Flame Lily News and Views

It is now five weeks since we went into the transitional government and I think the most frequently asked question that I hear is “Why are you still in there”.

That is not an easy question to answer but let me have a go at it here.  Our objectives, as set out in 1999 when we launched the MDC in Harare were quite simple.  We set ourselves the goal of bringing in a new democratic dispensation, which would transform the country into a caring, productive and prosperous nation.  We agreed that this goal would be secured by democratic, peaceful and lawful means.

In 2006 when it became clear that normal democratic action would not secure these goals, we decided to change the road map slightly.  We agreed that we would strive to achieve change through a five-stage process: democratic resistance; negotiations; transitional regime; new constitution and then democratic elections.  In our view we have completed phases one and two and are now engaged in phase three with the pathway to the completion of phase four about to start.

We had no illusions about setting up a transitional regime with Zanu PF and the Mutambara group.  We knew the former were devious and totally opposed to the new arrangements - they had been forced to go this route by the March 2008 defeat at the polls and subsequent international and regional pressure. We also know that Zanu PF was unregenerate, had no ideas other than how to loot and steal and to use their positions in government to perpetuate their hold on power.  We knew it would be a struggle.

So when we thought we had got the best deal we were going to get, we stopped arguing and negotiating and simply went into the new partnership.  The Zanu hardliners were stunned and had to fall back onto their reserve position, which was to form a secret Cabal to replace the JOC and to continue the fight even while they participated in the new government.  So they sought to control key centers of power - the security ministries, the Reserve Bank, the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney Generals Office and the Public Service Commission.  Outside of these immediate structures they set up control and communication systems in the Police, the Judiciary, the Army and in many other key areas of civic life.

They carefully manipulated the whole system to ensure that all the Parastatals and State Controlled enterprises were controlled by Zanu PF elements - this was to ensure flows of resources and the use of patronage to maintain political controls.  Once the new administration was in place they set about trying to limit its effectiveness and control and its degree of influence.  The spat between Webster Shamu and Nelson Chamisa over the control of Tel One and Net One - both substantial cash cows, was and is about this.  The continuing battle to maintain their total control over the governors, permanent secretaries and key posts is all about this secret war.

The abductions, arbitrary arrests and the unsubstantiated allegations of treason, guerilla activities including recruitment and training in Botswana, are all about this.  The farm invasions and the theft of private property and the flaunting of the rule of law as a political weapon of control, is all about this.  Zanu PF has no interest whatsoever in “fixing” the problems of Zimbabwe.  They know that, come what may, the international community (mainly the USA and Europe) will feed the people and thus prevent the humanitarian crisis from spilling over into instability and violence.

They feel confident they can subsist on what is left of the economy and maintain their lavish lifestyles.  They also feel confident that they can control the process leading up to any future elections and in the process regain control of government.  In all of this, President, Mugabe, is an essential stage prop - and will be disposed of as soon as the power base of Zanu PF is secured and alternative leadership established.

The past five weeks say it all.  Where the MDC has control - health, education and finance, substantial, even dramatic progress has been made. Where Zanu PF has control there has either been little progress or we have regressed - the media, the Judiciary and the rule of law, agriculture and land reform.  Only the Reserve Bank has been neutralized as a center of power - the Ministry of Finance has cut off its funding and restricted its activities and influence.  This is hurting the flow of resources to the clandestine Cabal of criminals in Zanu PF but they are developing alternative sources of funds and using their accumulated resources to support their activities.

Whoever imagined that this was going to be anything but a struggle, was deceiving themselves.  We knew that from day one.  But this process is the only one in town if you reject, as we have, any thought of an armed struggle to eliminate and defeat this tyranny.  Tyrants do not give up power without a fight and we are no different except that we chose not to use armed conflict to change the situation in Zimbabwe.  This is the toughest route.  It is the best for the country and is the only principled way to achieve change by peaceful, democratic and legal means.

So we see ourselves doing the best that we can in the circumstances.  We are pursuing three goals for this phase: stabilise the situation and try to restore some semblance of decency to the way people live; write a new national constitution which reflects the popular will and will lay the foundations for a new society; and prepare for the next elections by rebuilding the MDC as a political party; and keeping the people informed of what is happening and why there is little progress in some sectors.

I think we can do all of these three things while we fight to make the transitional government work.  If we can hold onto the beachhead where we landed in this invasion, we will be halfway there.  If we can actually make progress during the drive inland, then we can do what we have to do to ensure V Day in 2011.  Perhaps then and only then will we be able to create the Zimbabwe we all want.  Abandoning the beachhead is just what the criminal Cabal wants, we are not going to give it to them.  We are their worst nightmare, we will not quit, and we will not give up the fight until we have secured our goal of a free, democratic and just State.

I am reminded of what Habakkuk wrote 2600 years ago in the Middle East.  He said: “Woe to him who piles up stolen goods, Woe to him who makes himself wealthy by extortion.  Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain, who have plotted to ruin many lives.  Woe to him who builds a city by bloodshed.”
To these Habakkuk promises, “Your debtors will suddenly arise and make you tremble, then you will become their victim.”
As for us Habakkuk states, “Though it linger, wait for it, it will certainly come and will not delay.  I heard and my heart pounded, decay crept into my bones, yet I will wait for the day of calamity to come upon the nation invading us.  The Lord is my strength, he makes my feet like the feet of a deer and enables me to go on the heights.”

