Mutasa Equates the Army to ZCTU

The following originally appeared in the Zimbabwe Independent on June 22, 2012 —

TAFATAONA Mahoso believes the visit by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay indicated that the majority of African elites “remain thoroughly confused about the doctrine and practice of human rights in contrast with the real prevailing and historical situation of human life, survival, autonomy and dignity on earth”.

What baloney is this, readers of his turgid column may well ask? Pillay’s visit “reminded many of a similar and scandalous visit by Anna Tibaijuka in 2005”, Mahoso claimed.

Did it? What it did do is remind Zimbabweans of the cruelty wrought by Operation Murambatsvina where people were made to tear down their homes and become internal refugees.It was one of the most disgraceful episodes in the country’s recent history. Pillay’s recent visit also reminded us of the persistent human rights abuses that the state media pretend never happened.“Both women came in the name of the United Nations,” Mahoso says, “but carried other baggage which had nothing to do with the purposes of the UN as understood by the majority of its members.”

Mahoso provides as an example of this claim David Coltart’s proposal for a Truth Commission so that victims of abuse and oppression may be given the opportunity to say what happened to them and their loved ones and what should happen regarding justice and reconciliation.Mahoso is so incensed by this suggestion that he decides to call people names and invent a history for them. Coltart is branded “a former Rhodesian Selous Scout”.What is “scandalous” is that Mahoso almost certainly knows that Coltart was never a Selous Scout. But he finds it useful to make the charge to bolster his otherwise threadbare argument.It is also “scandalous” that the editor of the Sunday Mail in which this allegation appeared was happy to provide Mahoso with a platform to tell whoppers of this sort. Did he make any attempt to verify Mahoso’s claim? It would have been easy enough to do so.

Some years ago when Aippa was new on the scene Mahoso headed a committee that ascertained the people of Zimbabwe wanted an ethical media. He dined out on this claim for years. He even wrote letters of complaint to editors charging them with falsehoods.He now occupies an important media post. But the invective remains the same.“In the hands of Senator David Coltart human rights are used to advance the temporary fortunes of the MDC party and its Rhodesian sponsors,” Mahoso claims. “That is why only Rhodesians and those Africans defined as victims of Gukurahundi from Matabeleland region are to be humanised while the rest of the nation is demonised.”Does he believe this junk? Who do the majority of Zimbabweans trust, Pillay or Mahoso? Let’s have a straw poll.

The same gang Mahoso serves have devised what they think is a vote winner. They are proposing to change the design of Africa Unity Square so it no longer resembles a Union Jack from the air.This is very obviously a populist measure which is unlikely to make much impression. How many people want to fly over the square in order to see the change of design? And how are they going to do that?The last time they did something to the square it was to remove the flower sellers as part of Operation Murambatsvina. That was hardly a progressive move! In previous elections they have changed road names thinking that would win votes. It didn’t.

The square was originally called Cecil Square after Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury, who was British prime minister in 1890, not after Cecil John Rhodes as many people think.

Ask the authorities planning the name change and see what they say. Here’s betting they think it was named after Rhodes.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa has laid bare the levels of desperation his party has reached in their bid to cling on to power. The Daily News reports that Mutasa justified the army’s dabbling in politics saying trade unions are doing the same for the MDC.“In as much as I do not know much about what is going on at Copac, personally I do not have a problem with the military choosing to campaign for a party of their choice,” Mutasa said. “It is common knowledge that trade unions (ZCTU) campaign for the MDC and should we then say they should not do that? These people fought with us during the liberation struggle, so why should we discriminate against them. We cannot stop them from campaigning,” he said.How can the ZCTU’s support for the MDC be equated to the army’s involvement in politics? Only Cde Didymus and his ilk seem to know.

In any case Zanu PF clearly has a lot more support in the trade union arena. They can count on the support of Mushandi Munhu Workers’ Federation, the Zimbabwe Congress of Student Unions as well as Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions among a host of civic organisations they have been churning out.

Last week we ran a story in which Indigenisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere, at the forefront of a crusade to take over ownership of foreign-owned banks, was a former Genesis shareholder.

