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A Democratic Illusion

Details: Written by: John C Burke; Category: ZEXIT; Published: 17 January 2025; Hits: 711

What chance have Human Rights got when Democracy in Zimbabwe is merely a "Calculated Façade" - Masquerading as a Democracy is the main issue. Taken from the article on ZHRO.Org.uk on 15th January 2025

Do the Zimbabwe government display democratic attributes?

GROK (X/Twitter version of AI - {Artificial Intelligence} and Human Research

The question of whether the Zimbabwean government displays democratic attributes is complex and multifaceted, given the country's political history and current governance practices. Here are some key points to consider:

Elections: Zimbabwe holds regular elections, which is a fundamental aspect of democracy. However, these elections have often been criticized for lacking fairness and transparency. Allegations of vote rigging, intimidation, and violence have marred several elections, including those in 2008 and 2018. The 2023 elections were similarly criticized for irregularities and intimidation, reflecting ongoing issues with the democratic process.

Judicial Independence: The judiciary's independence is crucial for democracy, but in Zimbabwe, there have been reports of judicial interference by the executive. Judges have been pressured to make rulings favourable to the government, undermining the separation of powers. The appointment process of judges has also been questioned for its lack of transparency and independence from executive influence.

ISS AFRICA - regarding Zimbabwe

Media Freedom: Freedom of the press is another cornerstone of democracy, yet in Zimbabwe, media freedom has been severely restricted. The government has historically used laws to control media narratives, close independent newspapers, and intimidate journalists, leading to self-censorship and a lack of diverse media voices.

Civil Liberties: The government's record on civil liberties is poor, with reports of human rights abuses, suppression of political opposition, and the use of state security forces to quell dissent. The 2022 Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) Amendment Bill further restricts civil society's ability to operate freely, particularly on issues deemed "political."

Freedom House Report

Unhappy 37th Anniversary

Details: Written by: Tendai Christian Mapfumo, Dickson Chikwizo and others; Category: ZEXIT; Published: 22 December 2024; Hits: 1100

It was a "UNITY ACCORD" - because Mugabe had forced the One-Party-State, dissolved ZAPU and {claimed} to have suspended the Gukurahundi Genocide! The day democracy was 'killed-off' in Zimbabwe.

No, it is NOT a happy anniversary.

The Unity Accord was anything but UNITY - it was an ultimatum with a gun to the head of Joshua Nkomo - a key Independence supporter and supposedly an ally.

The Gukurahundi Genocide of 1983 to 1987 in Zimbabwe began with a desire and also a design by Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF political party for one-party state rule and life presidency. For all that to be achieved Joshua Nkomo and ZAPU had to be eliminated.

“ Nkomo and his guerrillas are germs in the country’s wounds and they have to be cleaned up with iodine” - Edgar Tekere ( ZANU PF stalwart)

Following Zimbabwe’s independence from British rule in 1980, political tension increased between two political groups in Zimbabwe, namely the ruling African National Union (ZANU), led by Robert Mugabe, and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo. Violence unleashed on the Ndebele people by the Mugabe-led government was a direct result of government efforts to silence the voices of minority groups and growing political critique from ZAPU.

In January 1983, the ZANU PF government of Robert Mugabe, in the newly independent Zimbabwe, launched a massive security clampdown on the Ndebele. This was both politically and ethnically motivated. At the heart of the operation was a strategy of state-ordered terror. It was perpetrated by a 4,000-strong all-Shona Fifth Brigade of the Zimbabwean National Army led by Perrance Shiri.

"This day only gets darker with the actions of this unrepentant rogue regime in Harare. Their henchmen should not be granted easy access into the UK to witch-hunt perceived enemies of ZANU PF. Conversely, marked Zimbabweans should not be deported without wide consultation." ZAPU National Spokesperson

Genocide Petition Delivered

Details: Written by: Jointly M S Nkomo, Chief Ndiweni and John Burke; Category: ZEXIT; Published: 06 December 2024; Hits: 837

Another great Thursday to deliver a petition to the Prime Minister!

We congregated on the 5^th December 2024, outside the newly "secured" Zimbabwe Embassy - they have got some grim looking metal security gated fabrications at the side and front entrances - to make the Embassy even less friendly or appealing to the Zimbabwean Diaspora - security concerns or Guilt? - we have to ask why these new gates - {photo on Flickr - click to see for yourself SIDE DOOR - 429 CORNER DOOR }.

True to form the guilty inside locked their doors - simply as we were there. Indeed they sent out a CIO to sit in his new BMW X6 to "observe us" - so we took their photos too - again on our Flickr Album of the day. {CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DAYS PHOTO ALBUM} Please note that due to technical constraints, the videos recorded today will take some considerable time to be 'compressed' in order to be displayed upon our Flickr Platform - so expect videos to be appearing by the weekend please.

