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Roy Bennet

Kuchimbidzamhandu Gumboreshumba
The 2013 Zimbabwe’s harmonised elections have come and gone. The results triggered varied emotions, to be precise, three silos of emotions; joy, anger and resignation. Emotions notwithstanding, Zimbabweans are urged to remain peaceful and calm.The victors, who are the people, celebrated the safeguarding of their heritage, the land, minerals, water bodies, culture and sundry. The ballot which others had sought to defer to a later date delivered Zimbabwe back to its people.

The electoral avalanche (Zanu-PF’s victory) explicitly told the world that Zimbabwe is not for sale.
Zanu-PF clinched 160 seats and MDC got 49 seats and Jonathan Samkange, an independent candidate, clinched the remaining seat. The joy which greeted the poll verdict is beyond explanation.

The handlers of the losers were so indignant with the results. This was evident by the record shuttles between their embassies and Mr Morgan Tsvangirai’s residence.

The purpose of the visits was to prod him to lead mass protests as a way of registering his disapproval of the results of the plebiscite which has buried his party and his career.

In fact, the chief mourner is not the party since it still has a pulse, though weak, it is Tsvangirai himself who now clutches at each and every floating straw.

What the Western handlers should know is that the man from Buhera cannot, and shall not lead mass protests. Tsvangirai saw it coming, no wonder he fought tooth and nail for the postponement of the elections.

The West is angry that Zanu-PF won the elections convincingly, that Tsvangirai did not heed their advice not to participate in the elections since their researches had already shown his waning support. They are angry that he is reluctant to go onto the street and stage a “revolution” akin to the Arab Spring which brought down the leaders of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

They tried to use Roy Bennet to instigate the revolt but still they got no response from Zimbabweans, who identify with the outcome. The West is hurting, their plot is disintegrating in broad daylight, the Europeans, Rhodies, Americans and others are so exasperated if they were crickets they would have bit off their legs.

The puppets have resigned to fate. The puppetry is no longer interesting, it can’t pull crowds anymore! The equatorial assignment they had been assigned, that is, to depose Robert Gabriel Mugabe, is mission impossible. You can visualise Morgan Tsvangirai and Tendai Biti themselves; “What offering are we going to offer at White House or at Number 10 Downing Street?”

The brief was to offer Zimbabwe at the altar of imperialism in the Western metropolis.
But this lamb, unlike other sacrificial lambs, fought. The MDC-T and other hangers-on have the unenviable task of appearing before the Anglo-Saxon priest without an offering. They have a case to answer.

The Rhodesian farmers who have been pouring millions of American dollars and British pounds into MDC pockets with the expectation that it would deliver to them their farms which were distributed to the landless blacks during the Third Chimurenga are crying sore.

Tsvangirai and his team lost dismally to the revolutionary party. They have harvested thorns at Harvest House.
The results gave MDC-T and its handlers a rude awakening. At least they now know which one is the party of excellence. Zanu-PF is a party of sound political principles not juices, open zips and shut minds.

There is a statement in the Bible which is fascinating as well as enlightening. “It came to pass . . .” Today it has come to pass that the Westminster Foundation project, which was born in the late 1990s to wrestle Zimbabwe from its rightful owners, the blacks, has been decapitated, cremated and the ashes put in a diplomatic envelope addressed, “Return to sender”.

President Robert Mugabe’s outright win (61,09 percent) in the presidential election is a clear message to the erstwhile colonisers that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. Never, ever!

The results showed that there is a big gulf between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai. Even those who are mumbling about rigging, assisted voters, among others, tell us how you can bridge such a gulf!

Even the surveys which were conducted prior to the elections by organisations such as Afrobarometer, Freedom House and Sokwanele showed that MDC-T, its fragments and shadows were headed for a real defeat at the hands of the revolutionary party. They were warned against enjoying trinkets and junkets of power in the inclusive Government while Zanu-PF was re-organising its structures.

The puppets and their masters were ringing bells as they wined and dined thinking that they had managed to dislodge musangano. Today, at Harvest House and several capitals in the Western world, they are wringing their hands and whimpering as they sit to ponder on the next move — it’s all bleak and gloom.

