1. I was reorganising my library when I came across this MDC booklet from the 2002 Presidential Election campaign. Party historians will probably find these details fascinating. I was struck by the professionalism evident in the collation & presentation of data.
2. One of the details in the booklet is a list of 103 people, mostly MDC supporters who were killed by the State and ZANU PF between 2000 & 2002. As I always say, names matter. I reproduce the list in this and the next tweet.
3. This completes the list of people who were killed by the State and ZANU PF between 2000 and 2002. Remember them. Their deaths must not be in vain. These are the known ones. There are others who were slain but were never reported.
4. Tomorrow I will post more pages from this booklet documenting the violence that was administered upon MDC supporters or anyone suspected of sympathising with the MDC during those early years. Documentation of atrocities is very important. Apologies to those triggered by this.
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It’s not everyone who says CCC who is for it. Therefore, not everyone who says CCC shall be with you at the crossing. Some ask, how shall we know? Worry not for you shall see by their works. A mystery takes time to show its colours. Know this and your hearts shall not be broken
Akusi wonke othi CCC omela i CCC. Ngakho ke, masokumele sichaphe umfula asi wonke ozawela. Sizobazi kanjani ukuthi laba ngabethu laba asibethu? Ungakhathazeki! Okulempondo akufihlwa emgodleni Sizobona ngezenzo. Ungabakwazi lokhu, inhliziyo yakho izoba lokuthula
1. I’ve read the distress call from journalist @daddyhope arising from the Zimbabwean regime’s attempt to grab his private investment at his rural home. As usual, the regime uses surrogates to create false narratives to justify the confiscation & plunder of private property.
2. For experienced Zimbabwe watchers, looting and plundering is a regime favourite. Edwin Moyo’s flourishing Kondozi Estate was run aground by regime looters. Business people live in fear of losing their investments which is worse if they reveal their political preferences.
3. A businessman who was suspected of funding the opposition found himself facing an unreasonable and vindictive tax bill from ZIMRA. Many more are choked into silence if ever they are suspected of siding with or helping the opposition.
1. When they say you’re putting the cart before the horse they mean you’re doing things in the wrong order. You want to buy a wedding gown before your partner has proposed! Everything must follow a process. This is why debate over the CCC “Congress” is misplaced & misdirected.
2. I’ve been searching for when the “Congress” became an issue of public debate. I took a break over Easter & I missed its genesis then. Back to the idiom: an event of the nature described as a “Congress” is the culmination of other foundational processes.
3. The nomenclature of “Congress” is a reflection of how ZANU PF discourse has shaped our political thinking. MDC simply copied & pasted the language & processes of ZANU PF. The organs were similar albeit with minor modifications such as “Youth Assembly” for “Youth League”
1. In an environment where traditional media space has long been restricted, social media can be useful to opposition leaders. But just as it is an opportunity, it is also a risk, the latter of which increases in the absence of proper training and message discipline.
2. I’m surprised that some opposition figures see their twitter handles as “personal”. The fact of the matter is that to the public eye whatever they tweet is associated with their party. They have to think hard & carefully how their output will reflect on the party.
3. Going forward, a social media crash course is necessary for party officials. Tsvangirai used to be so frustrated by message indiscipline. You would open the newspaper & find conflicting messages from party officials. And that was before social media blossomed.
1. @TrevorNcube I’ve read your piece & there are loose ends that need clarity. You say you supported Mssrs Makoni & Moyo in their political projects. It’s common cause that 1. both failed & 2. you abandoned them. Could you elaborate on why they failed despite the merits you saw?
2. Secondly, you pledge a holy petition that Chamisa “attracts men & women who are far better that him to add content, vision and strategy to his ambitions”, an indirect claim that he has none. Is that how lowly you regard accomplished peers like Welshman Ncube & Tendai Biti?
3. Who might these men and women be that you have in mind so that we can also assess their qualities and your judgment. When you joined PAC were you satisfied that Mnangagwa had men and women of the calibre that you suggest? If so who were they and why did they fail?
1. Yesterday I spent time listening to young people discussing their attitude to voting and electoral processes. I hope @OpenParlyZw recorded it because political leaders need to listen to it. When I was invited I said no, I don’t want to speak for the youth. I want to hear them.
2. And boy, did they speak sense! I learnt a lot from them which I shall share one day in a BSR but there is one thing that cannot wait. It is that the political messaging about elections and the electoral system must change and change big.
3. The young ones say there have been socialised to believe that the electoral system is rigged and that it is pointless to vote. We are always told that it’s all rigged, so what’s the point? We have no faith in the system. That is what they said and I understood them.