The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Zimbabwe

  • The god of Zimbabwe

    The god of Zimbabwe

    His visage looks eerily cadaverous on the front page of a national newspaper. He has won an election yet again but it seems elections have worn him. It must be deliberate that the editor had pasted that old, wizened mug on his cover so bold and large apparently exhibiting a vicarious, impotent rage on the 5th coming of Robert Mugabe to power in Zimbabwe. The 90-year-old overlord of the impoverished southern African country is declared to have won his country’s presidential election once again by a wide margin last Sunday. He has another 5-year term by which end he would have been 95 years old.

    At an age when most men can hardly stand, how much more stand for an election, Mugabe’s political longevity must have a correlation to his physiological endowments. Those who thought that age and indeed, senility would have mellowed the old fox were nonplussed and even chagrined at the ‘failure’ of Morgan Tsvangirai , his main opponent in the last few years, to send him into retirement. Mugabe who runs under Zanu-PF has led Zimbabwe since independence from Britain since 1980 won by 61 per cent against 34 per cent by Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change, (MDC). Zanu-PF also secured 152 of the 210 seats in parliament availing Mugabe a two-thirds majority to re-write Zimbabwe’s constitution in his own persona and even flowery words. By the time he is through, heavens know Mugabe would transmogrify into a deity and continue to rule Zimbabwe by proxy. A little tinkering of the constitution will make sure of that.

    Having achieved life presidency by hook and crook, now with the instrumentality of the constitution, he would fashion out for his self the title of ETERNAL PRESIDENT. It would be enshrined in the book of course, so that it would be a sacrilege to pronounce that Mugabe died; he will only transmute to a higher realm from whence he would continue to rule his beloved country. On bended knees and with heads perpetually bowed in worship, his people will continue to receive his divine guidance and direction from carefully taped voice-overs. Beware, Mugabe will not disappoint.

    He never disappointed. The classic African big man; a post-colonial contraption in the mold of Idi Amin of Uganda, Hastings Banda of Malawi, Mobutu Sese Seko of Congo to name a few, he outfoxed all his opponents (like Joshua Nkomo) and outlived most of his contemporaries. Having played a key role in winning independence for Zimbabwe from errant British imperialists, power simply shifted from one coloniser to another. He has held his country in thrall for 33 years using all sorts of tricks – from brute force and intimidation to divide and rule; hunger and poverty.

    It is discomfiting that the African Union’s election observers considered Zimbabwe’s election free and fair but it is not in the least surprising if you remember that the leader of the observer team is a certain Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who is not known to be enamoured of free and fair election nor is he a man given naturally to procedural integrity or democratic principles. It is on record that domestic monitors said a large number were unable to vote; the US described the election as a “deeply flawed process”, Australia suggests a fresh poll and a commissioner in the electoral commission resigned in disgust. Of course, Tvangirai has refused to acknowledge defeat, insisting that he would not legitimise a “fraudulent” and “stolen” election.

    Now that Mugabe has done his time, squandered his children’s and is now wasting his grand children’s era, may we all just say, all hail the god of Zimbabwe!

     

  • Mugabe re-elected in Zimbabwe

    Mugabe re-elected in Zimbabwe

    Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe was yesterday returned for a seventh term in office, amid claims of electoral fraud.

    Mr Mugabe, 89, won 61% of the vote, against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s 34%.

    Mr Tsvangirai earlier said the elections for parliament and president were fraudulent and promised to take legal action.

    He said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would no longer work with Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.

    The two parties have been working together in a coalition since the last election in 2008 sparked widespread violence.

    Mr Mugabe has been president since Zimbabwe won independence from the UK in 1980.

    The European Union, which maintains sanctions on Mr Mugabe and his senior aides, said it was concerned about “alleged irregularities and reports of incomplete participation” in the election.

    The largest group of domestic monitors, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), had said problems with voter registration had left up to one million people unable to cast their ballots, most of them in MDC strongholds.

    However, the African Union and SADC broadly endorsed the election, saying it was free and peaceful.

    Yesterday, one of the nine members of the election commission resigned over the way the election was conducted.

    Commissioner Mkhululi Nyathi said in his resignation letter: “While throughout the whole process I retained some measure of hope that the integrity of the whole process could be salvaged along the way, this was not to be.”

    Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has won a seventh term in office, officials say, amid claims of electoral fraud.

    Mr Mugabe, 89, won 61% of the vote, against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s 34%.