Surely the accusation that Zanu-PF intimidates voters cannot hold water. What with a victory delivered in a peaceful and tranquil election?
Sorry, Mr Tsvangirai and friends, there is no greater intimidation than economic strangulation. All this noise by the Europeans about the July 31, 2013 poll outcome is a bunch of baloney; they have been made to test their own medicine through pen and paper.

The populace has spoken, and have done so loudly and clearly. Democracy has once again asserted itself.
Even trying to put Tracy Mutinhiri in the battle for Marondera East failed to appease the people.

It only showed how silly the party of sexecellence has become by day. MDC-T had the cheek to spite Zanu-PF by nominating Mutinhiri as its candidate for the constituency she previously held when she was still in Zanu-PF, Marondera East.

Mashonaland East sent her to the cleaners. Now the MDC-T do not even know what hit them. Mutinhiri lost dismally to the Zanu-PF candidate.
Thank you Mashonaland East for sending the correct signal that you punish turncoats. Soon after joining MDC-T, Mutinhiri wanted to show everyone who cared to listen or watch that she was more MDC than the rest, even those who formed the party.

The party leadership embraced her and used her as their toy to taunt Zanu-PF. Goodbye Tracy, wakatinhira muMDC tikakunzwa, asi usatambe nemusangano, Zanu chiwororo. What next Tracy? You showed us how strange the MDC-T could be, do you remember them seconding Roy Bennet, that Selous Scout, to be appointed the Deputy Minister of Agriculture in 2009?

I am sure Tsvangirai is being advised to rummage in his drawers. He might find his old Zanu-PF membership card. With that card he can then proceed to the headquarters and pay his subscriptions so that he is up to date. Next time he can contest in Highlands as a Zanu-PF candidate.

Even some old guys lose their marbles, it is a pity how a revolutionary like Dr Dumiso Dabengwa could miss it all. Running with the Mavambo project, trying to revive Zapu, forging an alliance with Welshman Ncube! What are you doing, what are you achieving, simply chasing the wind?

Back to the handlers, why do they cry more than the bereaved? Some have already threatened that they will not lift economic sanctions they illegally imposed on Zimbabwe. Prior to the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections they had promised to work with any government the Zimbabweans would have elected. Their blue-eyed boy lost the poll and they are now changing goal posts.

Is anyone surprised out there? This is typical of these whites. The only good imperialist is the dead one.
Let it be known that the Europeans and Americans are not the only nations with capital. If they are not willing to do business with Zimbabwe, other nations like China, Russia and India will clinch the lucrative business deals. Zimbabwe is endowed with abundant natural resources which are the envy of many nations the world over, hence the country would not give a hoot that Britain is reluctant to do business with it.

Gudo hariramwirwe munda, don’t you know that?
Zanu-PF is an organism which organises itself.
The people of Zimbabwe have given it this unequivocal mandate to lead the country, being cognisant of its commitment to better the living conditions of the people, through the indigenisation of the economy and empowerment of the citizens. Resources should be channelled into the productive and social services sectors. Agriculture should be well resourced so that this country retains its breadbasket status.

There should be beneficiation of our raw resources; there should be value addition to our gold, diamonds, platinum, among other precious minerals.

Civil servants should be well remunerated so that they can be able to lead decent lives, having food on their tables, being able to send their children to school.

Bring back glory to the teaching field.

Motivating workers is not restricted to monetary benefits, Government should ensure that workers get stands to build their own houses, should be able to access loans at reasonable bank interests.

Our industries should roar once again. Government should work hard to recapitalise the industries. Bulawayo should be resurrected; it should be the industrial hub of Zimbabwe as it used to be. Government should revisit the rural growth point concept; this would bring development to the rural areas.

Land, land, land, let there be fairness in the distribution of this precious resource, this is the space which defines us as Zimbabweans. It gives us our identity.

Inasmuch as we defend it from colonial predators, we all want to benefit from it.
Government should fight all forms of or similitude of corruption, nepotism, tribalism and regionalism.
These tend to be pitfalls of the African revolutions.

Let the celebrations start, the revolution has been defended, the people have spoken. Zanu-PF should never again allow internal differences to derail the cause of the liberation struggle. The country came at a price. Idiosyncrasies are too trivial a thing to betray Chimurenga.

Long live our freedom.

Kuchidzamhandu Gumboreshumba is a Harare-based social and political commentator.