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Smell the coffee Mugabe
Themba Maphenduka
December 05, 2007

Robert Mugabe, you truly have no shame, to be ululating and rejoicing on the prospects of going to Lisbon, where you are fully aware that you will be rubbing shoulders with leaders from across the world, most of them who boast of sound economies, inflation of less than 5%, social justice, rule of law, equality before the law, political stability, viable democracy among other things, yet you boast of vilifying the opposition through the repressive AIPPA, POSA, and the Broadcasting Services Act, inflation which is now difficult to calculate due to the lack of commodities on the shelves, unemployment of more than 85%, gross violations of human rights, a collapsed health and education system, corruption -the list is endless.

Surely if you are planning of repeating the speech you made at the 62nd session of the UN general assembly, then you ought to be reminded that you have no audacity to tell George Bush that his hands drip with innocent blood of many nationalities yet yours drip with innocent blood of your own people. Blood of the thousands who were massacred in Matebeleland, in Midlands drips on your hands - and we are not talking about the hundreds of opposition supporters who disappeared during the run up to the 2000 elections, we are not talking about the recent wiping away of the brigadiers- yes we are not talking.

I'm certain the like of Leopold Takawira, Lookout Masuku, Herbet Chitepo, Joshua Nkomo (May their souls rest in peace) would be turning in their graves at the realization you have forsaken the objectives of the liberation war. You are urinating on the blood of the liberation war heroes. The gains of the liberation struggle have been reversed. Whilst it is crystal clear that the liberation war was fought on communists and social tenets, those that were entrusted to lead the nation became corrupt and sold out people's trust. Testimony to this is a simple audit of the economic status of the ZANU PF leaders after the 1999/2000 land grabbing exercise. They have amassed economic wealth for themselves at the peril and expense of the nation and the majority.

The country bleeds profusely from this tyrannical regime which is an assault to the people and an affront to the principles of the universal declaration on human rights. I call upon the people of Zimbabwe to realize that until the ideals of freedom, justice, and equality characterize the general citizens of Zimbabwe, ZANU PF will forever dictate to the majority and the interest of the majority will forever be deferred in perpetuity.

Mugabe, please be reminded that whatever number of ideologically bankrupt, politically blinkered and academically challenged people you pay to march on the streets, the industrial workers will not stop demanding better salaries and working conditions. Teachers, nurses, doctors, magistrates, armed forces, farmers will forever demand what they deserve, students will forever demand a robust education delivery system, restoration of their academic freedoms. Diasporans will forever demand their right to come back home and invest in a stable and sound economy and the politically conscious general citizens will forever demand accountability from your office .

Let the Lisbon summit be a chance for you to bid farewell to the rest of the world, let it be a platform for you to plead and beg for pardon so that you will not be hailed before a Nuremberg trial for the heinous crimes you have committed against humanity.

MAYIBUYE IZIMBABWE- IZIMBABWE MAYIBUYE

Themba Maphenduka is a Student Leader from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), and he is currently on suspension. He can be contacted on +263 91 658 294

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