  • From Zimbabwe to Anambra: Obasanjo’s trail of confusion

    Nigeria was almost exposed to ridicule with the recent insinuation that Zimbabweans wholesomely rejected former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Head of Africa Union (AU) Observer Mission for the election in that country. The intrigue and horse dealing that went on behind the scenes for Obasanjo to be finally accepted for that role is a story for another day. However, the fact that Zimbabweans mooted the idea of not allowing Nigeria’s former president to play that role is a worrying sign.

    As far as elections go, Zimbabwe has not been the role model on this continent. If anything, that country is an example of how not to run a contemporary democracy. Old man Rob Mugabe has been on the seat since that country’s modern history and even at 89 years old has shown no sign of letting go of his grip on power. Could it be that the Zimbabweans are worried about the similarities between their designated observer and their leaders whom some of them are willing to sacrifice their lives to get rid of? After all, if Obasanjo’s bid to manipulate the 1999 constitution – the third term agenda- had succeeded, he would probably be in his second term under the new constitution by now.

    It would seem that other African countries have more to worry about in connection with this anti-apartheid hero. Mugabe’s clamp down on the opposition could pale into insignificance compared to the way and manner that he ran those opposed to him out of the country. During Obasanjo’s tenure as a civilian president, Zaki Ibam in Benue State and Odi in Rivers State were reminders of his capacity as an army general to ride roughshod over people in his attempt to leave up to his personality as a one time military dictator. In his generosity, he was gracious enough to have applied the Public Order Act in liberal doses to stifle the most basic of democratic dispensations despite a court ruling to the contrary.

    Despite his showmanship, his credential as a leader who fought corruption could not have endeared him to people of other climes who are not as tolerant of sleaze as this Nigeria’s icon. Not with all the rots that were discovered once the Emperor of Otta left office as president.

    Furthermore, Obasanjo holds the singular honour of being the purveyor of “do or die” politics in Nigeria. The anti-corruption agency that should have been empowered to track down corrupt people was converted into a personal terror police to intimidate political opponents. The 2007 elections, which today hold the honour of being the worst in the nation’s history, were the results of the do or die politics that Obasanjo introduced. Results were merely allocated to those loyal to the strong man of Otta while the tribunal and courts were later kept busy trying to sort out the mess.

    Those who contend that some of these misdeeds were in the past are correct. However, Obasanjo’s continued posture indicates a man who has no remorse for the things he did wrong. The national dailies recently reported that he gave his protégée, President Goodluck Jonathan, a red line that must not be crossed in their relationship. This red line, as reported by the media, is his insistence that President Jonathan must ensure that his erstwhile aide, Andy Uba, emerges the governor of Anambra State in the forthcoming governorship election.The effrontery of it was part of the report that said Obasanjo declared the Andy Uba governorship project as his (Obasanjo’s) project. There is certainly no record anywhere that shows that the people of Anambra State collectively resolved to outsource the leadership of the state to Obasanjo.

    This insistence is despite the fact that Andy Uba and his brother Chris Uba once declared before Obasanjo, when he was president, that they rigged that state’s election to favour PDP.

    These scenarios in Anambra portrays Obasanjo as a man who has failed to take a retrospective look at the trail of confusion he left behind. He spent eight years as an elected president but now wants to dictate not just to Anambra people but to the entire country because that is the implication of drawing a red line for an incumbent president.

    It is thus important that the people of Anambra State, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chapter, should deliver a strong message to Obasanjo. The message is that he has used up his time as well as frittered away the goodwill of the people and should at this point allow Nigerians to decide what works best for them. Anambra State chapter of the PDP must reject the idea of a consensus candidate and insist on free, fair, transparent and acceptable primary election. This is the only way of ensuring that the rampaging bull inObasanjo’s make up is escorted out of the china shop before activities for the 2015 elections kick off. Should he be allowed to have his way, then he would equally dictate the candidates for his party in the various states.

    This will fit perfectly into Obasanjo desire to be the leader of Nigeria for life – there are other statesmen other than him. It will also be consistent with the sit tight culture of some of his African contemporaries with the difference being that the former president would be teleguiding the affairs of the nation through his protégée and proxies. One is left wondering why Obasanjo and some African leaders have this unrelenting desire for self-perpetration and resorting to proxies when term limitation saw them out of office. But then there is Nelson Mandela, let not forget for a moment. Nigerians should therefore emulate the Mandela option and avoid like a plague the Obasanjo example.

