USA - As we have now become accustomed to, our beautiful Zimbabwe was back on the International radar last week albeit for all the wrong reasons courtesy of Robert Mugabe’s horrendous rule.

 

The frightening cholera and the failed ‘visit’ were enough to drag our country back on the spotlight.

 

It is the ‘Elders’ visit that has left the world in utter shock as to the extent of the humanitarian crisis obtaining in the Southern African country.
 
To those who still had doubts and chose to hide from the truth, they had their worst fears confirmed-Zimbabwe is officially on the precipice and barring a Houdini’s act from its political leaders, a total catastrophe is now inevitable.

 

Kofi Annan, the seasoned diplomat, could not have been more apt when he concluded that,’ the scale, depth and urgency of the situation are under-reported’’.

 

Forget the fact that this is the very same man who was Anna Tibaijuka’s boss when she issued a damning report on Zimbabwe many moons ago. Ditto the Jan Egeland report.

 

He came back to Southern Africa with significantly less clout and the imbeciles running Zimbabwe treated him as such. They simply did what they now know best further isolate the country and confirm its pariah/rogue status. Last minute efforts by ordinary ANC card-carrying member Thabo Mbeki were as expected, futile and embarrassing.

 

It is against this background that the writer wishes to put the elders’ visit in the proper context vis-à-vis the ‘’all-but-dead’ power sharing talks. Whichever direction Zimbabwe will take from here, this visit will have to feature in the history of Mugabe’s demise.

 

The writer strongly believes this an event with a huge bearing on the course of action the International Community, read United Nations will take from here. A narration of the Mugabe madness 20years from today would be incomplete without mention of this visit. It simply, alarmed the world.
 
Whilst this maybe the most unpopular statement thus far, the writer does not see any hope in this ‘long-awaited’ government of national unity strongly believe that even in the highly unlikely event of that government seeing the light of day, the long suffering Zimbabweans will not be any closer to happiness than they are today.
 
This is a government that will be fraught with unprecedented mistrust, mud-slinging and blame-gaming. The level of mistrust is just too high for this writer to imagine any smooth-flowing decision-making that is badly needed at this hour! One does not need to look further than what is been churned from the Herald house through the ZANU (PF) propaganda mouthpiece also known as the Herald.

 

You simply cannot tell the difference between what should be National, balanced news and what would come from the Voice. The hate speech and bad language emanating from the likes of the unrepentant George Charamba and hallucinating Bright Matonga is alarming to say the least.

 

The MDC on its part has naturally played defense and the likes of firebrand Nelson Chamisa and unshakable Tendai Biti have not disguised their dislike and disrespect for Robert Mugabe and ZANU (PF) by extension.

 

The contemptuous language towards Tsvangirai from Charamba cannot be taken for granted. This is the very same man who is supposed to be their boss in a few days.

 

These are people who are expected to be in the same cabinet meeting and a chart a way forward for our beloved country. Forget that daydreaming Arthur Mutambara who is simply trying to reconcile his personal ambitions and dreams with the National Agenda. No way good professor we are smarter than that!!
 
The Harare regime has tried to make it look as if it is out of Mugabe’s magnanimity that the MDC is entering government. They have sold this hogwash to SADC and alas the Regional Group and has swallowed this idea from Munhumutapa Building hook, line and sinker!

 

Tsvangirai has a mandate from the people to be leading that government today both from Parliamentary and Presidential results and kudos to this man for his unwavering stance on this one.

 

They have simply failed to bully him into line and it’s unfortunate that the Elders are falling for the same trap.
 
It is against this background that the writer humbly feels the Elders visit is of paramount importance. It should finally awaken the United Nations into taking decisive action on Zimbabwe.

 

The UN has the wherewithal to do this as soon as yesterday but it seems the will power is not there. Perhaps if Zimbabwe was sitting on oil the response would have been different! Or if Zimbabwe gave birth to a Laurent Nkunda.

 

The UN’s indifference on Zimbabwe is disgusting and will forever be an indictment on its leadership. This decisive action should be the form of immediate deployment of humanitarian aid and personnel for a transitional period not exceeding 1year leading to elections.

 

Morgan and Mugabe have never been bedfellows and they pursue totally divergent views that practically make it impossible for them to work together.

 

The sooner we realize the better. Unlike Raila and Kibaki who were allies once or Nkomo and Mugabe who both pursued the settler regime from different angles, these two do not have that in common. A marriage of convenience will simply not work here, period. The bickering on Cabinet posts should be enough to make those scales fall off from Mbeki’s eyes-there is no chemistry between Zanu (pf) and MDC.
 
TATENDA KUNAKA IS A FORMER STUDENT LEADER BASED IN TEXAS, USA. For comments contact me on kunakat@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOKE OF THE DAY - Girl Died After illness, before burial her granny saw the g-string she had. Granny remarked "Chirwere chakaoma ichi! Chakadya mwana chikadya bhurugwa kusiya tambo chete!"

 

 

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