By Pride Mkono
The recent widespread reported cases of corruption and looting of public funds by opposition parliamentarians and councillors will have a huge bearing on the 2023 elections.
Many analysts and pro-democracy activists, including myself, have argued that the opposition always score own goals which aid and abate continuation of ZANU PF misrule.
The #40k parliamentary loot and US$5 million stands scandal in Harare are the latest of these own goals, which will definitely increase in the coming months. I give out at least 5 ways on how these brazen acts of looting public funds and assets will impact on the opposition's 2023 prospects:
By Clive Malunga
As we celebrate Christmas and New Year under very difficult conditions, we must not despair for we have hope in God. We suffered for close to a century under the rule of the occupiers. We asked God for strength to dislodge the cruel system and it is now more than 42 years since God set us free from Apartheid Rhodesia. These days we are crying day and night for deliverance from the yoke of poverty and misrule and I can assure you that our God will not remain quiet. He will, and is about to lead us to the Promised Land.
By Luke Tamborinyoka
In 48 hours time, we are supposed to be celebrating Christmas Day, that timeless festivity that marks the birthday of the son of Man. In years gone by, Christmas was truly associated with happiness, camaraderie and merry-making.
But the Zanu PF regime, more specifically the current Emmerson Mnangagwa regime, has conspired to plunge the whole nation into darkness by dint of the current power shortages. It is literally and metaphorically a dark holiday, an unhappy festive season given the national sadness across the whole country due to the untenable economic situation.
With no electricity and no money in the pocket for the majority of Zimbabweans, it is certainly a dark Christmas, both in the literal and figurative sense.
In the early 1980s and 1990s, when Christmas was still Christmas, we all looked forward to the festive season and to this great day with high expectations. In my home area in Shumba ward in Domboshava, we would troop to Nyaure shops to order dozens of bread at Mai Zvondai's shop for the Christmas holidays.
On the actual day, we would enjoy and eat to our fill the pieces of bread that had sumptuous spreads of Buttercup margarine on the one side and Sun Jam on the other. Oh yes, we would use proceeds from the sale of mazhanje fruits to buy T-shirts and striped jeans, or one would simply buy a pair of what was then called "Adidas shorts" for Christmas.
After thoroughly smoothening our cracked feet ( kukwesha man'a ) at Nyaruvangwe river, we would troop to the shops: kwaMunyanyi , kwaBanga , or kwaGurumombe for the bottle of Coca-Cola or Fanta that marked the ultimate Christmas treat for us as kids. Those with more money and energy would proceed to Denda growth point or to Chirodzero shopping centre, known as paShowground , for more happiness. We would listen and dance to music that was played on vinyl, then known as " marecords ."
While wildly gyrating our waists in the common Zimbabwean dance known as kongonya , with our eyes closed and hands firmly clutching the backs of our heads, we danced to Jonah Moyo and Devera Ngwena Jazz Band's " Barbra ", Safirio Madzikatire's timeless lyrics in KwaHunyani as well as Paul Matavire's Dhindindi Full Time or Dhiabhorosi Nyoka. It could even be John Chibadura's Mudiwa Janet or the indefatigable Leonard Dembo's Chitekete . . Music was still music then as artistes produced sound by strumming their guitars and not downloading the beat from the internet.
Thoroughly exhausted and with the lyrics still echoeing in our ears, we would reluctantly go back home early evening to collect the cattle from places such as Chikomo Chemunhu , Kakomo Karefu or kwaMubvumi. My kinsmen in my rural hood know these places. In the evening, we would enjoy the ultimate dish---the road runner chicken which was rarely served to us those days.. The happinesss, joy, exploits and experiences on Christmas day would be savoured for the whole of the following year.
But today, Christmas as we knew it has vanished. Zanu PF has bred the phenomenon of a dark Christmas. The camaraderie and glitter of Christmas is gone. Thanks to Zanu PF.
By Tendai Ruben Mbofana
Who ever dreamt of graduating from university – armed with first class passes in information technology, or any other degree – only to undergo some training in primary health care, so as to travel overseas, in search of work tending to the elderly?