    Dr Adebisi, a public affairs commentator

  • Mugabe re-elected Zimbabwe’s president

    Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe was on Saturday  officially returned for  a seventh term in office, amid claims of electoral fraud.
    Mr Mugabe, 89, won 61% of the vote, against Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s 34%.
    Mr Tsvangirai earlier said the elections for parliament and president were fraudulent and promised to take legal action.
    He said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) would no longer work with Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.
    The two parties have been working together in a coalition since the last election in 2008 sparked widespread violence.
    Mr Mugabe has been president since Zimbabwe won independence from the UK in 1980.
    The European Union, which maintains sanctions on Mr Mugabe and his senior aides, said it was concerned about “alleged irregularities and reports of incomplete participation” in the election.
    The largest group of domestic monitors, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), had said problems with voter registration had left up to one million people unable to cast their ballots, most of them in MDC strongholds.
    However, the African Union and SADC broadly endorsed the election, saying it was free and peaceful.
    On Saturday , one of the nine members of the election commission resigned over the way the election was conducted.
    Commissioner Mkhululi Nyathi said in his resignation letter: “While throughout the whole process I retained some measure of hope that the integrity of the whole process could be salvaged along the way, this was not to be.”

     

  • Obasanjo to head AU observer mission for Zimbabwe elections – Zuma

    Obasanjo to head AU observer mission for Zimbabwe elections – Zuma

    Former president Olusegun Obasanjo has been accepted by the government of Zimbabwe to be the AU Observer Mission Chairman for the July 31, presidential election.

    Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairperson of AU Commission, in a statement on Friday said that Obasanjo is expected in Zimbabwe on Saturday to lead the team of international observers.

    Dlamini-Zuma made this known in a statement after paying a courtesy call on President Robert Mugabe at the State House in Harare on Thursday to announce the AU team’s presence in the country ahead of elections.

    She said that Mugabe welcomed the scheduled arrival of Obasanjo.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the acceptance by Mugabe it clears doubts over Obasanjo’s visit to Zimbabwe as head of AU Observer Mission.

    It will be recalled that the Pan African Forum and the Zimbabwe ruling party, Zanu-PF had rejected the former Nigerian leader as head of the AU observer mission, claiming he will be biased towards the main opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

    Dlamini-Zuma in an interview on Thursday before meeting with Mugabe said that Obasanjo can only visit Zimbabwe if allow by the government of the country.

    Mugabe, who has been governing the country since independence, will contest the presidential polls with the Prime Minister and MDC candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai.

     

  • Will the West stand up for a free election in Zimbabwe?

    Will the West stand up for a free election in Zimbabwe?

    WESTERN GOVERNMENTS took a strong stand against Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in 2008 when he employed massive violence and fraud to perpetuate himself in power through a presidential election. Five years later, the 89-year-old strongman is at it again. Flouting agreements with the opposition and pledges to foreign mediators, he has scheduled an election for this month without allowing the reforms necessary to make it free and fair. Opposition leaders once again are being hunted and persecuted.

    This time, however, the United States and European Union seem to be giving Mr. Mugabe the benefit of the doubt. Many of the sanctions imposed on the country were lifted after a referendum on a new constitution in March. E.U. officials have promised the rest will be removed if the election, which began with early voting this week and concludes July 31, is judged free and fair by African observers. During his recent tour of Africa, President Obama declared that “there is an opportunity to move forward” in Zimbabwe “if there is an election that is free and fair and peaceful.”

    As was already clear when Mr. Obama made that statement on June 30, Zimbabwe’s vote will meet none of those tests. Amnesty International reported that military and police forces have carried out an “alarming clampdown” on the opposition, including “systematic raids and arbitrary arrests” of activists. In a similar report, Human Rights Watch said that soldiers had deployed around the country to beat and harass supporters of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. “The chances of having free, fair and credible elections,” it said, “are slim.”

    As part of accords brokered by the South African Development Community (SADC), Zimbabwe was to have implemented reforms of the security forces and media and cleaned up its electoral register before any election. Mr. Mugabe called the vote before any of this was done. The heads of the army and police are longtime regime loyalists who refused even to meet with Mr. Tsvangirai. State television has been broadcasting Mr. Mugabe’s campaign events while demanding that his opponent pay $165,000 for coverage of his opening rally. A study of the voter rolls by Zimbabwean groups showed massive distortions: An unrealistic 99.97 percent of the rural population was reported to have registered, compared with only 68 percent in the cities, where the opposition is stronger. A million younger voters who became eligible since 2008 have been left off the rolls.

