Is the Nation of Zimbabwe ready for the earthly departure of its "father"?

By Mufaro Stig Hove (Rev.): 28 OCTOBER, 2007.



PRELIMINARY REMARKS:

Like I wrote in my latest submission "Why The SADC/Mbeki Initiatitive cannot and will not solve Zimbabwe 's problems"(14 October, 2007), the real tragedy is the very acute suffering of the humble, lovely people of Zimbabwe .

Don't ask the State President of South Africa !

Don't ask the illegitimate Executive President of Zimbabwe !

Talk to the common person on the ground inside or outside Zimbabwe and you will hear of the unbelievable abuse of the people of Zim!

My focus this time is what we have slowly become because of the humanitarian disaster occurring between the Limpopo and the Zambezi . What are the psychological effects of having a single, arrogant foreigner presiding with an iron fist over the affairs affecting 14 million "immobilised" citizens?

What will it be like when the Creator suddenly removes this unique dictator? How He will remove him is not the subject of this particular submission. A brave body-guard may I "take him out" the Laurent Kabila way! Or the heart that has been faithful for the past 84 years may suddenly "call it a day". No-one will be shocked if either happens. Suffice to say Robert Gabriel Mugabe (Matibili) will be officially confirmed as having joined those of his age (and many more younger) who had "gone before him".

I was taught at the United College of Education in Bulawayo in 1976 that "Learning is a change of behaviour that results from experiences that one goes through."

If there is a change in behaviour because of specific experiences, then we say learning has taken place.

I read in a book on Education that a certain Scholar by the name of Pavlov experimented with a group of dogs (or is it a pack of dogs?)

Over a length of time he would ring a bell whenever he gave the dogs food. This went for so long that the dogs would salivate whenever they heard the sound of the bell. He sustained this practice until he was sure all the dogs salivated profusely as mentioned.

Then he radically changed the procedures!

He would give the dogs food without ringing the bell and would ring the bell at odd times and not give the dogs anything to eat.

He observed that for some time the dogs would still salivate when the bell was rung but one by one the dogs stopped salivating.

This, Pavlov observed, showed something very important.

This clearly showed that animals (including humans) can be made to associate various sounds, objects etc with certain outcomes and then re-act sub-consciously in certain predictable manners.

This he called "Conditioning."

So the dogs were conditioned to associate the bell with food hence the salivating.

To the dogs, the bell meant food!

To re-enforce the expectations, Pavlov did not disappoint the dogs when the bell was rung.

Conditioning resulted from the dependability of the "signal". The bell signalled the "arrival" of food and for sure this was made completely reliable. There was no doubt in the minds of the dogs that the bell was just "ONE AND THE SAME THING" with delicious food.

Then the dogs' mindsets were completely "distabilized!"

Food came without the "fun-fare" and the bell could sound and no food appeared! So slowly but surely the animals learnt that apparently the sound of the bell and the appearance of food were not related in any way!

What happened here is called "de-conditioning!"

The animals reverted to the previous state where the bell and food had nothing in common at all!

Another interesting form of conditioning is manifested when a cat flees whenever the maid knocks at the door and then enters the house. Certain listeners phoned the "Radio Station 702" and asked whether their cats were "racist". Why did they immediately flee to hide as far as possible when the black maid appeared?

I was relieved when another caller gave this very convincing reason!

Whenever the maid came, she would at some time use the "hoover" and this loud-sounding device would scare the poor cat and she would flee like crazy! Incidentally it is known that a cat hears sounds 40 times more than a human being. What this means is that the sound of the "hoover" is picked by the cat 40 times louder than what we humns hear!

I'm not the one who proved that: experts say so!

So the cat flees as soon as the maid appears and returns when the maid is gone!

Fantastic! Nothing to do with racism!

Pure conditioning! If the maid came numerous times and did not use the 'hoover" it can be safely assumed that the cat would cautiously return while the maid is still around or better still, not flee at all at her arrival! A reaseacher would be needed to verify this but it seems logical!

LETS NOW COME TO ZIM SITUATION:

There is no doubt in anybody's mind that Robert Gabriel Mugabe is at the very centre of the Zim story (whether you call it a tragedy, a crisis or not!)

He is at the centre because he is the one who addresses the Central Committee and the Congresses of the so-called "Ruling Party" (ZANU-PF) and he is the one who gives Policy and Direction and both ZANU-PF and Government follow what he will have given as "guidance."

(You may have noticed that I never refer to Robert Mugabe as President, neither do I believe that ZANU-PF is the legitimate RULING PARTY! ZANU-PF is in reality an Opposition Party which uses various "arm-twisting tactics" to remain power illegitimately! Morgan Tsvangirai is the true President of Zimbabwe and his original MDC is the true ruling party! This however is only academic but must nevertheless bravely noted!)

Lets return to the story of Robert Mugabe being at the centre of the Zim story:

I would need to do a separate submission to relate how Mr Mugabe has developed into the influential person that he is!

Suffice to say that Mr Mugabe is to ZANU-PF what an Oasis is to one stranded in a desert!

Robert Mugabe (as someone observed) is the glue that keeps ZANU-PF together. I have a book with many of the speeches he gave at various Central Committee meetings especially from after the 2000 Referendum (where ZANU-PF clearly lost to the NCA/MDC) and he, more often than not, started by saying that he was aware of the "apathy" etc that was creeping into "The Party" and he had brought words of Encouragement etc.

