Death Sentence, human Rights Abuse

In the constitution making process there are some issues that are pending. Death sentence is one of the issues that need to be addressed.

 Zimbabwe is one of the signatories of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and even the African Charter of Human Rights. However, the disturbing issue is that the country is still subscribing to death penalty which then parallels with these two “treaties”.

Section 12 of the Zimbabwean constitution supports capital punishment; “it shall be lawful for a person to be killed following a death sentence imposed by the court. 

·         Universal declaration of Human Rights states that no one shall be subjected to cruel or degrading punishment.

·         Article 6 of international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that no one shall be arbitrary deprived of his life.

·         Article 7 of the (ICCPR) states that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Zimbabwe globally is one of the few countries that is still observing death penalty.  In the constitution making process drafters have suppress this law that violates fundamental human rights of life.

To prove the cruelty of the law, this post in Zimbabwe (for hanging) was unoccupied for more than five years.

Every human being has the right to life despite the degree and nature of the crime. Death sentence should be substituted with life sentence.

There are various types of execution methods that are used in different countries globally;
v  Stoning
v  Hanging 
v  Gas chambers
v  Electrocution
v  Lethal injection

 The Sunday Mail (15-21/01/2012) reveals that according to Amnesty International, more than 139 countries have abolished death penalty but Zimbabwe is still recognising it (death penalty) as a form of governance.

Democracy still a pipe Dream in Zim

Conviction of six activists and the court charges has reflected Zimbabwe’s reluctance in the realization and implementation of democracy.

Gwisayi, the Law lecturer at University of Zimbabwe and other five were convicted and found guilty for watching videos of Egypt and Tunisia uprisings. The six are said to have been plotting an uprising against the regime of President Robert Mugabe (Newsday 21/03/2012).

The most disturbing thing is that these were convicted mainly for watching a video. This reflects lack of democracy. Under rational circumstances such videos are not  a problem since they educate the masses on human rights abuses.

To make matters worse these videos are everywhere in the world; they are found on the internet, YouTube, DVDs. If the government is really serious about suppressing these videos firstly it has to censor internet, conduct a national door by door search for these videos.

Obvious this is not feasible, in other words the action is really tantamount to the gross violation of human rights as the Prime Minister concurred in Newsday (21/032012).

If the government is really serious about the issue it has even to barn some of the DVDs or any materials that exhibits violence/ Human rights abuses like in films. I do believe if these guys were really serious about toppling the regime of President Mugabe they could have even used an ordinary street movie. This really shows that our political terrain is really rigid.  

Picture courtesy of Newsday

Arrests likely to Cost MDC

Some of the MDC –T members have been the victims of arbitrary arrests in relation to the bombings of ZANU-PF offices in Gweru (Newsday/23/2012).  Police heavily descended on Abisha Nyanguwo, the MDC chief staff yesterday in connection with the bombings of ZANU PF offices which happened some time in December last year. Police exercised their authority to an extent of impounding Isuzu car of Nyanguwo after a thorough search of his house.

Three members of the MDC-T party were also arrested early this year in connection with the bombings of the ZANU PF offices.

Nyanguwo was being suspected to have been hiding weapons. The arrests are likely to tarnish the image of the party. Public trust and faith on MDC is likely to fade away considering the arrests of its key members. The arrests portray the party as a party that is corrupt, dominated of incompetent selfish members.

The most critical issue for one to take note of is that the arrests are happening at a time when the President is calling for the elections. This is likely to demotivate some of the members , even the local and global the party will be portrayed as a party that lacks transparency and accountability.

Chiefs Demanding More

The co- Minister of The National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration has castigated the extended privileges the government is providing to the chiefs. The minister’s concern is that the privileges offered to the chiefs “isolates” them from their people. (Newsday 17/03/2012).

Chiefs are on record demanding luxurious cars, houses, guns. Minister then condemns the development claiming that chiefs will always have their external agendas as they will be moving up and down therefore deserting their people.  In such an environment development is not feasible.

However these developments have great impact on the Zimbabwean political terrain. The government seems to be so much concerned about the plight of the chiefs. This might be a disguise strategy by the ZANU PF to gain popularity. These developments occur in a period when the President Robert Mugabe is calling for elections and the party’s popularity seem to be fading away. Chiefs has one point in time condemned for being partisan which the largely affected the lives of the people in communities especially during election periods.

One of the troubling issues is that the government is empowering the people who already “resource” leaving the poor to sink deep into poverty.   

Mugabe and Tswangirai (google images)

MDC-T another form of ZANU-PF

MDC-T has been portrayed as the pro-democratic party both locally and internationally. From the face value it seems as if there is a demarcating boundary between ZANU_PF and MDC-T. MDC is ZANU-PF in new face (old wine in new skins). ZANU-PF has been portrayed as Human Rights abuser party however; this is one of the characteristics of MDC-T.

ZANU-PF is said to be corrupt, squandering state finances, “bloody party”. However, this is the real character of MDC.                                                     

§  MDC is advocating for the constitutionalisation of homosexuals of which the majority of Zimbabweans are not compatible with it. Therefore if the MDC fails to realize the cahiers of the majority then whose interest is it serving? By this it becomes a dictator.

