

SADC Organ Troika Plus Council Chairperson – Ministerial Meeting on the Political Situation in The Republic of Zimbabwe (16.11.2017)






Nathan Nandala Mafabi: “There is patronage. Yesterday they arrested Besigye in Mbarara and teargassed people. The expenditure alone to teargas people is a lot” (NBS Television, NBS MorningBreeze, 14.11.2017)
Since the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) are holding inner-Party Rallies around the Republic. The opposition party and the hardliners within the party, the ones who are not so compliance and more defiance against the state orders has continued to not follow Police Order and Protocol to do it in smaller venues and not in stadiums. Even so, the FDC and the FDC Presidential Consultation Rallies has tried to be hold at bigger venues this November.
A few days ago it created chaos within Lira Town. Where the Police arrested several of FDC Leaders and also Besigye escaped from Prison. Yesterday there was scheduled rally in Mbarara at a stadium there. Clearly that is illegal so the FDC leaders was detained in Mbarara. With tear-gas and scattering the crowds making ready for rally. Ingrid Turinawe was taken from Mbarara to Rubanda District for a ‘Gender Sensitive’ detention centre. Dr. Kizza Besigye was also moved from Mbarara and detained at Kabale, also arrested Fred Kato the driver and Ronald Muhinda. So the Police Force was busy with their partisan work.
Sidebar:
This is just a continuation of what the Police Force has done for months and years. Been involved and blocking Besigye and other opposition parties from gathering. While the NRM are holding consultation meetings, bribing constituents and delegates for the support of the lifting of the age lifting. Since there is nothing else to waist money in Uganda, like on salaries for doctors or nurses. That is a total waste, so the UPDF and Police are instead sending their medical personnel to Mulago to help out during the strike.
Still, with this in mind, the Police has enough support and funds to continue to follow, monitor and detain the opposition leaders. Not “just” Besigye. But everyone else, who is against the NRM and the Museveni line. They can be detained whenever and for whatever reason the police see fits. Some other FDC leaders was arrested not for the Party rally in Mbarara, but for visiting Besigye. These we’re Patrick Amuriat Oboi and Mubarak Munyagwa. Moses Byamugisha came also for a visit there to see the situation, but he was not arrested.
This here will not end. There will be more, as long as the NRM regime exists and are allowed to assault on political freedom and liberty. Besigye has been a bit to many detained by the authorities, he must have world-record and be written into the Guinness Book of Records. No-one can be detained on so many arbitrary charges as he has been over the years. It is just insane how many times the Police Force has detained him and his loyal allies. His aides are even lingering in jail in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) like Sam Mugumya.
That the police are blocking stadiums, throwing tear-gas and aiming at the leaders with live-bullets should worry anyone, as the reckless attitude and deep rooted violence is eminent and this is systemic, at every part of the republic. All walks of life who appear near one of these venues can get hospitalized and even lose their lives. That for the cost of showing up to a political rally. Something that has happen several places over recent years. This shows how little mercy and little democratic space there are in the republic.
Enough of this sad meager display of democracy. It is a disgrace, that Besigye and FDC leaders behind bars, yet again. Peace.

Well, as the day progress and the coup d’état in Harare. That has toppled President Robert Mugabe in the last 48 hours, as the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) power struggle has led to the demise of the 37 years of Mugabe. Why it is important is that the former Ethiopian dictator who left for exile was there on the accord of Mugabe. His powers and his control is out. Therefore, it now matters to the current leadership in Addis Ababa and the new in Harare. What will happen with this old-man, whose saving grace was the opening arms of Mugabe. But now that has no currency in any trade.
“Almost five years since a civil war overthrew the Marxist military dictatorship of Lieut. Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam, the challenge for Ethiopia has been not only to create a new identity, but also to deal with its heritage” (…) “Colonel Mengistu’s rule tried to obliterate this heritage and create a Marxist state. In the process, tens of thousands of people were killed, including the Emperor, as many were tortured and more than a million peasants were relocated. In a war against guerrilla fighters, Colonel Mengistu’s military bombed entire regions, flattening towns and propagating a reign of terror” (Lorch, 1995)
“The Dergue had been executing suspected EPRP members since 1976, but after Mengistu seized full control in 1977, the “Red Terror” was officially unleashed. During this two-year campaign, which has been divided into “three waves,” tens of thousands of Ethiopians were arrested, tortured, and summarily executed. To assist in exterminating the Dergue’s political opponents and “enemies of the revolution,” Mengistu employed the secret police and issued arms to local government, or kebele, officials (Mayfield 1995)” (USBCIS, 1999).
So a man who fled Ethiopia in 1991 and got to exile, are no an open question, as he was the guest of Mugabe. Will the new administration want his presence or do they want him gone? What is their thoughts after toppling on dictator, do they want to have the second one lingering, even if he isn’t their own?
“An airport official said Colonel Mengistu was wearing green fatigues and looked “close to tears.” The Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, who invited Colonel Mengistu here as a way to resolve Ethiopia’s civil war, insisted that the arrival be kept as quiet as possible. Mr. Mugabe was at the airport just an hour earlier, but he left for London on a private visit, avoiding any public meeting with the Ethiopian. Mugabe Returns a Favor. The Zimbabwe Government has issued no statement on Colonel Mengistu, and given no confirmation or denial of his presence in the country. But Government officials have said that Colonel Mengistu is expected to settle here” (New York Times, 1991).
That means that the exiled dictator and the man behind the Red Terror of Ethiopia has been living in Harare since 1991, that means 26 years he has had in peaceful existence there. While this has happen in Ethiopian Supreme Court in January 2007, the exiled President was sentenced to death in his absence. That meaning, if he has to return to Ethiopia. It will he his direct demise and himself paying the price for his leadership in Ethiopia between 1976 and 1991. Clearly, the EPRDF the one party overthrowing the DERG want to retaliate, especially considering that he fled and has been sentenced since leaving.
So we can wonder what will be his fate, will the TPLF or the EPRDF ask for his Extradition from Zimbabwe? Or will they just let him be or will the new leadership ask him to leave and where should he go? Since he would in midst turmoil in Ethiopia and hard for someone sentenced to death in their homeland to become refugee on humanitarian grounds. Even if he wants to try to become political refugee, most likely very few countries wants his residence, except for Equatorial Guinea who recently accepted Yayha Jammeh from Gambia. Peace.
Reference:
New York Times – ‘EX-ETHIOPIA CHIEF REACHES ZIMBABWE’ (23.05.1991) link: http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/23/world/ex-ethiopia-chief-reaches-zimbabwe.html
Lorch, Donatella – ‘ Ethiopia Deals With Legacy of Kings and Colonels’ (31.12.1995) link: http://www.nytimes.com/1995/12/31/world/ethiopia-deals-with-legacy-of-kings-and-colonels.html
United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USBCIS) – ‘Ethiopia: Background Information on the Mengistu Regime during the Red Terror’ (28.12.1999) link: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6a6b414.html









