VOA

9th May 2018

The Movement for Democratic Change Alliance’s presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, says Zimbabwe is currently facing a leadership crisis like other African nations.

In his address at Oxford Union in the United Kingdom, Chamisa said there is need for a change of government in the country currently devastated a leadership crisis.

In a statement, the MDC-T said Chamisa told the hundreds of people that “everything in Africa rises or falls with leadership. Once we get leadership right, everything else goes right. The shortage in Africa is not a shortage of resources, but a shortage in leadership which is manifesting itself in a shortage of many things. When you see diseases in Africa, you are not seeing disease but a death of leadership. How do we cure that? We cure it by making sure we put Zimbabwe on a path to a free and fair election. We have put certain benchmarks to achieve that free and fair election.”

The MDC Alliance says President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government should address 10 key issues in order for the country to hold free, fair and credible elections.

This includes calls for an independent electoral body, a proper oversight over the voters’ roll and election materials, an impartial military that respects the election result, media and legislative reforms, the early arrival of international monitors, a peaceful vote, fair distribution of food handouts to the needy and depoliticization of traditional leaders

“We are giving a fighting chance to the people of Zimbabwe as we go into this election. Why am I saying so? We are saying so because we know in any struggle we must be able to stand up and be counted and to define a narrative to which people have to come through. We did it before as a people. During the liberation struggle, we forgot about race, we forgot about class, we forgot about tribe, we forgot about all the other classes that may separate us to look at the great idea of liberation. We achieved that liberation.

“Unfortunately, that liberation was checked halfway, why? Because of exhausted nationalism. Why? Because we had those who came into power failing to realize that occupying power is not for self-empowerment or self-entitlement. Title is not for the self but for others. We have not done things for others but for ourselves.”

Chamisa believes that the leadership crisis in Africa has resulted in serious social, economic and political problems in most nations.

“This has been the biggest problem on the African continent. That when leaders assume positions of responsibility they forget that the primary objective is service and sacrifice. And they begin to think about themselves, building a parasitic elite that is focusing on self-aggrandizement at the expense of the populace. That is what we need to cure.”

He stressed that Zimbabwe is facing the same problem as ousted president Robert Mugabe replaced the late Prime Minister Ian Smith and then created an autocratic regime.

“I have a lot of respect of Robert Mugabe the young, though I do not have any respect for Robert Mugabe the old, because he betrayed the ideals of Robert Mugabe the young, who was a liberation icon. I suppose there is something wrong with age, but I don’t think so. Age comes with wisdom, but for Mr. Mugabe, age came alone. And these are the things we want to make sure we are able to deal with.”

President Mnangagwa’s spokesperson George Charamba was not immediately available for comment.

The Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, England, whose membership is drawn primarily from the University of Oxford.

Chamisa, who is accompanied by MDC’s David Coltart and Tendai Biti of the People’s Democratic Party, is expected to hold several meetings with Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom, British officials and address various think tanks.

New Zimbabwe.com

7th May 2018

Former Sports Minister David Coltart has lamented the increase in the number cricket and football administrators seeking political office ahead of the upcoming harmonised elections, saying it is detrimental to the development of the country’s two biggest sporting codes.

The forthcoming harmonised elections have seen a surge in the number of sports personalities mainly from football and cricket seeking political office after their participation in the recent Zanu PF primary elections.

Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) president Philip Chiyangwa and his deputy Omega Sibanda together with Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukhuhlani recently contested in the Zanu PF primary elections ahead of the national harmonised elections later this year.

Sibanda won the right to represent Zanu PF in the upcoming general elections after being declared the winner in the ruling party’s primary elections in Gweru’s Vungu district while Chiyangwa is also seeking to contested and won last week’s primary polls for Zvimba South (Mashonaland West province).

“My view has always been that ideally politics and sport should be divorced from each other but sadly you can never fully separate politics from sport,” Coltart told NewZimbabwe.com.

“I was Minister of Sports and had political powers over sporting bodies but I think what is critical is that sports administrators should not be political, the same way as headmasters and church leaders should be apolitical.

“So it is problematic when you have sports administrators who also want to hold political office.”

Coltart said the entry into politics by current and former cricket administrators exposed how the country’s second biggest sport had become heavily politicised.

Mukuhlani, who is the current Zimbabwe Cricket board chairman won last week’s Zanu PF primary polls for the Mhondoro-Ngezi constituency while former ZC MD Ozias Bvute also earned the right to represent Goromonzi North constituency.