Kasukuwere’s Migdale Holdings, through various shelf companies, reportedly holds a 17,20% stake of Genesis. Kasukuwere is now very keen to distance himself from the Genesis melée, claiming he had sold his equity in the bank.This irony, however, is clearly lost on Kasukuwere along with National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board chairperson David Chapfika whose bank, Universal Merchant Bank, folded in 2001.These very same people are now promising us heaven on earth claiming the indigenisation and empowerment drive will create more than five million jobs and reduce the unemployment rate to single-digit levels.

Chapfika claims it will also create a sustainable economy that can withstand the effects of the “illegal” economic sanctions imposed on the country by Britain and its Western allies.

NewsDay reports that Chapfika in April said the there was nothing sacred about the banking sector.

“If you want to kill cattle, kill them all. You can’t say this one is too fat today and leave it,” Chapfika said. There you have it!

Whose idea is it to have children dress up in uniform and march around?

Can we guess that some of these kids are the children of chefs? Did the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child including the African child propose that they should put on uniforms and parade at the opening of the “child parliament”? Child soldiers are not in favour nowadays because of events elsewhere in Africa. But nobody told our rulers.

While support for the disabled child is noble, the military theme is not. The Zanu PF party flag was in evidence we noted. But Morgan Tsvangirai, Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe who attended didn’t seem to mind!

We were pleased to see that Nando’s on Samora Machel has cleared a path to its door.

The popular spicy chicken outlet has invested tens of thousands of dollars in its new premises but the customers weren’t able to get in because kombi drivers had blocked the entrance.This is all part of what NewsDay has identified as the growing anarchy in Harare. The mayor has lost control as people simply do what they like. Kombis park anywhere making it difficult for other motorists to get into the city centre. Car sales yards have set up their premises in the suburbs, the one opposite Prince Edward School being a case in point. On Kwame Nkrumah Ave noisy car-wash merchants compete for the attention of motorists looking for parking. In Strathaven patrons at a local bar block access for residents trying to get in and out.Then there are the churches with their loudspeakers blaring day and night.This is what happens when the social order breaks down. Zanu PF officials are reluctant to say “No” to applications for change of use because there are votes to be had in saying “Yes” or just looking the other way. Meanwhile it is anarchy out there and city officials think this is the time to launch their 13-year Vision aimed at transforming the capital into a world-class city by 2025. They are completely delusional. First they have to restore law and order.

Did you know Canada and Zimbabwe are at war, according to the Herald?

“Canada has indisputably declared war on Zimbabwe for its revolutionary pursuits,” the edition of June 14 announced. “This is an open war,” Tendai Moyo who is a researcher and social commentator told us. This all has something to do with Queen Elizabeth being head of state and the Canadian “aborigines” being subjugated!

So what’s he going to do about it? “In the face of such belligerence we can no longer afford to keep on giving the other cheek,” he says. “It is high time we counter these acts of aggression.”As you would expect, Moyo says he is guided by a resolution of the Zanu PF Mutare 2010 conference which urged the government to take measures through government against foreign companies that impose sanctions. Moyo points to Canadian ownership of Caledonia Mine.Isn’t it weird how this band of half-baked polemicists think Zimbabwe has options. They will, as the expression goes, cut their noses to spite their faces. By the way, does Zimbabwe have a foreign policy? All those envoys sent out to smooth the path ahead of the Luanda summit and not a word of solidarity.
Some formulaic mention of sanctions but nothing much else. Pathetic.

We hope the Herald’s Victoria Ruzvidzo had a nice stay in Vanuatu and that she managed to win over the locals.

“Of course the world has largely been fed with untruths about our country but we need to harvest this awareness and turn it into dollars somehow,” Victoria reflects.She obviously hasn’t reached any conclusions yet. But wherever she goes people have been curious to know about Zimbabwe. “They know we are a sovereign state and that our president has made his views clear on the global stage regarding our sovereignty –– a trait admired even by his worst enemies.”And there are more than a few of those. Looks like Victoria has her work cut out!By the way, if you want to win friends Victoria, it’s not such a good idea to call their country “the back of the beyond”.

Meanwhile ZBC has once again failed to broadcast the ongoing Twenty20 triangular series pitting Zimbabwe, South Africa and Bangladesh in Harare.

Cricket lovers will have to rely on Supersport for coverage of an event happening in our own country. ZBC also failed to screen the Castle Premier Soccer league because they demanded payment from Delta. As if to add insult to injury, ZBC still has the temerity to demand payment of licence fees to watch Vimbai “European” Chivaura and Mahoso giving us the benefit of their Jurassic-era thinking.