Zimbabwe: The Nation where the Crocodile is emulating the Goblin…

At the outset, I want to congratulate the nation for our peaceful conduct before, during and after the election processes. This is who we are, as Zimbabweans. We fought for the right to vote over a 16-year armed protracted liberation struggle. The democracy and right we have exercised, through our vote, was paid for by the supreme sacrifice of many sons and daughters of our great country. I thus, commend the nation, across all provinces for the huge turnout in exercising this sacred right to vote” (…) “There are no winners or losers; but one unire people of Zimbabwe. Thus far, we have shamed our detractors who wished to see us divided and in turmoil” – President Emmerson Mnangagwa (27.08.2023).

Time does change, but faces feels the same. Today is no difference from yesterday. The regime lingers on and validates itself. The incumbent bashes himself in glory and in victory. No matter how hollow or fake it is. The shame and charade is all for the world to see.

Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) can act like this was it. However, this just shows what sort of party it has become. When they are celebrating themselves for conducting affairs this way. When they are acting like this and speaking like this today.

There is no proper way forward. The ZANU-PF won’t play fair. The regime is using all of its tool and will only get worse with the years. President Mnangagwa only continues to impose himself and his cronies. ZANU-PF will continue the loot and the self-destruction of the institutions. They will sell out to gimmicks and give less of government services. While the economy and everything else overshadowing the elections are gone by the wind.

The crocodile is just following where the goblin left-off. This is his second election since Mugabe was retired and he was forced for a minute in exile. Mnangagwa came back with a vengeance and never looked back.

The ones that believes these harmonised elections are free and fair. They have clearly not followed the programme. Neither are they interested in the realities on the ground. The ZANU-PF never plays fair or honest. They always tricks the system and uses their advantages to get ahead. There are no justice for the opposition or authorities who helps them out. No, the authorities are serving the incumbent and his party. That’s why he can do whatever he likes and so can his party.

Mnangagwa is just doing what Mugabe used to do. Using all the tricks of the state. Finding ways to malign and misuse power for personal benefit. While speaking of Pan-African idioms and national unity, but target and harass any dissidents. That’s what they do and they earn political capital by doing so.

The ones celebrating today are the cronies and associates of the state. The ones that are depressed and down are the ones that knows the real score. We know the election was rigged and they did so to perfection. That’s what ZEC, FAZ and ZANU-PF did all together. They played their tune and now they are dancing.

They don’t mind the lie or deception. No, they are living on a lie and hope that people are getting deceived. That’s what Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF aims for. They hope enough people are fooled or feeling hopeless. So, they can move on and find another gold scam or command agriculture heist to enrich themselves in yet another term. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) – Press Statement (27.08.2023)

Zimbabwe: Team Pachedu – Statement on the Announced Election Results (27.08.2023)

Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum – 23-24 August Hamonised Elections – Unpacking An Election Like No Other (26.08.2023)

Opinion: Hubris and arrogance could be Inday Sara Duterte’s downfall…

I don’t know about you… but the Office of the Vice President and the VP herself should thread the waters a bit careful. Her predecessor was under a lot more stress and pushback, as her father wasn’t hesitant to block, mock or go after her on a regular basis. Alas, Inday Sara Duterte has gotten off easy.

The confidential funds in the OVP and the Department of Education is within reason to question. The usage and the value of money. The “security arrangements” and whatnot seems far-fetched. As there are the military and police who takes care of that. Not the OVP or the DepEd. That’s just being honest and the OVP should be just that.

Instead she’s acting all high and mighty. Like she’s a Teflon Don and untouchable. Alas, everyone can be touched and everyone can be silenced. That is just the way of life. There is no certainties other than taxes and death. A representative and a high ranking official should especially know this, as there been so many victims of hubris and arrogance since the beginning of humanity.

Inday Sara might think she is clever and have all the allies she needs. She might think she can get away with anything. Because she has seen how her father has done that and been blatant about it too. That’s why she thinks that its easy to copy and get off the hook. However, that isn’t life and she should expect questions of her actions.

Especially when her office and the secondary department has questionable funds and possibly unauthorized expenditure. The confidential funds and the merits of these ones in the first place is flawed. It doesn’t make and only reasonable aspect for it’s existence is a secret slush-fund and a money-pit for the VP.

That is something the OVP and the VP would never say. It would undermine their mandate and the spirit of Inday. We all know that… and it would be speaking out the silent part loud. As a politician that is the most dangerous thing you can do. You better speak in codes and be mull.

Alas, her retort to the Makabayan block only shows how their “impeachment” and such is hurting her pride. She wanted to eat in peace and not be really questioned about it. Inday Sara wanted to get away with it and expected to do so. However, there are others who wants to look into it and see where it really went. This because the confidential funds in both places doesn’t make sense. Unless, she has side-dishes and operating businesses with funding from government escrow accounts. That would be worse than the pork barrels and Inday knows it…

Inday Sara Duterte should know better and should take advice. She has the ability and the reasoning, if she wants to. We might say that she has been able to play it out this far and maybe she thinks she can overcome it with ease. As the “probe” will exonerate her and get her off the hook, which was the plan all along.