“Cricket in Zimbabwe has for some time been heavily politicised over the past few years if you take into consideration the fact that the current chairman (Tavengwa Mukhulani) and the previous CEO (Ozias Bvute) are both standing for political office,” said Coltart.

“It’s very clear that cricket has become completely politicised and my argument as minister and now has always been that we want to cricket administration and selection to be dominated by people who know and love the game.

“In other words people with international or first class cricket experience not politicians. That’s why I have never sought office in Zimbabwe Cricket because I feel that would make the organisation too political.”

He added; “It’s the same with football; it has also been dominated by politicians.

“When cricket was run by apolitical people it was run better and it was in the black and not in the red as what is the case now and it’s the same case with football.

“Ever since football and cricket have been pollicised just look at what has happened.”

Zimbabwe Cricket is current facing a debt of over $19 million ears of mismanagement and the conflict of interests harboured by some of its key officials while the equally cash strapped local football governing body also has a ballooning debt which is now over $7 million.

“It’s become very clear that sporting disciplines where there is money involved are dominated by Zanu PF you don’t see that in sports codes like hockey or swimming but it’s become very clear that in sports where people think they can make money out of their involvement in sport its dominated by Zanu PF.”

The Standard

By XOLISANI NCUBE

6th May 2018

Five years after promising to deliver 2,2 million jobs if voted back into power, Zanu PF is back promising 1,5 million houses in the next five years, if given another mandate in elections expected between July and August.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday presided over the launch of the ruling party’s election manifesto for the first time after taking over from long-time Zanu PF leader Robert Mugabe, who was toppled in a coup in November last year.

Besides promises to end Zimbabwe’s isolation, which drove the economy into an abyss in the last two decades, the manifesto is not different from previous unfulfilled pledges by Zanu PF.

The eye-popping figure of 1,5 million houses in five years, just like the 2,2 million jobs that never were, caught the interest of many observers who lamented that the ruling party was trying to use deceit to win votes once more.

“In its manifesto, Zanu PF makes a wild claim that it will deliver 1,5 million houses in five years,” tweeted Mt Pleasant aspiring MP Fadzai Mahere.

“This means 822 houses a day. How will this be funded? Who will build these houses? Will people have to buy them? With what money? We are being lied to again.”

Some of Mnangagwa’s vocal supporters on social media also refused to fall for the bait, describing the pledge as unrealistic.

“The claim by Zanu PF is wild and unachievable,” tweeted Matigari, who has been critical of MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa for promising spaghetti roads, airports across Zimbabwe and bullet trains, if he wins the elections.

“It means they will build new houses for over 70% of all Harareans. Mnangagwa failed to build any rural houses when he was Minister of Rural Housing at the start of the millennium.

“How does he do it now?”

Former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s advisor Alex Magaisa said the pledge on the manifesto did not tally with what Zanu PF was already doing on the ground.

After taking over from Mugabe, Mnangagwa’s administration promises 400 000 houses before July, but five months on, there is nothing to show for it on the ground.

The manifesto also promises an annual economic growth rate of 6% if Zanu PF wins its first election without Mugabe at the helm.

This year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that Zimbabwe’s economy will grow by 2,5% due to a rebound in agriculture and mining.

Zimbabwe’s economic growth rate fell dramatically from 2014 after a brief recovery during the era of the inclusive government.

Two years later the economy was growing at a snail’s pace of 0,6%, but Mugabe’s ouster has rekindled hopes of better times.

In this year’s manifesto, Zanu PF still promises to create jobs, but this time steered clear of mentioning figures.

“Zanu PF’s vision is to transform Zimbabwe into a middle income economy by 2030,” reads part of the 80-page manifesto.

“The party will focus aggressively on re-opening the country for business with the global community so as to rebuild our industries, create more jobs, eradicate the scourge of poverty and uplift people’s livelihoods.”

It promises to drill more boreholes in rural areas, build more schools, decentralisation of planning, and approve and promote growth of local industries in the provinces and districts.

In response to accusations that it has become a den for the corrupt, the ruling party said it would vigorously fight graft if voted back into office.

Former Education minister David Coltart said the Zanu PF message was being sent out by people that had lost credibility.

“I see the godfathers of corruption and parents of potholes are now promising to fight corruption and build spaghetti roads,” he tweeted.

“These are the same people who in the last election promised to create two million jobs, but have put thousands out of jobs since 2013.”

However, political analyst Alexander Rusero said the people should not read too much into the quality of the ruling party’s manifesto as it might not determine how voters pick leaders in the forthcoming elections.

“In most countries in Africa, people do not vote based on manifestos, but on what they get from the party, that is the first thing we should understand,” he said.

