Tinotenda Mutasa
In Zimbabwe, gradually, almost unnoticeably, over the past year or so, there has been a steady rise in fake news and alarmist stories intended to soil President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Government. The President has been blamed and accused of all sorts of evil, including Gukurahundi, without plausible evidence being put forward to support the accusations. Conveniently for the regime change agenda proponents, sporadic protests and industrial action have manifested as a result of biting economic conditions. The tempo was increased with deliberate provocation of law enforcement agents so as to get basis for allegations of brutality and human rights abuse.
As was done in the case of Iraq, Zimbabwe is being presented in the regional and international media as being under siege and engulfed in civil unrest that would warrant regional and international intervention. Procedural arrests of mischief makers and lawbreakers are being presented as clampdowns on the democratic space and political persecution.
And true to script perennially adopted in African countries were the west seeks undue influence, no sooner had rogue elements taken to the streets against Government and attempted to cause mayhem in January this year, MDC was calling for SADC, AU and the ICC’s intervention, claiming that the situation was now untenable in the country. This is despite the fact that the few genuine concerns raised by some citizens are, and have since been addressed by Government, and to all intents and purposes there is no justification for outside or any intervention at all.
Those hoping to unseat President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF using unconstitutional means are hoping to achieve what was achieved in Iraq and during the Arab Spring, which would be to the detriment of ordinary peace loving citizens.
Zimbabweans should remember that precedence has been set, and in all the countries where uprisings were instigated, encouraged and supported by hostile local and foreign elements, chaos and misery were left in their wake. The Chilcort Report noted that more than 250 000 people have died violent deaths since the 2003 invasion, according to the Iraq Body Count project, while millions of Iraqis have been made homeless in the conflict with ISIS.
Zimbabwe can never be another Iraq, Tunisia or Egypt. Those willing to sacrifice the country’s peace and the wellbeing of its citizens for a few pieces of silver should be condemned in the strongest terms.
What use would a Zimbabwe with destroyed infrastructure, civil war and instability be to future generations? The long arm of the law will and has already started to catch up with the rogue elements that sought to hijack genuine grievances by some sections of society and attempted to use them for their own selfish ends. What Zimbabwe needs right now is for its citizens to unite, remain peaceful and come up with sober and peaceful ways to put across their concerns. President Mnangagwa has demonstrated time and again that he is concerned about, listens and addresses people’s concerns, why should the situation be any different now?
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