South Sudan: Can we learn from the evolving political scenario in Zimbabwe?
4 min readBy Pal Chol Nyan, Juba, South Sudan
November 17, 2017 (SSB) — The Zimbabwean Army Chief warned sternly a week ago that if the purges of the war revolutionaries by Mugabe and the leading members of the G40, his inner circle, of his ruling Zanu-PF did not stop, the army would not hesitate to step in to rescue the situation and the people of Zimbabwe who have survived under the dictatorial rule and oppression of the 93 year-old war veteran.
It did not take a week before the General surrounded the Blue House, Mugabe residence and the ZBC with tanks and troops in downtown Harare. He assured the people of Zimbabwe and the world that President Gabriel Robert Mugabe’s safety and that of his wife Grace was guaranteed.
The General said it was not a coup but a crack-down on the criminals around the President. The spokesman of General Constantino Chiwenga said Gabriel Robert Mugabe is still the President and the commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwean Defence Forces.
The targets are the criminals around him who are causing social and economic unrest in the country. The Chair of SADC President Zuma said he would be sending an envoy to talk to the General and President Robert Mugabe to maintain law and order in Zimbabwe and to restore stability.
There is nothing heard yet. The ordinary Zimbabweans seem to welcome the move on account of their views on the media. They felt excited and said the era of the tyrant is over. The stalemate came as a result of the last week dismissal of the VP Mnangagwa who fled to South Africa for his life.
Mugabe dismissed him on the flimsy charges of disloyalty and this is where the Army chief became bitter. A year or two ago, Joyce Mujuru was sacked and fled too. Robert’s prime intention is to groom his wife to succeed him in case he dies or steps down.
We know that death is for all, the wife may even die before him. Aging is not a cause of death. The AU condemned the move taken by the General. The AU crafted a regional constitution with a provision banning military coups; to make sure they rule for life, to silence and liquidate the oppositions and critics, amend the constitution at will; to rule with injustices, dictatorship and more importantly to loot the country resources with a sole aim of impoverishing the civil population.
The Zimbabwean Army Chief has taken the wisest decision ever to salvage their people. That is the goodness of having a professional and regular national army than irregular armies allied to individuals.
What has this AU, an organization known for being indecisive and toothless, done to stop the war in South Sudan? They are not able to fight off the terrorists in Somalia, Nigeria, Chad and many other African States. They are not able to resolve the Kenyan election stalemate.
Have they not seen what COMESA did when Yahyah Jamme of Zambia refused to concede defeat? What is happening in Zimbabwe is a salvation of the Zimbabweans. It is awaiting many dictators in the region. We are always saying that African Presidents are good but the circles around them are the spoilers.
The Zimbabwean General has proven us right. It is coming closer to East Africa given the unfolding events we see. In our case, it is too early to emulate what is in Zimbabwe although we know it is in the hearts of some hidden and dark forces. There is no dictatorship.
Many analysts say the confusion we have is just tribalism and a leadership failure which can be corrected. It is lesson learnt. It could be used as a blueprint to change for the better.
The Zimbabwean Army Chief was displeased with how Mugabe mistreated his former comrades as if the war of liberation from the White Minority rule in Rhodesia was fought by him alone and his wife Grace?
Does this have any similarity with our case?
The author, Pal Chol Nyan, is a medical practitioner by profession and currently works in Juba, South Sudan; he can be reached via his email: Pal Chol Nyan <palcholnyan2016@gmail.com>
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