“You must understand that in most cases, those with good manifestos do not win while those with a bad ones do.

“In our case, Zanu PF will win because it has managed to capture the people and taken the message that has been for long a call from the MDC and made it theirs.”

Rusero said Zanu PF’s performance would be determined by the quality of its candidates.

“If you look at the 2013 Zanu PF manifesto you will discover that nothing was achieved but the party will still win,” he said.

“It is unheard of considering the power dynamics that happened last year for Zanu PF to lose the elections.

“So the manifesto is just a ritual, but Zanu PF has already done its homework to retain the power it got from Mugabe last year.”

After the manifesto launch, the ruling party is expected to aggressively sell its proposed policies in a vigorous campaign amid reports that it will spend a staggering $200 million.

Bulawayo News 24

By Simbarashe Sithole

5th May 2018

Former Minister of Education David Coltart has blasted ZANU PF manifesto calling the leadership Godfathers of corruption and parents of pot holes.

Coltart responded to ZANU PF manifesto which was launched yesterday were the party promised to fight corruption and deal with road development.

“I see the Godfathers of corruption and Parents of pot holes are now promising to “fight corruption “& build spaghetti roads!” he said via micro blogging Tweeter.

He also reminded people that the same leadership gave fake promises inform of 2 million jobs in the last election but to date they have sent thousand out of employment.

“These are the same people who last election promised to create 2 million jobs but have put thousands out of jobs since 2013.”

Apparently, the ruling party has begun its 2018 election campaigns.

Byo24 News

By Simbarashe Sithole

5th May 2018

Former Minister of Education David Coltart has blasted ZANU PF manifesto calling the leadership Godfathers of corruption and parents of pot holes.

Coltart responded to ZANU PF manifesto which was launched yesterday were the party promised to fight corruption and deal with road development.

“I see the Godfathers of corruption and Parents of pot holes are now promising to “fight corruption “& build spaghetti roads!” he said via micro blogging Tweeter.

He also reminded people that the same leadership gave fake promises inform of 2 million jobs in the last election but to date they have sent thousand out of employment.

“These are the same people who last election promised to create 2 million jobs but have put thousands out of jobs since 2013.”

Apparently, the ruling party has begun its 2018 election campaigns.

The Herald

By Obi Egbuna Jnr Simunye

4th May 2018

When we reflect on our days as children and the games we used to play, in most cases hide and seek appears to rank extremely high on the list. The main reason could be the adventurous nature of the game itself, or some of its other rather intriguing aspects like running and tracking your opponents.

As adults the tendencies adopted and associated with this childish game, in many cases create a multitude of problems, especially if you are accused of hiding the truth, connected to real life situations.

From the moment that President Mnangagwa assumed the mantle of political leadership in Zimbabwe, US-EU imperialism has been extremely uncomfortable, with the ruling party’s approach to engaging them diplomatically.

Because our former colonisers and enslavers have never called the shots in Zimbabwe, since independence was emphatically declared 38 years ago, they have been reduced to the position of window shoppers on the outside looking in.

Regardless of the political and economic hardships Zimbabwe has endured, that are a by-product of US-EU sanctions, this dynamic automatically magnifies the nation’s electoral process.

During the tenure of former president Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe countered the political heresy of US-EU imperialism by adopting and maintaining a closed door policy when it came to invitations to observe Presidential, parliamentary and local government elections on the ground.

After the nation had the opportunity to completely digest the rapid political dispensation process, President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF immediately devised a foolproof strategy, to shatter the myths concerning how everything actually transpired on the ground.

This included everything from overcoming amateurish and dishonest claims, stemming from pseudo radical and progressive voices in the West claiming an all-out coup d’etat occurred, and that the land reclamation and indigenisation programmes were being scrapped altogether.

The manner that President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF have handled this angle being propagated by the US-EU imperialist apparatus is by inviting US-EU imperialism to come and observe the upcoming elections, which our former colonisers and enslavers will never openly admit caught them completely off- guard.

Since US-EU imperialism’s invested so much time demonising former president Mugabe, going back to the days of Zimbabwe’s Second Chimurenga, key governmental policymakers in the US-EU imperialist apparatus have been forced to adopt a wait-and-see approach concerning how to deal with President Mnangagwa.

When US Senators Christopher Coons and Jeff Flake recently visited Zimbabwe and implied that lifting US-EU sanctions could depend on how the upcoming elections are conducted, the two main responses by Africans both at home and in the Diaspora was “Hold your horses” and “Who do they think they are fooling?”