We took some more photos with our "Zanu PF Must Go" banner and by 13:30 we sidled off towards Trafalgar Square and onto Whitehall. by 13:45 we were arranged opposite Downing Street - under the gaze of "Monty" at his commemorative statue. By the time we have said our hellos to the new supporters opposite Downing Street it was time to present our band of 6 petitioners to the Diplomatic Police Unit in control of Downing Street. Ronald T Mutumbi, was due to be the Organiser of the 6 of us today - but had unexpected problems with travel on the day - such a pity.

So we 6 lined up at the solid security gates {making the Zimbabwean Embassy gates looking a little flimsy!} at the entrance to Downing Street. Our Police Diplomatic Unit Escort - was a friendly as any tourist guide - calling us in by our first names! As some may know within those gates we have to go through Air Port Quality X-Ray machines to check all our bags, mobile phones or any metal objects.

State Ordered Genocide

Details: Written by: Tendai Christian Mapfumo and others; Category: ZEXIT; Published: 02 December 2024; Hits: 673

Gukurahundi - 5th Brigade The Gukurahundi Genocide of 1983 to 1987 in Zimbabwe began with a desire and also a design by Robert Mugabe and his ZANU PF political party for one-party state rule and life presidency. For all that to be achieved Joshua Nkomo and ZAPU had to be eliminated.

“ Nkomo and his guerillas are germs in the country’s wounds and they have to be cleaned up with iodine” - Edgar Tekere ( ZANU PF stalwart)

In January 1983, the ZANU PF government of Robert Mugabe, in the newly independent Zimbabwe, launched a massive security clampdown on the Ndebele. This was both politically and ethnically motivated. At the heart of the operation was a strategy of state-ordered terror. It was perpetrated by a 4,000-strong all-Shona Fifth Brigade of the Zimbabwean National Army led by Perrance Shiri.

Although they both fought against white rule, and although Nkomo was minister of Home Affairs under Mugabe, both men distrusted each other. In 1982, Mugabe fired Nkomo, accusing him of plotting a coup to overthrow the newly independent country’s government, and promised to root out his supporters from positions of influence.

ZANU PF decided to say there were 'no go' areas, there were certain areas in the country where they would not allow a political party to participate in… These areas were where ZANLA forces had had a strong presence. ZAPU believed that would not be allowed. Nkomo actually made a very strong protest to Lord Staines to say that we can’t call that a free and fair election where you have one party refusing people to come and campaign in the areas where their forces are.

Zimbabwe Genocide Petition

Details: Written by: John Burke, Richard Gandari and others, inc BBC Africa; Category: ZEXIT; Published: 28 November 2024; Hits: 762

5th December 2024 at 14:00 to the Office of the UK Prime Minister,

Also by e-mail and post to The FCDO and the Commonwealth Secretariate in London. Also the UN OHCHR in Geneva

Some may know this as the Gukurahundi Genocide - but the Shona word of 'Gukurahundi' cannot ever convey the horrors and 'pure psychotic outrage' conducted sometime from 1983 (approx.) to 1987 when - due to this violent and heartless pressure the leader of ZAPU at that time Dr Joshua Nkomo, reluctantly agreed to subsume ZAPU into the newly created ZANU PF - laughingly termed the "UNITY ACCORD".

A lesson in violence and deceit that still haunts Zimbabwe to this day - as well as being an ongoing strategy of the Zanu PF regime ever since - and now continued by the complicit (in the genocide} E D Mnangagwa.

But returning to the word "GUKURAHUNDI" - the literal meaning, which loosely translates to "the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains". However this can never represent the inhuman genocide which took place - instigated by Mugabe to enforce a one-party State.

The Beginnings

Identifying as a member or supporter of ZAPU became a death wish.

Under the then Prime Minister, Robert Mugabe, a caveat was promulgated, outlawing ZAPU and forfeiting all its properties to the State. Some of the properties belonged to ZPRA, the armed wing of ZAPU during the liberation struggle. Everything was seized and forfeited to the state. Dr Joshua Nkomo was persecuted and hounded into exile. His lieutenants, the late Dr Dumiso Dabengwa and the late Commander Lookout Masuku were thrown into Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on trumped up charges.

Just like in East Germany in 1990, it has been four decades of denial and deafening silence.

The Evidence Slowly Emerging {Still}

But now, the new light is being shed on these days of horror. Thousands of historical documents that appear to expose the perpetrators are now becoming available in a raft of foreign archival collections. The documents are wide-ranging and include, among others, diplomatic correspondence, intelligence assessments and raw intelligence garnered by spies recruited from within the Zimbabwean government. These papers—augmented by the testimony of Zimbabwean witnesses finding courage in old age—appear to substantiate what survivors and scholars have always suspected but never been able to validate: Mugabe, then Prime Minister, was the prime architect of mass killings that were well-planned and systematically executed.