§  MDC seem to be much more concerned about the plight of the Westerns at the expense of the locals. The party is always thrashing Land Reform programme and indigenisation terming it a ZANU PF beneficiary project.

§  Mini-war that broke in Chitungwidza was fuelled by both the parties (ZANU PF and MDC youths. However when being reported it appears as if ZANU-PF was causing chaos alone.

§  Corruption is haunting both the parties. Prime Minister is being implicated in relation to his new mansion. In ZANU-PF, Chombo is looting like no man’s business.

§  Both the parties are extravagant (spending sprees). President Robert Mugabe often flies to China and Singapore for medication. In MDC, Prime Minister often visits his “masters” in Britain, USA.

§  MDC hail sanctions. It’s comfortable to see Zimbabweans suffering. The idea might be of fixing the oppositional party but the “innocent” people always at the receiving end.

The bottom line is that MDC is not absolutely democratic and at the same time is not moving for the democratic change rather inheriting monopolistic strategies from ZANU PF

ZAPU's logo (google images)

ZAPU’S Relevance Declining In The Political Terrain

ZAPU has been quite for so long in the political in the political terrain of Zimbabwe. Its impact is gradually diminishing its relevancy slightly vanishing.

ZAPU was formed by the late renowned, decorated, inspirational, motivational, charismatic and prominent figure, Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo. The party’s propagation was thwarted by the rigid Zimbabwean political terrain which lastly deposited the colourful figure (Mqabuko) to ZANU-PF leading to the death of the party.

In 2007 towards elections the party came back to life being revamped by the prodigal son, Dumiso Dabengwa who by then seem to be young and energetic. After it was outperformed by ZANU PF and MDC in 2008 elections its impact drastically dropped.

Other political parties seem to be voicing much on the current Zimbabwean issues which include constitution making process (ruling terms, gay rights, power devolution). The oppositional parties seem to be holding “bulldozing” campaigns prior to “elections” but it is silent as if nothing is happening.

There are developments within the party which demands the President Dumiso Dabengwa to step down as he is urging and his impact and relevancy in the political field is redundant.

Some ZAPU supporters owe the party’s incompetence to;
v  Poor media portrayal of the party.
v  Lack of proper representation and coverage of the party by the media
v  Lack of resources in terms of finances and “relevant” members
v  Naturally the party is becoming a defeatist.

Other Hot issues
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Does Mugabe still have friends considering that he is “cold shouldering” Zuma and critising SADC. 

Savious Kasuwukere indigenisation Minister

Indigenization a political weapon

Indigenization process has been thrashed by various foreign investors. In the general sense, indigenisation is not meant to deprive someone. Its core role is to bring about balance through empowering the locals and presenting the opportunities regardless of political affiliation, race, tribe and gender.

Morgan Tsvangirai has also lambasted the indigenisation scheme (Daily News 03/03/2012) claiming that the local investors do not have resources to buy the equity existing.

In the Zimbabwean context indigenization has been manipulated to be a political weapon instead of economic weapon. More so its implementation has been said to be “ambiguous” and extreme.
The scheme in black and white is meant to benefit the indigenous people from an individual level up to an international level. However, this is not what is on the ground as there is massive grabbing of firm, farms which previously vitalised our economic terrain. Indigenisation was one of the President’s achievements (Meikles, Zimplats) but the problem is that a handful of people are enjoying the fruits.

Considering its implementation, economic indigenisation has been a curse rather than a blessing in Zimbabwe. After its implementation (2000s) there was a drastic fall in the economic sector which was fashioned by high inflation, unemployment, heavy beatings and illegal seizing of resources. It has derailed exponential economic recovery and growth. Commercial farms were grabbed and now they have been segmented to an extent that one can hardly send a bag of maize to GMB. In companies, nepotism is the order of the day.

Zambian President Michael Sata (google images)

African Re-colonisation Inevitable

Western countries specifically USA and Britain seem to be setting the tone and the agenda for an African child which then makes African autonomy to be compromised. This comes after David Cameron last year claimed that he will withhold aid from those countries that are failing accept homosexuals’ human rights.

This has recently forced Zambia to accept homosexuals (Daily news 28/02/2012). Sometime last year Cameroon withdrew financial aid from Malawi amounting to $30 million after the country detained a couple of gays. Cameroon to these countries seem to be holding keys of development.   

It becomes a thorn in the flesh to the African political heroes like President Mugabe who is currently surrounded by the gay community, neighbours, friends and enemies. South Africa has already constitutionalised homosexuality; Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (political rivalry) is also on record advocating for the constitutionalisation of homosexuality and now again Sata who seem to “tied” with President Mugabe has also allowed homos.

It’s hard for the president to understand this who is on record announcing that Zimbabwe will never be a colony again and even encouraging some of the African leaders to adhere to their principles despite of their economic status.

One of the things that African leaders are oblivion of , is the fact the power to denounce and announce re-colonisation lies upon them. During his birthday, President Mugabe vowed that he will never bow down before Sarkozy, David Cameroon and even Obama. President reiterated that once a leader bows down before the western countries automatically his people do the same.