By Tendai Kwari
This is a clarion call to all democratic forces and peace loving Zimbabweans.
We do not take the impending elections lightly. We also take the politicisation of the military seriously. If ZANU –PF or MDC wins the next election in a free and fair poll, we must respect that outcome.
However, as Zimbabweans, we should not allow those who attack the constitutional system and intend to replace an elected government by a regime of their own choosing to sabotage the result.
The securocrats (a military or police officer who has the power to influence government policy) in Zimbabwe must accept the outcome of the elections.
The securocrats must be reminded that they will be denied all legitimacy as they will have no moral or political right to become our government of Zimbabwe.
As we draw closer to the 2013 general election it is becoming apparent that a grand coalition is unlikely to materialise.
Our achilles heel has been our obsession to remove Robert Mugabe, not the system. As opposition political parties and civic organisations, we have failed to be consistent and show the electorate that we can offer something better than ZANU-PF.
ZANU-PF has been able to spell out its ideology – good or bad, and has stood by it. The only real enemy of ZANU-PF is Mugabe’s advanced age and the securocrats, like a pack of rabid wolves, are smelling blood and moving in for the final kill.
They would seek to secure Mugabe’s legacy so as to protect themselves and their ill-gotten riches; not forgetting the mafia style assassinations clandestinely perpetrated over the years.
If ZANU-PF fails to win the forth coming election and the securocrats (military) refuse to acknowledge the elected government; a grand coalition of all democratic forces (including the civic organisations) should be formed and impose a defence policy against the securocrats.
Opposition political parties and civic organisations must band together and denounce the military regime.
The securocrats will require legitimacy, that is, acceptance of their moral and political right, or authority to rule. They must be denied all cooperation and no one in the Government or in the population should assist or obey them in any way.
They must be repudiated as illegitimate with no rightful claim to become our government. The grand coalition and civic organisations must gear into omnipresent resistance institutions against the securocrats.
Dissension and opposition among the supporters of the securocrats, the police and other members of the army must be encouraged. We do not expect the securocrats to control all of the military forces and the police.
The regional and international community must exert opposition to the securocrats by diplomatic, economic and public pressure against the securocrats.
Furthermore, we will call upon university and tertiary education college student leaders to make a statement and organise demonstrations on a weekly basis – across the country.
Through the social networks and independent media, we will mobilise Zimbabweans in and outside to donate food and water for our demonstrators. We will call upon commuter omnibus drivers, public and civil servants to join demonstrators and refuse to follow orders from the securocrats.
We will call upon religious leaders to lead in prayers and join the demonstrators. For a change, we would like to see the Makandiwas, the Apostles and the mainstream churches filling up stadiums and open fields for a different cause.
We will refuse to get engaged into a violent confrontation. The securocrats will have a good reason to kill us and we will not win that way. Zimbabweans must not accept any military intervention from the former colonial masters, imperialists or any other Western country.
It must be a home initiative and must be accomplished in Zimbabwe, by Zimbabweans and for Zimbabweans.
