Of Elections

Hello All,

Well the news is now all over the place that Tsvangirai has decided to withdraw from the elections. Good move or bad move?

There are those who believe he should not have withdrawn, even though there is no hope of him winning with Mugabe's thugs on the rampage and the so called security forces with their hands in their pockets and looking the other way! However, it does seem to say to everyone - don't bother to fight for me, because I wont fight for you. Even though it is clear to see that his true motivation was to protect the people who are bearing the brunt of this pre-genocidal activity (which the rest of the world will bewail and bemoan without actually doing anything!), there are those who will feel let down. Particularly the relatives and supporters of those killed, who will wonder why the blood was shed.

From a legal standpoint (if anything in Zimbabwe can be considered from that standpoint at all!), does his withdrawal not give Mugabe some legitimacy? I wonder, because of course there is no such thing as law in Zimbabwe today. Of course ZANU-PF is not beholden to anyone at all, they do try to make some sort of show of legitimacy at times (by saying that the vote must, constitutionally go ahead!) and at others when it doesn't particularly suit them, they just ignore it. The party propaganda machine is in full overdrive churning out the most inane nonsense to ever hit the planet being led by that idiot the anything but "Bright" Matonga - the party mouthpiece who is just staggering in his ignorance. And, of course the ZANU-PF politicians (if they can be so described!) are already jumping up and down claiming, quite rightly, that Tsvangirai had quit because he would have lost the re-run. Of course he would have lost - given the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe today, given the fact that Mugabe and his minions control the people tasked with the electoral process (although he is not too sure about trusting anyone - given that they nearly let him down during the recent election) - how would it have been possible to Tsvangirai to win - even if 100% of the votes cast were for him - he would not have won.

There are also those who feel that this is the right thing to do. And, I share Tsvangirai's sentiments on this (although at first I too felt let down!). But it does mean that the electoral process is dead. And that means that something else HAS to happen. I know that there plans afoot to start military resistance - the sad part about that is the fact that represents a long road at great cost, particularly in lives. The rest of the world needs to actually do something though - writing letters and making strong statements of condemnation are absolutely pointless. It just adds to Mugabe's propaganda store to prove that the "evil west" are just out to pick on him (conveniently forgetting how they put him where he was in the first place! And yes - Rhodesia could have dealt with the communist weapons, but they ultimately gave up because of Western Pressure!). Now is the time for Western Governments and press to STOP calling Mugabe the "President" - he has not been for quite a few years now, but lets all give up the pretence that there is any form of legitimacy there! The West also needs to help Tsvangirai to set up a government in exile and provide assistance and funding, whilst simultaneously apply FULL sanctions.

They need to tell Mbeki to get out of the way or suffer also - he is married to a Mugabe relative - does anyone still think their is any chance that Mbeki has any intention of doing anything constructive in this matter? And most of all, they need to show other African governments who will not behave that they are prepared to send in the troops. Then they need to let me, in my Z.R.Police uniform, handcuff Mugabe and prepare him for prosecution in the Hague. Will they do any of this or anything remotely useful? No - of course not - they will make loud, strong statements and call for the UN to review the situation. They will send letters to African governments decrying the pitiful state of things in Zimbabwe. and they will wring their hands some more as more and more photographs of the dead, tortured and dying emerge from Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, my colleagues will start to fight. They will have no support, no reserves, no infrastructure, few weapons, no food supplies other than what the beleaguered people can give them - but they will fight on and they are the only hope the nation has.

For a very long time now, everyone has had to play nice and show the world that we are trying to do the right thing and follow a legal process - but that time is now at an end.

Without the world helping, and I mean really helping - this is going to be another sad tale of murder, rape, and war in Africa - mind you, it is actually at that stage already!