I knew it when I heard it the first time that the Confidential funds was given to the OVP and DepED that it would become a scandal. It was bound to happen. The OVP and DepED isn’t supposed to have these and they should be transparent about their spending. There shouldn’t be ghosts, shoddy tenders or weird transactions. No, it should be in the open and a clear protocol of how to spend the public funds.

We are seeing that this isn’t the case. The VP is acting supreme and overconfident. That might be her downfall. As she thinks that her alliances and role in government will be her saviour. However, there might be a time when she can be touched. That’s part of life and when your at the top. You should be extra careful, because several people are plotting for your downfall. Therefore, Inday Sara should be considerate, but we know that won’t happen. Peace.

Zimbabwe: SADC Expresses concern on the statements made about its Electoral Observation Mission in Zimbabwe and the personal attacks on its Head of SEOM following release of its Preliminary Statement on Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections (26.08.2023)

Zimbabwe: Election Resource Centre (ERC) – Alert: Continued Intimidation of ERC Observers and Staff (26.08.2023)

Burkina Faso: Primature – Porte-Parole du Gouvernement – Communique (25.08.2023)

Zimbabwe: UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) – Security Advisory on Barricaded Roads in Harare CBD (25.08.2023)

A look into SADC EOM Preliminary Report on the Harmonised Elections in Zimbabwe

In conclusion, the Mission observed that the pre-election and voting phases, on 23-24 August 2023 Harmonised Elections were peaceful, and calm. However, for reasons outlined above,the Mission noted that some aspects of the Harmonised Elections, fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

Today there was out of the world acknowledgement. I didn’t expect this. So many Election Observation Missions (EOMs) are filled with a lot of procedure, protocol and saying it was in generally fair or credible elections. That was what I anticipated from the Southern African Development Community(SADC) EOM for the Harmonised Elections of 2023 in Zimbabwe. However, I was wrong.

The SADC EOM Preliminary Report is 11 pages long. I will only take a few quotes or paragraphs and discuss that. As it shows the sentiment and also the far reaching conclusions it had. This isn’t an ordinary report. Neither is it what they tend to be. That’s why certain aspect will infuriate the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC). These two are the ones that damaged and hurt by the assessment made by the SADC EOM.

The mission was informed that the delimitation exercise that was conducted in 2022 by the ZEC was marred with controversy. In one way or another, concerned stakeholders claimed that the report that ZEC submitted failed to observe the constitutional requirements for such an exercise, and that there were also divisions amongst serving commissioners of the ZEC regarding the veracity of the report. The main allegations made against the report was that it constituted gerrymandering, and that it failed to observe the correct methodology for calculating the 20% variance constitutional rule with respect to minimum and maximum sizes of the 210 electoral constituencies” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

Apart from the above safeguard measure against the abuse of the voters roll, there is also room to note that as a constitutional body, the ZEC is obliged to give effect to the constitution as the supreme law, in this regard, the requirement for transparent and fair elections, instead of relying on legislation (the Cyber and Data Protection Act) that negates the specific requirement. In addition to the fees levied for access to the printed voters roll, the mission notes that the above scenario is restrictive regarding access to the voters’ roll by interested persons, including political parties” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

The Mission noted that the Patriot Act is incompatible with the spirit of section 61(1) of the Constitution, and paragraph 4.1.2 of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which requires Member States to uphold, amongst others, the freedom of expression” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

The Mission was informed that the rural vote may be compromised by alleged intimidation attributed to a group called Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ), which is said to be a quasi-security intelligence organisation. The group was said to have been deployed to wards and around 36,000 villages. The allegations were that people were intimidated to vote in a particular manner and were warned that it would be easy to determine who voted against certain parties” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

The Mission commends the people of Zimbabwe for maintaining a peaceful political environment during the pre-election period, and on voting day. The Mission will release its final report after the validation and proclamation of final results, as provided for in the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections” (SADC, 25.08.2023).

These words are stern from an EOM at this point. The SADC EOM didn’t hold back. The Commissioners at ZEC should feel the pinch here. We know ZANU-PF will be unhappy with this, as they are now under scrutiny and by someone who is seen as their ally. Meaning Harare will be furious over this. That’s just how this goes and incumbent Mnangagwa will not acknowledge this, as it undermines his legitimacy.

This Preliminary Report is harsh and piercing through the harmonised elections. It just saying it straight forward. Telling how ZEC and the authorities planned it all. Withheld information, the lack of transparency and the gerrymandering for one-party gain, which is the ruling regime. The ZANU-PF thought they could do like they always do. However, even SADC EOM isn’t playing ball this time around.

ZANU-PF and ZEC has now gotten blasted by SADC. That wasn’t in the cards in 2023, but that has now happened. Peace.