Thursday, April 10, 2008

Zimbabwe Election Crisis: Can we trust SADC?

So, SADC leaders will meet on Saturday to tackle the crisis in Zimbabwe.

Can we really trust these spineless men who seem to be “awed” every time they are in the presence of Robert Mugabe? They always appeared so dazzled that they literally flaunt their wimpish deferment to him.

Watch my word, come Saturday afternoon, all we will hear is gibberish about “African brotherhood” and perceived “western imperialistic forces” only they can see lurking along their borders with Zimbabwe.

This will be the third time these leaders are meeting over Zimbabwe in just one year. The previous two meetings turned out to be talkfests whose achievements were to endorse Mugabe’s brutality against the opposition and unbridled plunder of the economy.

One really wonders what kind of hold Mugabe has over the SADC leaders. Most of them are a generation younger and all of them replaced their countries’ founding leaders, some three or four times over. Why they do not see the need of that democratic process in Zimbabwe boggles my mind.

The question that keeps bothering me is whether these leaders are with the people of Zimbabwe (as they should be) or against. In fact, this is the answer they will provide on Saturday, whether by design or default.

I mean, we all know what Zimbabweans need. They voted, as required by the democratic principles SADC promotes. But they have not been told who won.

So, Zimbabweans expect SADC to tell Mugabe to let the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announce the results of the March 29 presidential election. That is what the Zimbabwe constitution demands, that is what SADC should demand and that is what Zimbabweans deserve.

But, I can predict to you now that you will not hear any of them utter that demand. Not when old Bob is eyeing them from one corner of the room.

Actually, it is rather curious that Mugabe, after initially calling for a run-off, has now changed his mind to demand a re-run. To back up his demand, he has claimed some superficial irregularities.

He cried foul over some 8,600 votes (as if they would make a difference) and dragged some poor ZEC officials to court for prejudicing him of as little as 51 votes in one constituency – how pathetic.

But hey, a man is gotta do what a man is gotta do, right!

So, now with that flimsy evidence, he will dazzle his fellow comrades with his usual oration, threaten any dissenters with that withered fist and they will all fall in line.

Mark my word, SADC will call for a re-run “at such a time when the atmosphere is right to do so” – an indefinite endorsement to Comrade Mugabe.

So much for “African brotherhood”.


TO READ MORE OF MY WRITING, PLEASE VISIT;
http://www.thesouthernafrican.com/ www.torontosun.ca/News/Columnists/Madawo_Innocent/
http://www.catholicregister.org/
http://www.jexcanada.com/