This has been long awaited, as people has sought refuge and has fled to safety abroad. The final nail in coffin of the 37 years was when the G-40 decided to ditch Edison Mnangagwa as the Vice President, the one aligned with the Lacost and the War Veterans. Clearly the President Robert Mugabe, who loyal to his wife Grace and her political affiliates though they could get away with everything. With standing that, they have been able to do so since 1980. It is not so strange that the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) G-40 fraction thought
Yesterday and today, we are seeing the consequences of being affiliated with ruling regime. We could see that with the uncertainty yesterday, while the ZANU-PF and their loyalist was trying to deflect it all as a military exercise. Since now, we know that Mugabe put under house arrest, several of key allies are detained, and the army seals off the Parliament, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Company and other places.
While the was reports that Grace would become VP at the next ZANU Conference in December, clearly as reports are posting. She has fled the republic and is somewhere located in Namibia. Therefore, while the G-40 loyalist are speaking of their love for the military and distancing themselves from Mugabe or are already detained shows how quickly their power was taken away. This is clearly fake news as: “Namibian international relations sources have denied that #gracemugabe, wife of under-fire Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has left the country for Namibia” (Namibian Sun, 15.11.2017). So her whereabouts is unsure, but she must be feeling estranged, as her importance has dwindled dramatically in the last 48 hours.
It is apparent as just days ago when Harare International Airport was renamed after Mugabe, just like the main-road in Harare, the University and all the other things. His name is put on everywhere and on everything. After this coup, expect it to go down and be put in the garbage.
We don’t know how long the army will keep power or if they are installing Mnangagwa as the successor of Mugabe. What we do know is that Mugabe and his G-40 are stripped of power, because of the greedy wife. That must be a downturn that one destroying for his life presidency was his better half and not a common enemy. Certainly, not even the wives can be loyal or be in line with program enough to keep the checks- and balance in order.
We can just wonder how the rest will follow as the guards, the military and the guns are surround the vital hot-spot and the old leadership of Mugabe. He must clearly see his demise, if he remembers that he is under house arrest and not waiting for a cup of coffee with Tony Blair. We can imagine what people feel after hearing their 37 years under him is over, even the future is uncertain, but many has waited for the Goblin, Mr. Mugabe to lose power.
There was signs, but there been changes of VP’s in past, but certainly not at a time where the army has send signals and stopped ordinary state media broadcasting like yesterday. We knows that means change. Lacoste part of ZANU disfranchised by Grace plus the endangered economy and impunity against activists. Should be reasons for this turmoil and this coup.
Still, what roam at large, is the uncertainty of what this means and how long this transition and when there will be hold credible elections. As well, as get ordinary order with also checks of the previous old crimes of the previous regimes. So that the people who suffered under the previous ones, can get their grievances cleared and start a fresh. In 37 years of reign, Mugabe has hurt and destroyed enough peoples lives, that they want to patch their hurt. Even if the wounds will never totally heal. Still, the investigations and repercussions for the old sins should come to the courts and be settled.
We know the loyalists doubted this day would happen at all, as the Mugabe presidency continued, as the biblical and afterlife, he would still rule. Something that is today a mere laugh, as himself is put under house arrest awaiting further instructions from the military. The rest of the matter is with unease. There are many arrests and some are trying to run. Some are silently waiting at their homes, but the loyalists will be caught by the army, it is just a matter of time.
We just have to wait for more report and certainty of all the actions, as the rumors are scattered at the moment, since the army and the others are trying to find out. As well, as journalists are also stopped on the border or on the airport not able to come in. Therefore, the army is closing the reports on the ground and trying to keep silent about all of their activity.
Mugabe and Grace, was clearly unprepared and thought they were Teflon. Apparently, they was not, the counting ballots at the pearly gates should also be shattered now. Peace.