Thanks to the track record of our former colonisers and enslavers that if measured by length, would extend from the planet Earth to the Milky Way, the children of Mother Africa at home and abroad are very clear what US-EU imperialism is seeking to accomplish in Zimbabwe.

Because US-EU imperialism approach to presidential politics inside their own borders places such a strong emphasis on individuals, which is after all at the root of capitalist culture and values, this compromises their ability to function on the world stage.

This dynamic reveals that US-EU imperialism’s regime change policy concerning Zimbabwe will always exclusively target Zanu-PF as a party, because the biggest threat to their interest is a political entity with an astute veteran leadership, who has overcome all of their dirty tricks.

The US State Department might as well post a banner on their website that reads “Yesterday Mugabe, Today Mnangagwa, Down with ZANU-PF”, especially since it is no secret that the plan is to maintain US-EU sanctions as long as Zanu-PF remains in power.

Their problem is the predictability and staleness of their narrative, which President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF have brilliantly exposed in open like food on a restaurant buffet or flesh that cannot be covered by a swimsuit worn at the beach.

For the last 17 years US-EU imperialism has defiantly propagated the notion that the sanctions are merely a measure that only targets a select handful of individuals, only to ensure that they not abuse political power and the rule of law. However, Senators Flake and Coons on the world stage stated this was the key bargaining point of Zimbabwe’s elections.

These type of political situations should teach Africans in the Diaspora who have either capitulated to US-EU imperialism or spent an eternity showcasing our individual and collective excellence, hoping this would lead to equal treatment and other political benefits, that the element of surprise will always be our best weapon on the battlefield.

The dilemma that faces our former colonisers and enslavers is when it comes to identifying political allies in Africa, Asia, the Carribean and Latin America, US-EU imperialism has always had a pervertic and unhealthy fascination with violent, ruthless and greedy heads of states, who due to exhibiting these characteristics are indeed their extensions and willing servants in every sense of the word.

Another fatal blow to US-EU imperialism’s regime change agenda in Zimbabwe is that the political gangsterism and thuggery they have continuously attempted to associate with Zanu-PF now is the dominant expression of their very own political creation – the Movement for Democratic Change.

When former Zimbabwean parliamentarian and MDC founder of European ancestry Ambassador Trudy Stevenson was viciously attacked by her own members 12 years ago, US-EU imperialism looked the other way, today another MDC founder member who is a Washington and London favourite with unlimited access Caucasian biological make-up Mr David Coltart has been forced to come out and call the MDC process shocking and distasteful.

What US-EU imperialism realises is their Zimbabwe regime change agenda is more compromised than ever before for a multitude of reasons.

There is an undeniable conflict with a poem by one of England’s most celebrated poets during the Victorian era, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, entitled “How Do I Love Thee” that begins with the title “How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count The Ways”.
With the opposition US-EU imperialism created in shambles and tatters, and 400 civil society groups who have survived primarily because of funding from the National Endowment for Democracy, the National Democratic Institute ,The Open Society Initiative and International Republican Institute led by Carl Gershman, Madeline Albright, George Soros and John McCain.

By the way, it was extremely amusing to see the son of MDC founder David Coltart, Douglas Coltart, pictured in an article written by Columbus Mavhunga entitled “Fired striking nurses resume work”. Since CNN is certainly not an ally of President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF, we are thankful that they caught young Mr Coltart’s hand in the cookie jar continuing the work he began when working as an Uhuru Fellow for the International Republican Institute.

If these nurses went to the US and British embassies and protested US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe, young Mr Coltart and his father would have been on CNN stating that they were coerced by President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF to carry out this act in order to maintain their employment.

We remember the lucidity of the Most Honourable Elijah Muhammad when advising Brother Malcolm that we should always give our people a choice, the analogy used was putting the clean glass next to the dirty glass.

When and if US-EU imperialism sends delegations to Zimbabwe for the purpose of observing the upcoming elections, let us keep in mind they will be next to the AU and Sadc observers, part of the decolonisation process is deciding who is better qualified and invested in analysing elections in Africa.

Zimbabwe also has at its disposal an invaluable human resource, former Zimbabwean Ambassador to the USA Dr Simbi Mubako, who is also an honorary elder to Comesa, whose analysis of Kenya’s previous presidential elections received continent-wide approval.

President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF have absolutely nothing to hide from our former colonisers and enslavers. In the words of Brother Malcolm whether it is the ballot or the bullet, we are more than qualified to wage combat.

Obi Egbuna Jnr is the US correspondent to The Herald and External Relations Officer of Zicufa. His email is obiegbuna15@gmail.com