Sunday Mail
Political Editor Munyaradzi Huni
22 June 2009
BACK in the days, one would talk about the covert operations of the Westminster Foundation in Zimbabwe.
The Western governments could not pour their regime change funds directly into the MDC coffers because of the Political Parties (Finance) Act that prohibits local political parties and candidates from receiving foreign funding. And so organisations like the Westminster Foundation came in handy.
Alternatively, some shoddy non-governmental organisations were formed to receive the “dirty” funds under the guise that they were advocating the restoration of the rule of law, human rights and democracy.
Back in the days, it was diplomatically not possible for foreign governments to dictate and prescribe to the Government what policies to implement. This was done through international financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB).
That was then.
Today, the regime change agenda is still the same and those covert operations are being announced in front of cameras and in broad daylight — thanks to the inclusive Government — that has opened many opportunities for different political games.
Today, the prescriptions to the Government are coming straight from the White House and Number 10 Downing Street, thanks to our almost empty begging bowl that the Prime Minister is carrying as he tours Europe and America.
Before spears are shoved into my already bleeding heart, let me quickly declare that the inclusive Government, under the circumstances that the country found itself in, was the only better way to cool the political tempers.
The inclusive Government has brought a breath of fresh air into the country, but the only problem is that it is a creature that can be manipulated easily by those with sinister motives.
And before accusations start flying all over, let me quickly declare that the country really needs financial assistance and while aid is welcome, I don’t think aid is the solution to the country’s problems, especially if it comes with directives and is channelled through dubious NGOs.
About a week ago, the American President, Barack Obama, after meeting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, announced that, “I have committed US$73 million in assistance to Zimba-bwe . . . (the aid) will not be going to the Government directly because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy, human rights and rule of law, but it will be going directly to the people in Zimbabwe”.
By “directly to the people in Zimbabwe”, Obama meant that his government would distribute the funds through NGOs of his country’s choice. Well, what a well-thought-out strategy!
Put simply, the funds will be channelled to the social ministries under the MDC-T and MDC-M (health, housing and education) through the various NGOs.
Just watch the space in the coming months because MDC-T and MDC-M ministers in the inclusive Government, especially the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, the Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera MP, and the Minister of Housing and Social Amenities, Fidelis Mhashu MP, will be officiating at several functions where America’s chosen NGO will be dishing out the funds.
The deal is to increase MDC-T visibility across the country through the social ministries using American NGOs and American funds. Of course, the MDC-T has vehemently denied this allegation, but Graham Boynton and Philip Sherwell of The Telegraph in the UK sort of let the cat out of the bag on June 15 2009.
In their article the two wrote: “But The Telegraph has learned that Mr Tsvangirai will urge the US and European donors to increase their support to boost the MDC’s standing in Zimbabwe.
“He will tell them that the credibility of the MDC depends on life improving for Zimbabweans and request ‘targeted support’, according to allies of the Prime Minister.
“He will also try to assure them that continued stability before the next election will ensure a ‘landslide defeat’ for Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF and that international pressure will prevent the President’s allies in the military from intervening to overturn the result.”
What a revealing article!
Anyway, if Obama really cares about the people of Zimbabwe, as he wants the world to believe, he should know that by giving the funds to his NGOs, and not the Government, he is snubbing the very same people he wants people to think he cares so much for.
According to the Mass Public Opinion Institute, about 80 percent of Zimbabweans support the inclusive Government and surely Obama should not go against the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe.
The people of Zimbabwe have approved their Government and so anyone who wants to reach out to the people of Zimbabwe should do so through the Government.
It’s as simple as that, but then Obama seems to be inheriting George W. Bush’s legacy and expecting much from him would be over-stretching our imaginations.
The Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho North, Professor Jonathan Moyo, had no kind words for Obama in an article he wrote in the last issue of The Financial Gazette.
“By making a spurious and a creepy distinction between the people of Zimbabwe and their Government in order to create a cover for imposing a neo-colonial agenda with regime change benchmarks, disguised as reform targets, Obama in effect reminded us that an American president by any other name and of any colour is plainly a Yankee doing the same old dirty bidding for Uncle Sam done by his predecessors since the days of slavery,” Prof Moyo said.
Whereas in the past organisations like Amnesty International would send their juniors to come and spoil things in the country, this time because of the inclusive Government such organisations sent officials from the higher offices.
The stakes are high and so the game has to be played straight from the UK head offices.
And so last week, Amnesty International, for the first time ever, sent its secretary-general, Ms Irene Khan, to “assess the human rights situation in the country”.
All right-thinking Zimbabweans knew that she was on a “regime change” mission, but the Government gave her the benefit of doubt.
Last Thursday she was at a local hotel to announce her findings and one would have been forgiven to think that she was talking about human rights in some country in Mars.
“Persistent and serious human rights violations, combined with the failure to introduce reform of the police, army and security forces or address impunity and the lack of clear commitment on some parts of the Government are real obstacles that need to be confronted by the top leadership of Zimbabwe,” she said without shame.
There is no suggestion here that there are no human rights violations in the country, but for Ms Khan to give a picture of a country almost at war is just being reckless.
The inclusive Government is just four months in office, but, according to Ms Khan, the country should have completed all the reforms. Why should such delicate reforms be done in a hurry? Why is Amnesty International trying to push the Government to hurry such intricate matters?
The inclusive Government during its retreat in Victoria Falls set up objectives and targets that should be met in a given time-frame.
Yes, there is slow implementation of the agreed programmes, but Amnesty International gives the impression that nothing has happened since February when the Government came into office.
Just by listening to Ms Khan one could easily see that she was “singing for her supper” and was a “regime change messenger”.
She made it appear as if the MDC is not part of the Government by putting all the blame of human rights violations on Zanu-PF. Her statement sounded like a campaign message for the MDC.
The blame game is done without numbers and without names as if the organisation has no capacity to dig deep to bring out the undeniable truth. Of course, Amnesty International will claim that it is non-political, but only toddlers will believe such a blatant lie.
Regime change is being pushed from many fronts and last week Amnesty International played its part, although its recklessness blew its cover.
For those who thought the inclusive Government had brought an end to regime change politics, events last week should have come as a shock.
First it was Obama who blocked the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Cde Walter Mzembi, from attending his meeting with Prime Minister Tsvangirai because the minister belongs to Zanu-PF.
Then the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, and the Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs, Cde Patrick Chinamasa, almost failed to travel to Europe for the start of talks between Zimbabwe and EU after being denied visas. Their only crime was that they belong to Zanu-PF.
Following the development, Government considered aborting the dialogue, only for President Mugabe to intervene by tasking the Acting Prime Minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara, to engage the European embassies in Harare over the matter.
The two ministers later travelled to Europe, but after such a false start, why should the country be optimistic about the talks?
Why did Obama block Cde Mzembi? Why were the two ministers being denied visas? What games are at play here? What’s there to hide, if there is an agreement to talk?
There is a push that the constitution-making process should be hurried up. There is a push that the so-called “democratic reforms” be hurried up. There is a push for early elections.
Surprisingly, Zimbabweans are not in a mood for elections. They are preoccupied with bread and butter issues.
So what’s the push? What’s the rush? Zanu-PF has every reason to be very, very worried about the latest developments. Regime change tactics are now being played in the open; thanks to the inclusive Government.