One would expect to hear sane voices from human rights activists, political leaders and civic society leaders calling people to order as they go about expressing their disquiet over whatever reasons they have to take to the streets.
Instead, blame game has taken the lead, with organisations such as Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights (ZDHR) and Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) accusing law enforcements agents of being heavy handed and allegedly using live ammunition on the violent protestors. This comes at the backdrop of overwhelming evidence of looting, burning of cars and harassment and extortion of motorists by the hooligans the NGOs and civic societies are depicting as victims.
ZDHR on its part is busy conducting a census of the injured while ZLHR has deployed personnel to go around the country freeing those arrested during the disturbances.
This spirited effort by the organisations simply confirm assertions by Minister of State for National Security, Owen Ncube, that there are some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) bent on stirring despondency to discredit the sitting Government. The tone by political leaders, especially those from the MDC is simply inflammatory and there is no effort whatsoever to call the rowdy citizens, the majority of whom are MDC supporters, to order.
MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa’s Spokesperson, Dr Nkululeko Sibanda, took to twitter celebrating the uprising, taking after his boss who could not hide his joy over the disturbances. Sibanda on 14 January 2019 during the wake of the disturbances tweeted that “Dzi vasimuka-let those who are misguided be warned-Zimbabwe is coming. In support of the movement of the people, just for a cause!”
What Zimbabwe is coming and by which means boggles the mind. This communication by Chamisa’s spokesperson confirms just one thing, which is that, the MDC is a merchant of the on-going insurgence. With the aid of the civil society and NGOs and foreign spies, the MDC staged a tactful demonstration characterised by hit and disappear guerrilla skill. Zimbabwe is certainly at war.
The Vanguard and the Democratic Resistance Committees (DRCs) have certainly been unleashed onto the nation. As if not enough, the ZDHR and ZLHR are keen on not having the Army deploy so that their machinations and shenanigans yield maximum damage. Surely, who in their sane minds would not want the Army to deploy when the Police are visibly and evidently being overpowered?
On his part, Chamisa, a day before the violent demonstrations sought to whip up people’s emotions by asking on twitter on their suggested way forward after President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced new fuel prices. “As we roll out the 2019 roadmap, agenda, action plan and vision for Zimbabwe going forward, the situation in the country is further deteriorating and worsening. What would you recommend to be done to arrest and solve our common problems in Zimbabwe?” The tweet by Chamisa came on the heels of calls by Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for an industrial action from 14 through to 16 January 2019.
To then have crippling demonstrations thereafter cannot be one of those coincidences given that the MDC was born out of the ZCTU and machinations had been underway, with Chamisa seeking to close ranks with the union. Towards the 2018 harmonised elections, Chamisa promised ZCTU boss, Peter Mutasa, a position in government in the event that he got into power in exchange of support in his (Chamisa’s) bid for the presidency then.
The events leading to the violent strike and its course simply tell a lot on the exceptional skills and tact used by the demonstrators. Despite having been on the guard and alive to the pending violent demonstration, the Police were nevertheless overpowered and had their vehicles burnt. When justice finally takes its course after this unfortunate event, the international community should not fall trap to the MDC’s trump card of playing victim.
