Thread by @Laque_davis

1] #MorningReflection

Is it not tragic, on the part of a 'liberation movement', that while it's in government, people begin rationalizing & normalizing political persecution?

How does it happen, that we begin questioning why some Opposition leaders 'never get arrested'?

2] On the part of the Harare regime, it definitely needs to sink its revolutionary head in the sand, in shame, over how it behaves like a colonial government.

It's in that era, where opponents where hounded & made to feel like inferior human beings, let alone citizens.

3] On the part of the Citizens, the conversations on why this or that Opposition Leader doesn't get arrested while his or her colleagues do, needs to be engaged with caution.

If done otherwise, we run the risk of being left internally focused, while chasing conspiracy theories.

4] Is it not clear rather, that the common denominator between those Opposition leaders consistently getting arrested, & those who seldom do, is that none of them are getting convicted?

Why then ask for more unlaw arrests, and not the freeing of the persecuted comrades?

5] But even if ZanuPF indeed had moles in the leadership of the alternative as the theories suggest, wouldn't the optics be much better, if it persecuted them more, compared to the rest?

What would be the benefit of treating those "moles" with soft arms?

6] Theres logic to the madness.

It's clear that ZanuPF is determined to neutralize the 2023 political operations of the alternative.

To achieve this, it's targeting most of its strongest legs, while avoiding some, to maintain some favorable projection from the outside world.

7] Even on flimsy charges, arresting everyone, or even the main leader, actually attracts unwanted attention (or even reaction).

Alternatively, they brutalize a few amongst the key, whilst ensuring those left behind, the leader especially, are immobilized as much as possible.

8] Unless something drastic happens, it's almost certain that many pillars of the alternative will be behind bars as 2023 edges closer.

Some will constantly be frequenting courts, at the expense of campaigns.

The most vocal MPs won't be allowed to make it to the next Parliament

9] Yet to maintain some veneer of normalcy, the main Leader will be allowed to appear as if he is going on about his business uninterrupted, though it will be different on the ground.

While at it, courts will appear to be pursuing the legal issues, without govt involvement.

10] But how best does the alternative go about managing this?

Perhaps part of strategy involves political camouflage, to structurally appear as if there's an absolute lack of coordination.

That way, it's difficult for the regime to single out whom to actually target.

11] Yet also, part of the solution will involve being so structurally strong, such that all key activities on the Road Map to State House, can be performed outside specific individuals who can be targeted, to the detriment of the whole plan.

That balance may very well be key.

12] I've seen many downplaying the efficacy of the call for "community change champions".

The idea is to decentralize political activities such that in each and every community, citizens are actively self-organizing and championing change.

13] Lastly, it may very well be key also, to actually study the pattern of these arrests targeting Opposition leaders.

Is ZanuPF setting up any traps to drag & justify these pre-conviction detentions?

Mitigating against them is just as important as reacting to them.

enkosi!!