Which amongst us - when asked what they wanted to do when they ‘grew up’ - proudly responded that they fervently prayed to spend entire days or nights underground, in unsafe mine shafts that could collapse at any time, scrounging for a few grams of gold ore?
How many of us dreamt of becoming street vendors after successfully completing their studies at school?
Eddie Cross: "I get the sense that Christmas this year is going to be very subdued across the globe. In Europe, the war in Ukraine has not only torn that country apart and plunged millions into a cold, hard winter with massive disruption of power and gas, but also the constant threat of missile attacks from afar. For troops on the battlefront, icy conditions in the trenches and the need to attack and defend their positions, make life pretty grim."
Dr Phillan Zamchiya: "Even if Mnangagwa wins the referendum there is a third exceptional legal albatross to authoritarian consolidation in Zimbabwe. Section 328 (7) of the Zimbabwe constitution clearly stipulates that the person who held the office of the President before the amendment cannot benefit from the extension of term limits. So even if Mnangagwa manages to change the constitution he is still barred by section 328 (7) to extend his rule beyond two terms that is beyond 2028. It is his successor who can legally benefit from that chicanery."
Tendai Biti: "We have been arguing with the Minister for the last four years that you cannot de-dollarise as he tried to do in February of 2019 when conditions for de-dollarisation did not exist and we know that dedollarisation has failed and the Government itself is the first character to acknowledge the failure of de-dollarisation. All Government charges, without exception, are now expressed in USD terms, whether it is passports, fuel, birth certificate, death certificate, licencing, number plates for vehicles, et cetera."
By Luke Tamborinyoka
Zimbabwe is currently wallowing in pitch darkness as the ED regime fails to power the nation in spite of a 2018 election promise to provide electricity to the whole country. And yet as a people, we have always been chastened by light and brightness. Names such as Chiedza, Bright, Brightness, Power and Rujeko are testimony to our undying affinity for light. Even the tag Manjenjenje---that totemic reference to the Zebra and the MaDube bevy of beauties---is more evidence yet to our love for glitter and light.
The regime cannot plunge the country into darkness, just like that. Spiritually and culturally, darkness as a concept has always been malignant. Spiritually, especially in Christianity, darkness is associated with the Devil while culturally, darkness is associated with vices such as prostitution and witchcraft, among others. Both at the church and in the homes, we have always exhorted our children to let go of habits of darkness-- mabasa erima.
And yet the ED regime wants to perenially engulf us all in darkness!
By Tendai Ruben Mbofana
ZANU PF never ceases to amaze! Always full of excuses – some just incredible, others pure madness, whilst there are downright stupid!
I always say to myself, ‘if ZANU PF had been a man, then every woman would have left, as no self-respecting lady can stay with such a loser!’
These thoughts were brought to the fore as I listened in utter bewilderment to the ruling party’s director of information Tafadzwa Mugwadi pour scorn on those condemning the Zimbabwe government for the perennial power crisis – which has worsened over the past month – by claiming that it takes time for electricity generation infrastructure to be constructed.
He proceeded to make a ridiculous statement to the effect that, producing more electricity was not as simple as cooking sadza in a pot – but, putting up the required power plants needed a considerable length of time.
At first, I wanted to ascertain whether he was joking, or possibly maybe even a bit tipsy – but, I was quite convinced the guy was dead serious.
To say that I was perplexed and dumbfounded would be a grave understatement.
By Hopewell Chin'ono
Yesterday morning was one of the most important milestones in my career as an award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker, when the Emir (King) of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thanihanded handed over the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award to me in Qatar in the presence of the United Nations Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption Dr. Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri, the United Nations Under Secretary Dr Ghada Waly and President Kagame of Rwanda.
I have won the African journalist of the year awards twice, but winning the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award was an extremely humbling moment because it is not only about my skill set as a journalist, but the issues that I tackle and how they affect the well-being of my compatriots in Zimbabwe.
