Chaos in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights wishes to share with stakeholders critical information on the unfolding human rights crisis in Zimbabwe following the outbreak of violent protests across the country and the ensuing disproportionate response by the state apparatus,” reported Zimeye.

“To date ZADHR network of Doctors across the country, both in the public and private sector have attended to a total of 172 cases. 68 cases were gunshot wounds with the affected individuals sustaining severe injuries which required urgent surgery in most cases. The remainder of the cases ranged from assaults with sharp objects, booted feet, baton sticks, sjamboks and tarmac abrasions.”

There reports that as many as nine people have been shot dead by the Zanu PF apparatchik!

This should not be happening in our country; we should not be experiencing all the economic hardship of shortages of cash, foreign currency, drugs, fuel, food, jobs, etc. The three-fold increase in fuel prices and the fuel shortages are the immediate cause of the street protests but the root cause of is the serious economic meltdown; itself a by-product of 38 years of corrupt and tyrannical rule. Zimbabwe is a rich nation with great economic potential but nearly four decades of gross mismanagement and rampant corruption has reduced the country to the poorest nation in Africa.

This should have never happened and we must all, every Zimbabwean with half a working brain, hang our collective heads in shame that we have allowed the nation to come to this! The most immediate question we must focus on now, is how are we going to get out of this mess? "Vakuru vanoti tuka benzi warirwira!" as one would say in Shona.

If the root cause of the country is in this economic and political mess is 38 years of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF rule. The solution is obvious; end the corrupt and tyrannical rule and put into place measures to ensure the nation is never again subjected to such rule.

 Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF junta have remained in power for the last 38 years because of they blatantly rigged the elections denying Zimbabweans their freedoms and rights including the right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country and even the right to life itself. The regime blatantly rigged last July's elections too. In the past the nation has rewarded Zanu PF for rigging elections by allowing the party to rule; this was a serious mistake on our part and the nation has paid dearly for it, as we can see. The only sure way to end the curse of rigged elections is to make sure those who rig elections are punished and never ever reward with high office.

It is in this spirit that Mnangagwa and his junta must now be told in no uncertain terms that they rigged last July's elections, they have no mandate to rule and therefore must step down.

To stop another dictatorial regime emerging now and in the future, Zimbabwe must implement the democratic reforms designed to dismantle the dictatorial powers and control Zanu PF had accrued over the last four decades.

Zanu PF must step down to allow the nation the political space and time to appoint an interim administration that will be tasked to implement the democratic reforms above. The reforms should have been implemented during 2008 to 2013 GNU. Sadly not even one reform was ever implemented in five years of that GNU.

Zimbabwe’s true heroes and heroines whose hearts were deeply troubled to see Zimbabweans denied their freedoms, human rights and suffer from want and have made their own contribution in the fight for freedom and justice; many have paid the ultimate price of losing their very lives. They must all be spinning in their graves to what is happening in post-independent Zimbabwe. One only hopes that out of the chaos and violence sweeping the country today will finally emerge the free, just and prosperous Zimbabwe we have all been praying and dying, literally, for these last 38 years!  

By Jeff Kurai Chakanyuka