    None of this should surprise any observer of Zimbabwe, where Mr. Mugabe, in office since 1980, has never hesitated to use force, ballot-rigging or appeals to racism and xenophobia to remain in power. Though his health is reportedly weakening, leaders of his ruling party are preparing to perpetuate the regime after his death, including through changes to the just-approved constitution. The question is whether their maneuvering will be tolerated by the SADC, which is led by South Africa, and by Western governments. With their own monitors banned by Mr. Mugabe, E.U. officials say they will depend on the regional group’s judgment of whether the elections are fair. That won’t be a hard call to make; the question is whether Zimbabwe’s neighbors and the West will have the fortitude to tell the truth about the election, and to act accordingly.

    – Washington Post

  • From Zimbabwe with love

    After six children,  Zimbabwean-based Nigerian businessman Anselem Oguamanam has married his Zimbabwean  lovebird, former  Miss Masslin Munemo, at the Christ the King Catholic Chaplaincy, Alvan Ikoku, Shell Camp, Owerri in Imo State. JUDE ISIGUZO was there.

    The Christ the King Catholic Chaplaincy, Alvan Ikoku, Owerri Municipal Council in Imo State, bubbled from dawn to dusk on December 28. It was the day Anselem Oguamanam and former Miss Masslin Munemo couple formalised their union after 14 years.

    Though their relationship has produced six children, it did not stop the lovebirds from tying the nuptial knot officially.

    The church auditorium was ornately decorated. Various lightings used for the Christmas service still adorned the walls of the church.

    On the right side of the church was the choir, dishing out inspirational songs. The congregation that included guests from the United States, United Kingdom, China, South Africa, Zimbabwe, danced to the choir’s music.

    For those visiting Nigeria for the first time, especially the bride’s family members, they were enthralled by the choir’s performance. They could not resist dancing to the music.

    The solemnisation began immediately the officiating minister, Revd. Father Christian Iwuagwu, mounted the podium.

    The amiable groom stood tall, waiting for his lovebird.

    Oguamanam looked stunning in grey suit, a purple shirt, sky blue tie with a touch of red; a silver wrist watch and matching pair of shoes.

    Behold, the woman of the day, Masslin catwalked into the auditorium with her father, Mr Jackson Munemo.

    Clad in a white flowing gown, beautiful pieces of jewellery dangled from her head, ears and neck; she wore a pair of silver shoes.

    There was pin-drop silence in the hall with the pianist.

    She was handed over to Oguamanam before Revd. Iwuagwu began the marital rites.

    The cleric declared the lovebirds husband and wife after they had said “I do”.

    The church erupted in shouts of halleluiah!

    The couple, their parents and witnesses signed the marriage certificate.

    Recessional hymns were sung as the bridal train filed out.

    The train moved to the newly opened Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu Centre, new Owerri, for the reception.

    There was a photograph session with family members, friends, business associates and well-wishers.

    Revd. Iwuagwu said the opening prayer before handing the microphone to the Founder, Redeemed House of God, Harare in Zimbabwe, Pastor Nick Ohizu.

    Pastor Ohizu urged the couple to support and encourage each other as that was the only way to achieve a successful union.

    Chairman on the occasion Mr Henry Onukwugha, from the United States, congratulated the couple.

    Onukwugha, a lawyer, enjoined them to learn more about each other’s tradition.

    This, he said, would aid mutual understanding.

    There were toast and cutting of the cake before the couple stepped onto the dance floor.

    A Disk Jockey (DJ) played Nigerian, Zimbabwean and South African music. The couple thrilled the audience with spectacular dance steps as if they had trained for a long time.

    An elated Masslin described the day as her happiest.

    She said:”Getting married to a Nigerian is the best thing that has happened to me. If given the opportunity, I will do it over and over again.”

    She promised to encourage other single Zimbabwean women to marry Nigerian men.

    “My husband is caring, soft spoken and hard-working. He knows how to make his woman happy and loved. At first, it was difficult but with time things started falling into shape,” she said.

    The Director at Cen Michaels Investment Limited told The Nation how she met her husband.

