cut it either.
Dabengwa never started this!! The issue with you tshona people is that you are too quick to point out a finger yet no action. You were responsible for this turmoil, only can you bring it to an end, period.
Now we know why his farm has been invaded. Mugabe cannot stand any criticism & will react violently after all that’s all he knows.
Hey let’s forget about history bcoz we can’t change even we learnt something from it.focus on it. Guys we are like short wave radio that speaks louder for some seconds and vanishes. The most difficult stage is implementation
Dabengwa would have made a very good vice president come this congress. I just wish he had stayed around dai asina ‘kudambura makumbo segugwe nekugumbuka’.He is more usefull to the people from within not out there in the Siberia of politics. Pliz do not badmouth my opinion, if you have something sensible to say, just put it across like a mentally stable adult.