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Mugabe a hard-core racist - Haven-t they paid enough of a price
Mathula Lusinga
November 08, 2012

View this on the Harare Sunset website

Black and white Zimbabweans continue to suffer under Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe-s racist dictatorship.

While there could be mixed feelings about Barack Obama-s victory on what it means for Africa, I found myself inspired by a passage in his acceptance speech where he said "we can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now for their chance to argue". To me, part of Obama-s speech speaks truth about what is happening in some parts of the African continent, particularly our beloved nation Zimbabwe. While Mugabe is preaching peace by day, by night his agent provocateurs wreak havoc, hunting down perceived enemies of the ZANU-PF former strongman. As Obama rightfully put it, millions of Zimbabweans are risking their lives right now for a chance to exercise their democratic right to vote in the next elections set for 2013. ZANU-PF thugs are on the loose showing clearly that Mugabe has dismally failed to walk the peace talk. Ask the MDC T Treasurer for Midlands Province John Kinnaird and his wife Jackie who were last week robbed before being brutally assaulted by four ZANU PF activists. While ZANU-PF denies complicity in the dastard act, history has it that violence is part of Mugabe-s DNA every time his party is faced with stiff political opposition. Citizens perceived to be Mugabe-s enemies are routinely killed, intimidated or displaced. But Mr Kinnard must have been a brave man to believe that Mugabe is finished with white people. Mr Kinnard probably forgot Mugabe-s infamous statement to his bloodthirsty supporters at the height of the land invasions ahead of the 2000 polls; Strike fear in the heart of the white man. All hell broke loose as ZANU-PF thugs killed with impunity.

Lest we forget, it is and continues to be Mugabe-s strategy to attack people of other tribes and races in his 32-year grip on power. Recently, Education Minister David Coltart revealed that racism is at the core of ZANU- PF-s governance. In a Facebook posting, Coltart said he was constantly amazed by the frequency with which a broad brush is used, so often in a deeply offensive manner in Zimbabwe. He went on to say he thinks in Cabinet, sometimes, colleagues forget that he is there because the comments made by some about whites in general, are on occasions shocking. From such observations, one can simple conclude that racism is alive and kicking in Zimbabwe unless we hear otherwise from people that continuously attack people because of their skin colour.

Mugabe hates blacks

But lest we forget again, Mugabe also hates black people. This is a fact. While we sometimes see images of white people being brutally attacked by ZANU PF activists removing them from farms and other businesses, we should also remember Mugabe has a penchant of lashing out at fellow black people. Ask an MDC supporter. They will tell you without flinching that the way Zimbabweans are treated under Mugabe-s watch is shocking, especially every time we talk about elections. There is clearly no suggestion that Mugabe is committed to free campaigns in the run up to next year elections. From headlines of police arresting civil society activists, student activists, journalists and unlawful detention and intimidation of citizens, it would be folly-hardy to believe that Mugabe is a peaceful man. Unless all ZANU PF leaders publicly condone violence and take responsibility for the actions of their activists, Zimbabweans will forever live with scars that have been with them in all election periods in Zimbabwe. It is then safe to say Mugabe cares less about his fellow black citizens as much as he does to people of different skin colour.

Where is the campaign money coming from?

Last week, Mugabe launched his special Presidential Agriculture Scheme meant to woo farmers to vote for him in the next polls. He doled out farming implements to fanatic ZANU-PF supporters. But questions abound on where the money coming from at a time the coalition government is known to be technically broke. It has always been President Mugabe-s demand for the MDCs to reveal their source of funding but a veil of secrecy surrounds his source of USD$20 million to buy farming implements to impoverished ZANU-PF supporters. Could this be part of his war chest to buy votes? Another question is: how does such a large amount of cash land into someone-s account without the Minister of Finance knowing where it comes from? Others suspect the money is part of the proceeds of revenue from diamond mined from the controversial Marange Diamond fields. We know of Chinese companies that are said to benefiting from Marange and have no qualms in bank-rolling Mugabe-s election machinery and campaign. There are fears this is part of the money Mugabe is paying ZANU-PF militia to violently mobilise ahead of the next polls he wants held in March 2013.

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