    She said: “He came to supply goods to one of his customers who has an office in my father’s shopping complex in Harare. I did not know he was looking at me; he collected my telephone number from a close friend and called me to express his interest and that was how the courtship began.”

    Oguamanam, a former president-general of Imo community in Zimbabwe, noted that it was his wife’s extraordinary qualities that attracted him to her.

    He said: “I cannot break it down but she is every good thing put together. We got close and began to know each other better; I know she was the one for me. We were in courtship for about three to four years before we finally decided to get married. What is happening here, today, is the official handing over in the presence of God”.

    Among the dignitaries that graced the occasion were Mrs Prisca Mupfumira and Mrs Lucy Mombeshora, both bride’s aunts from Harare; Afam Okeke from China; Gauis Nwaiwu from UK; David Oguamanam, the groom’s uncle from the United States; Edison Pepsi from South Africa; Paschal Nwaolikaenyi; Ugo Sly; Chima Nwadike; Smith Okonkwo; Simbarashe Chakare and Tinashe Mashitamoyo from Harare, Zimbabuwe and Chairman, Ogwa Community in Harare, Elder Bright Ike.

  • IMF eases restrictions on Zimbabwe

    IMF eases restrictions on Zimbabwe

    The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday relaxed restrictions on technical assistance to Zimbabwe, opening the way for an IMF staff-monitored economic program.

    The move marks a major step toward normalizing relations with the southern African country.

    “The executive board has decided to resume IMF technical assistance in certain new areas to support Zimbabwe’s formulation and implementation of a comprehensive adjustment and structural reform program that can be monitored by the staff,” the IMF said in a statement.

    While Zimbabwe is still not able to tap IMF funding, easing the restrictions moves it in that direction. The IMF would want to see a track record of sound policies by the unity government of President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai before it agrees to a lending program.

    Reuters says the IMF suspended Zimbabwe’s voting rights in 2003 over policy differences with the Mugabe government and payment arrears to the global lender.

    The voting rights were restored in 2010, allowing Zimbabwe to again participate in IMF decision-making.

    In its statement, the IMF said its board of member countries agreed there had been “significant improvement in Zimbabwe’s cooperation on economic policies and renewed commitment to address its arrears problems.”

    IMF technical advice to Zimbabwe will now be extended to cover tax policy and administration, public financial management and expenditure policy, financial sector and central bank reform measures, monetary and exchange policies, and economic statistics.

    The country faces a huge debt burden. Its total external debt is estimated at $10.7 billion, or 113.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product, at the end of 2011. More than half of it is in arrears.

     

  • Eagles to camp in Zimbabwe

    Eagles to camp in Zimbabwe

    •Home Eagles to hit Harare January 4
    •Mozambique being consider too

    Nigeria are studying a proposal to train in Zimbabwe or Mozambique for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, officials have disclosed.

    “There’s a proposal from the team officials for such a camping arrangement in Zimbabwe,” Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) spokesman Ademola Olajire has confirmed

    “The team would like to camp in a country that shares the same weather conditions with South Africa before the Nations Cup.

    “It is a proposal and if approved it would be from the first week of January, probably January 4, but the technical committee has the final say on the team’s camping arrangement.”

    It is believed that Zimbabwe, which is largely on a high altitude like South Africa, was picked ahead of Faro, in Portugal, where a contract covers the country’s various national teams’ long-term preparations.

    Another top NFF official told MTNFootball.com Mozambique has also been pencilled to host the Eagles prior to the Nations Cup.

    The official said that the South African city the Eagles are eventually drawn to play their first round matches would inform where the team will train.

    “You would agree with me that it would be too early to begin to say the particular camp for the Eagles. For instance, what if we are drawn at Nelspruit which has the same weather conditions with Mozambique?” the top official explained.

    The Nigeria training camp in Zimbabwe will be opened by players from the Nigeria Premier League, while overseas-based players will only join up the mandatory 14 days before the big kick-off.

    As part of their build-up for the AFCON, they will take on Venezuela in a friendly in Miami, USA, on November 14.

    For the 2010 tournament in Angola, the Eagles trained in South Africa.

    The Super Eagles have returned to African football’s showpiece event after they sensationally failed to qualify for the 2012 edition.

    They are not among the top seeds for South Africa 2013 and so may face the likes of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana as early as the first round of the tournament, which begins on January 19 in Johannesburg.

    The draw for the biennial championship will be staged in Durban on October 24.