Fractured confidence
When we told our SMS subscribers that the MDC had agreed to join the inclusive government, the response was largely relief. People sent us messages saying things like “Thank God,” “at last,” and “This is a good move.”
But three weeks into the new government, the cracks are beginning to show. The arrest and ongoing detention of Roy Bennett, Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, is particularly worrying for many of our subscribers. Here are some of their responses to the news of his arrest:
As head of government Tsvangirai should enlighten us on the circumstances leading to Bennett’s arrest. Has he been criminal or an enemy of government? Why include him in cabinet when he has arrest warrant? Moreover I think there was a clause telling us to forget the past and open a new chapter in their speeches. If we need to prosecute for past crimes then the whole Zanu PF hierarchy should be arrested.
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Bottom line. Bob has to go. Sorry
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This is totally unacceptable. Let us walk out of this farce.——
What charges are they arresting Bennett? Otherwise this inclusive government is a bluff. Tsvangirai might have been corrupted and sold out. The much needed rescue package is gonna not materialise. So the set up is a failure. We still at zero. If there is no selling on Tsvangirai ‘s part let him be the first protestant so that we have direction otherwise we need to further study the set up before we conclude anything.
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Zanu is undermining the very fragile Political Agreement by arresting a Dep. Minister nominee. They always want to complicate situations. They should release him.
Sunday, February 22nd 2009 at 5:24 pm
THE POWER OF ONE
Dear Reader,
I’ve always believed in “the Power of One”, the power of an unwavering individual who takes a stand on matters of principle and who refuses to buckle under pressure to compromise on those principles for which he or she stands. Nelson Mandela was one such person, more recently it seems that Vusi Pikoli, our embattled and now ex head of Public Prosecutions makes the cut as he refused a substantial golden handshake from the ANC government to play along & disappear quietly, and now Roy Bennett (MDC Deputy Minister of Agriculture Designate), a man of principle and a true African, languishes in a Zimbabwe prison, there on trumped up charges, with little hope of justice being served in a totally corrupt judicial system in the quagmire, we know as Zimbabwe.
Roy Bennett is a friend of mine, and from the first day I met him I was struck by his strength and humility. I was also deeply impressed by his faith in God and unswerving hope for a Zimbabwe with a bright future, free of oppression and corruption for all. You just know that Roy can’t be bought and he walks his talk. I remember speaking to Roy the day before his departure for Zimbabwe, the day before Morgan Tsvangirai was to be sworn in as Prime Minister in the SADC and South Africa government pressured Government of National Unity (GNU). I asked him if he didn’t think it was a bit premature going back now, what if he was arrested. He looked at me and said, “Ryan, this is a litmus test for the way forward, to test the sincerity of Zanu PF, and SADC’s commitment to make this union work. Besides, I’ve been given an assurance on my safety from the South African Government”.
Well Roy, I guess you proved two things. Zanu PF & Mugabe are not sincere in there desire to turn Zimbabwe back from the abyss and are as corrupt and destructive as ever. Furthermore, you certainly can’t trust the word of our President Kgalema Motlanthe, and his predecessor Thabo Mbeki. They are so far up Mugabe’s backside they don’t know which side is up. I can just imagine what the reaction would have been if the same thing happened in South Africa, prior to 1994, if someone like Chris Hani, returning from exile to South Africa was summarily arrested by the South African Police for crimes allegedly committed against the Apartheid regime. There would have been an international outcry, the ANC would have thrown down the gauntlet and refused to negotiate any further until he, and others were released unconditionally, there would have been rioting in the streets, a call to arms… The word is that the Zanu PF hawks are trying to use Roy as a bargaining tool to get a blanket amnesty for the atrocities they’ve committed while in power. Roy would rather remain incarcerated then get his freedom like that.
The manner in which Roy was abducted, then hastily driven at high speed by extremely nervous lower level inspectors 300km east to obscure Mutare, the delay in charging him, then the charging & subsequent withdrawal & changing of charges. Then a second round of withdrawal of charges & then recharging again… and the obvious fact that there is no way that he will get a free and fair trial under a constitution that has been changed so many times it may as well be the Zanu PF party manifesto. On top of this Zim has a judiciary that is so corrupted that it would be akin to the fairness of a Nazi Judge presiding over a Jewish claim to injustice during World War II.
Now here comes the best part, guess what the public reaction is from President Motlanthe and SADC? You guessed it… nothing, in fact worse than nothing. Prior to SADC forcing the MDC to get into bed with Zanu PF, and the MDC resisting due to several issues not being resolved, one being the illegal abductions, they(SADC) insisted that “once the MDC was signed into government with Zanu, then the issue of the abducted and detained prisoners of conscience, like Jestina Mukoko, would immediately be addressed and never fear South Africa and SADC will be the guarantors of the GNU. What an utter load of hogwash… how sad that Africans don’t deserve true democracy, it is disguised with words like “an African Solution”, or “a Political Solution”, or “Government of National Unity”, or the most famous one “Quiet Diplomacy”, which we all know is code for “my policy to protect Mugabe and his corrupt bunch of goons until the country is so completely destroyed that after looting it of all its resources, no-one will want it anyway”.
Nobody cares how nice Mugabe was to the ANC during the “struggle” 25 years ago, the fact is he is now a demented, despotic, dictator who has destroyed an entire country and is responsible for the death of tens of thousands of his countrymen while South Africa’s Leaders smiled stood next to him and held his blood drenched hand. Our leaders can’t just throw the MDC into a pit of lions and say “it’s not for us to step in… let the GNU sort it out”, while Mugabe controls the Army, Intelligence, Judiciary and even the Police. There must be no financial assistance until all detainees are released. Farm invasions must stop (at least 40 in the past week have taken place). Unless there is a real commitment to the GNU from Zanu and a move towards real democracy then the MDC should bail now and call for elections or they will be in the situation where they are hamstrung, can’t effect change and yet will be apportioned the blame for failure to perform.
Most of us have heard that famous saying that “evil prevails when good people stand around complacently and do nothing”. Well as I said at the beginning of this letter, I really do believe in the “Power of One”, in fact we had better all have registered to vote in our upcoming elections here in South Africa as it is the accumulated effect of lots of single votes that will decide our future and the future of our children. Today you can make a difference for Roy too, write a letter, or simply go to http://www.mypetition.co.za , type “Roy”in the search block and take the 2 minutes it will require to make your voice heard on the expanding petition for his release. Do it, do it now.
Kind regards
Ryan van Heerden
(Another True African)