Lessons from the violence commission

Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
The Commission of Inquiry into the August 1 post-election violence concluded its public hearings on Tuesday but before they come up with their conclusions and recommendations, already there are great lessons to be taken from the exercise particularly on the part of MDC Alliance supporters.

Their leaders Mr Nelson Chamisa and Mr Tendai Biti appeared before the commission on Monday and disowned supporters who held violent demonstrations in Harare on August 1 leading to the death of six people.

But before that, Mr Chamisa, two weeks ago, attacked his supporters describing their actions as stupid.

This should be instructive for MDC Alliance supporters, especially ahead of today’s planned demonstrations in Harare by the party, as it is clear that their leader will not hesitate to use them for selfish gains and then dump them afterwards.

Speaking at the hearing Mr Chamisa said his party had not organised the violent demonstration and that he was not aware of the real reason for the demonstrations.

“Those who were demonstrating or protesting were not doing so on the instruction of the MDC, its organs, or its leaders,” he said.

Mr Chamisa said those that participated in the violent demonstration should have been arrested.

“I don’t own people,” he said. “Once a person destroys, he is a criminal and should be arrested.”

On his part, Mr Biti who is the party’s deputy chairperson said, “We as MDC did not sanction or lead any protest on August 1, the last time we had a demonstration was on July 11. Anything outside the law is not ours and no one should give us paternity to it.”

Two weeks ago, Mr Chamisa described the violent August 1 demonstrations by his supporters as stupid and uncalled for in a desperate attempt to cleanse himself of blame for the post-election violence.

“In fact how would I incite people on the 31st when I was waiting for the elections elsewhere and I was sure that they were going to declare the proper results and I was ready to go to State House so how does a person who is ready to go to State House find time to incite people and mobilise people to go and burn cars of a country that you want to run. Why would I do that?

“You are talking about an election that has not been declared and why would I even react because I don’t know the election that will be announced. It was very stupid even for the people who demonstrated to demonstrate for the results to be released, it was stupid because they then opened themselves for attacks and for manipulation,” said Mr Chamisa.

“I think who ever demonstrated, they have their right, but I feel that it was not called for and that is my view, I’m not insulting them but I have a right just like any other because it was premature, it was unstrategic and open to be manipulated by the enemies of the people and the enemies of peace, the merchants of violence, the arch bishops of violence.”

Instead of owning up for the August 1 violence, Mr Chamisa used the platform to display his arrogance and illusions that he is the solution to the country’s problems.

He even failed to get the subtle advice former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku from Nigeria who expressed hope that Mr Chamisa would conduct himself in a mature manner like the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai , the late MDC founding leader.

Instead Mr Chamisa boasted that he has so many supporters that if he was to call them to the streets for a demo the whole country would be brought to a standstill.

So here is a leader who uses supporters for his own selfish pursuits only to abandon them when things go south only to brag about the very same that if he summons them they would shut the country down, not that anyone believes that anyway.

The MDC Alliance supporters should ask themselves then before today’s planned demonstrations and any future actions if they want to continue to be used by an egocentric politician desperate to get recognition by the Government of the day through acts of violence and only to be called stupid afterwards.

How many of them are still prepared to risk their safety for a politician who is still coming to terms with the fact that President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF won the popular vote in the July 30 elections, deriving their mandate to govern from the people as per the provisions of a constitutional democracy.

They should consider Mr Chamisa’s statements two weeks ago and this week as he appeared before the Commission as an eye opener, that Mr Chamisa only wants to use them in the vain hope of bringing the Government to the so called negotiating table.

Meanwhile, the President Emmerson Mnangagwa led administration continues to make strides towards the country’s desired economic turn around and bigger people than Mr Chamisa can ever imagine himself to be, have testified to that.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently called on the European Union to lift sanctions on Zimbabwe saying the country has turned a wonderful corner and needs support on its path to great reforms.

“We discussed a matter of other countries in our region, particularly Zimbabwe and called upon the EU to review its position on Zimbabwe and move towards lifting whatever sanctions they might still have on Zimbabwe because Zimbabwe is on a path of great reforms and we insisted that this needs to be supported as the country has turned a wonderful corner,” he told a Press conference after the 7th South Africa European Union Summit in Brussels, Belgium.

It is important therefore for Zimbabweans to move ahead in unity and under the Government of the day led by President Mnangagwa and work towards the single goal of achieving the country’s economic turnaround.