Opinion: Wonder if Ramaphosa will try to the Mbeki trick [or appointed the Special Envoys only to buy time]

A new crisis which leads to a similar game plan. In 2008-2009 there was a South African delegation lead by current time President Thabo Mbeki. Who had a diplomatic mission to mediate in Zimbabwe to solve the political crisis and stabilize the economy.

This week, the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the Chair President of the African Union have now appointed two Special Envoy to Zimbabwe after the recent human rights violations and crackdown on the civil society.

Last time, Mbeki did what he could to create a Unity Government between the ZANU-PF and MDC. This was to solve the stand-off after a rigged election. Mbeki in a way gave legitimacy and helped to give Mugabe a longer life in power. As the Unity Government for a while bought him time to reign longer without any consequences.

This time around, Ramaphosa might try to do the same. His sending other envoys in to fix the issues. However, his still implicated in it and we can wonder what is his game. ZANU-PF have already dismissed Mbeki in the presidency of Emmerson Mnangagwa. MDC-Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa haven’t accepted his negotiations either. So, there is no Unity Government on the agenda now.

I doubt that the opposition are willing to do the same. As the activists, journalists and civil society leaders are arbitrary arrested, abducted and politically prosecuted. Therefore, the will to bend to the regime might not be as strong this time around.

Secondly, Mnangagwa is using all his means to oppress the dissidents, the ones exposing him and the ones who dares to question his reign. This President ensures that people get arrested and charged for phony crimes, for example one citizen was arrested over annoying the President on WhatsApp.

Mbeki used his tricks and mediation skills, but ZANU-PF never lost their way. The regime persist with its violence against its own. Mnangagwa use armed forces against the citizens. That is apparently what he does and hopes to get away with.

I doubt Ramaphosa will have the powers or finesse to change the authorities in Zimbabwe. They are not willing to listen and they rather rebuke all forrms of criticism. They want to deny the violence and breaches of human rights. To stop the citizens from demonstrating and take away their civil liberties. That has all gone to the wind.

That Ramaphosa is sending Special Envoys to make a difference. Their mission either a sort of buying time for “peace”. If not maybe it will be in the same lane as the Inter-Burundian dialogue with late Benjamin Mpaka, who served the authorities and did dismiss its opposition. The final straw and ending of all is this. That this might be the sort of diplomatic charade buying the regime time. Mnangagwa would enjoy the perks of international community giving space and wiggle room, while Ramaphosa fetches the accredited diplomatic mission, which in the end will amount to nothing.

I really don’t know, but I doubt that these Special Envoys are the trick. The Military Government of ZANU-PF isn’t there to play, but to misbehave. They are there to silence and to secure power. These people will be nice for photo-ops, but will not drop any sort significant change. I am sure that SADC and AU is not willing carry this either. They only does this to stop the critics and to show some action. Even if it is a non-action with a loose mandate. A mandate can amount to nothing, other then having two more people on the payroll for a hot minute. Peace.

Zimbabwe: Ministry of Health and Child Care – COVID-19 Update (02.07.2020)

Zimbabwe: Press Statement by Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Hon. Air Chief Marshal (rtd) P. Shiri on Downsizing of Farms which is being labelled to be targeting white farmers in the Zimbabwe Independent Newspaper Article on 26 June 2020 (02.07.2020)

Zimbabwe: Health Apex Council Desk – Re: Feedback from the Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel Meeting (30.06.2020)

Zimbabwe: Ministry of Health and Child Care – COVID-19 Update (29.06.2020)

Zimbabwe: Ministry of Health and Child Care – COVID-19 Update (28.06.2020)

Zimbabwe: Ministry of Health and Child Care – COVID-19 Update (27.06.2020)

Zimbabwe: Dollar Dollar Bill Y’all Part II

Yesterday, the government unleashed a sudden new approach to the Mobile Money market. A market it has already overtaxed. The state is already struggling to launch a currency and keep the inflation down. The Financial Policies has been a train-wreck under President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

They have at one moment … banned foreign currencies and later opened for it. They have revised the Bond-Notes. They have made a own special currency through the Mobile Money Banking, the infamous RTGS Dollar. Relaunched Zimbabwe Dollars, both coins and banknotes. While opening up again for US Dollars in trading.

All policies has been a back-and-fourth pin-pong game with no winner. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe looks dumber by every minute. The Ministry of Finance doesn’t seem up to par and the whole Cabinet Decisions Matrix to fix it. The state is juggling ideas and hoping none of the balls will fall. However, their hands are shaky, their forehead filled with sweat and the legs are tired. That is why its just a matter of mental fatigue before the balls falls all tumbling to the ground.

The Financial Policies of the Republic has gone bonkers, they are bananas and ridiculous. Its like a den of thieves are supposed to be accountable for the gold reserves. They are just waiting for the moment people are preoccupied to empty the national treasures and get rich quick.

Every move made hasn’t made it better. Except made things worse. Things costs more, salaries are not following the cost of living and incapacitation of civil servants are rampant. It is just like the state trying to figure out new methods to trick the system and hoping it is a free-for-all heist. While hoping no-one figuring that out.

There is no trust, there is no balance of powers and the measures made is for selfish reasons. The ZANU-PF doesn’t come with accountability or transparency as their policies are happening over night. The banks, the operators and the forex’s are never prepared. They are just liquidated or consolidated. These are just caught off guard with no forewarning.

The shops and the citizens are bamboozled too. The state is just shifting between the measures so quickly and without reason. In hope that they suddenly will find the magical bullet to kill the beast. However, they got no chance to beat it. Since they are walking blindly around and hoping sooner or later one of their ideas will stick.

We can anticipate more havoc from the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Because they are clearly not trying, but guessing. Hoping and praying that they will find the secret way into Narnia. They cannot find the closet or configure how to use the door-handle to open it. It is a challenge for them and we have to wait and see. Peace.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ): On the Suspension of Monetary Transactions on Phone Based Mobile Money Platforms (27.06.2020)

Zimbabwe: MDC-Alliance – Statement on the Unlawful, Ban on Mobile Money Operations & the Suspension of Zimbabwe Sotck Exchange (27.06.2020)