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 29th March 2009

Progress Report by Eddie Cross

MDC has been inside the tent for 10 days - it was only Friday the week before last when the Ministers were finally sworn in and they started work last Monday.  By now they have found their new cars (that did not take long!) and their offices - some do not even now have a permanent office or support staff, but they are operating.

As is to be expected, some of the Ministers hit the ground running, others were more hesitant and unsure of themselves.  Some mistakes have been made and some progress achieved - not as much as we may have wanted, but some. Certainly the atmosphere has improved a bit although Mugabe does his best to knock us all down from time to time.

There have been some notable achievements in this short space of time.  The Ministry of Finance has affected some reforms and the public service has received hard currency allowances.  More will be paid this week.  Teachers are back at work and I think most medical establishments are also working - to varying degrees, but they are open.  Food supplies in the commercial markets are more or less in free supply and as a result prices have started to decline - some by a significant margin.

In areas receiving food aid there has been a notable reduction in political interference and a sharp increase in food distribution.  In fact in February a remarkable 75 per cent of the total population will have received food from the aid agencies.  I think this is the highest percentage of a national population in receipt of food aid anywhere and at any time - not even Ethiopia during the famine in that country, reached this level of need across the whole country.

There has been a serious explosion at the only functioning fertilizer plant in the country at Sable Chemicals - this uses 30 per cent of our national power consumption and as a result we have had no power cuts for a week.  It’s not because the MDC Minister concerned has waved a magic wand - it’s just that we have more electricity to go around now that the plant is out of action.  I have argued for some time that we should have in fact closed the plant down and used the electricity for other purposes.

Water supplies have gone back to the urban councils where they belong and the Councils are slowly picking up the pieces and trying to rectify matters. Water supplies in Harare are now up to 50 per cent of needs - from 30 per cent and quite a bit of investment is taking place.  Sewerage and solid waste disposal is still a problem and will be for a long time but a team of consultants is visiting all towns and cities to investigate what needs to be done and is making recommendations to the Councils.

We have made some progress in the field of media reform - the Zanu PF Minister has been tasked with this responsibility and as a start, to stop political interference with the State controlled media.  After an encouraging start the State media resumed its delinquent practices and more action is now required - perhaps a bit of surgery.

It is tragic that in those areas where the SADC has responsibility, only very patchy progress has been made.  Although they signed the Global Political Agreement on the 15th September last year and then supported the adoption of constitutional reform in February with the President signing the new legislation into law on the 15th, the old regime shows little sign that they intend either to honor their part of this deal or to work with us on the many urgent problems that need to be addressed.

The National Security Council Act is yet to be signed into law, the basic tenants of the GPA are yet to find expression in the way the State operates and every possible obstacle is being put in the way of progress.  The abductees remain mostly in detention or missing, farm invasions have intensified and segments of the administration are simply refusing to reform or to act when instructed to do so by the new Ministers.

At the same time, a secret criminal cabal has been established - working downwards from the Presidents Office to remote police stations and army barracks.  The paymaster is Gono and the principle role players are senior Cabinet Ministers assisted by a number of senior civil servants.  It is difficult to determine just what they want to achieve but it would appear that they have a number of objectives.

They want to prevent any substantive aid coming to the country in the belief that this will then discredit the MDC in the eyes of the majority.  They want to try and force us to quit the transitional government by holding our people in detention on false charges and allegations, they want to frustrate any new reforms that might usher in a period of media freedom and a more open society.  They want to skew the upcoming debate on the constitution and electoral reform; they want to protect their key players in the administration and to sustain their activities by using state resources.

This past week we saw an open challenge to the authority of the Prime Minister when the administration unilaterally announced the appointment of Permanent Secretaries to head ministries.  Tsvangirai immediately repudiated the action and rescinded the appointments.  A subdued Mugabe conceded they had exceeded their mandate and violated the GPA by doing so.  The Prime Minster will now handle all those appointments properly today.  On Friday we obtained information of an attempt to shift responsibility for the telephone system from the MDC Minister responsible to a Zanu PF Minister.  This was confronted and prevented.

Despite the fact that all farm invasions are illegal after the signing of the GPA and despite instructions to the contrary by the Prime Minister, the President stated that they would continue and the Chief Magistrate ordered the Courts to ignore binding legal agreements in regional Courts.  Farmers with cows in milk, fruit on trees and crops in the ground have been told to leave their farms and homes at 24 hours notice.  If they refused they were jailed and in many cases beaten.  Private assets and homes are being occupied illegally and assets looted.  Clearly this criminal activity will have to be addressed - but who is the policeman in all this - surely SADC and in particular, the South African government.

So here we are - still no action on the key issues that the SADC leadership said should be resolved by the new government - governors are not yet appointed, the Attorney General and the Reserve Bank Governor - all appointed in violation of the GPA have not had their positions reviewed and agreed, the National Security Council is yet to be constituted and begin operations.  The Prime Minister is yet to be allowed to function in accordance with the GPA and the new constitutional provisions.  Illegal detentions have continued and the farm invasions intensified.

On top of all this, regional governments are yet to come to the assistance of the new administration.  When approached for help they disingenuously argued that we “Must settle our debts and they will give us help to do so!”. We owe over US$5 billion to our creditors - have done little or nothing to settle these debts for over 15 years and now - as we take over a bankrupt and devastated State, regional governments sit on their hands!

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo, 2nd March 2009