In one speech he reminded the delegates that they had to find "comfort" in the fact the whole range of Security Forces were "on their side." He specifically said he was disappointed that the Mayors of the major cities and towns were in the hands of what he called "enemies."

"Something has to be done about it," he specifically said.

The unceremonious removal of the MDC Mayor of Harare (Engineer Elias Mudzuri) was a specific directive from none other than Mugabe himself.

The unceremonious removal of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Chief Executive (the youthful world-respected Engineer Simbarashe Mangwengwende) was straight from the same Robert Mugabe.

The truth, therefore, is that the running of the country appears to the simple as de-centralized but in reality is in the hands of one man and his dangerous Central Intelligence Organisation (the CIO.) Many, including Eng Mangwengwende, relate how they received visits from certain young men who advised them to "change" and behave in a certain ways or risk losing their livelihoods.

Engineer Mangwengwende did personally pay a visit to Cde Mugabe at State House where he thought he had convinced him on the lack of wisdom in selling the Hwange Power Stations to an outsider.

He returned to Electricity House (ZESA HEADQUARTERS) confident that Cde Mugabe would communicate with the then Non-Executive Board Chairman Sidney Gata so they would inform the Malasyian Company that the "deal" was no longer going ahead as planned.

Hadn't he, as the Custodian of the Company Affairs and Properties not spoken to the very Executive President of the country and all was, therefore, clear after all!

Lo and behold, surprise, surprise: two young men came to his 10th floor office and asked him why he was not co-operating with the Government-appointed Board Chairman Sidney Gata on the supposed sale of ZESA Power Stations to the Malaysian Company YTL. Was he not aware that Mr Solomon Tavengwa had been removed from the Chairmanship of the ZESA Board because of this very issue? Was he prepared to risk "following in his foot-steps"?

Eng Mangwengwende said to me that he confidently replied them that they were "behind news". He had already spoken to "His Excellency" and all was understood. The young men in "dark glasses" informed him that they were aware of his meeting with "The Chef" but they were still insisting that he be aware of the consequences of "fighting" Dr Gata.

The young men left and what happened to Eng Simbarashe Mangwengwende is sad history that would require the "deposed" Chief Executive himself to narrate.

Also ask Engineer Elias Mudzuri how he was removed by heavily armed men from Harare Town House. Eng Mudzuri used to work even in the middle of the night seeing the City workmen repairing roads, filling pot-holes etc.

To tell the whole world the truth, there was absolutely no reason for Engineer Mudzuri's removal from the Executive Mayorship of the Capital City of Zimbabwe ! Mugabe was too embarrassed to be "a tenant" under an MDC Mayor!

Five years after Mudzuri's illegal removal, Cde Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki had the guts to hypocritically and mischievously announce to the world (only this year) that ZANU-PF believed they were a Democratic Party which respected the wishes of the people and the evidence was that MDC Mayors were happily and efficiently running the affairs of Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo, Chitungwiza etc. What the dangerous South African "sweet-talker" omitted to mention was that the same "democratic ZANU-PF" had through the ruthless, cold, adulterous Ignatious Chombo "deposed" the Harare , Mutare and Chitungwiza City Fathers.

"The long and the short" of it is that ZANU-PF has been effectively supervised closely by Mr Robert Gabriel Mugabe and the extremely huge "Politburo" and Cabinet are just window-dressing tactics to make it appear as if there some semblance of Democracy in both ZANU-PF and by extension, in Zimbabwe!

Ask Dr Simba Makoni, ask Mr July Moyo....the list is endless!

Is Robert Mugabe sure when he says Dr Simba Makoni has been a "failure" in every assignment that he was given? Mr Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki must be ashamed to be used to convey such stinking trash to the world!

Did Dr Simba Makoni fail as Executive Secretary of the former SADCC (now SADC) when he was based in Gaberone , Botswana ?

Then if Dr Simba Makoni was a failure as Minister Of Finance, how is Dr Gideon Gono not a failure as Central Bank Governor when he is trying the same policies that Dr Simba Makoni was suggesting? But the failure of those policies (if Dr Gono has failed), have absolutely nothing to do with the policies themselves.

Who can be successful when operating under an accomplished wizard like Robert Mugabe?

Robert Mugabe tells President Thabo Mbeki about an expected outcry if Dr Sidney Sekeramayi was declared his successor!

What a load of stinking human waste!

So Mugabe will be periodically advising "his" people after he is dead on when to express "outrage" and when to accept whatever is before them!

Cde Thabo Mbeki should be completely ashamed to convey such filthy rubbish!

Cde Thabo Mbeki please don't be used so sheepishly by this Malawian Wizard, Robert Matibili!

Then the Malawian Wizard goes further to say that Emmerson Munangagwa cannot be President because he lost to the MDC twice!

Well and fine!

Question number one: Why continue appointing him to Ministerial posts when the man is such a loser?

Question number two: Why are you Robert Matibili avoiding a legal challenge to your dubious 2002 Electoral Victory? The reason is because you are a worse loser than your rival Emmerson Munangagwa.

Please give us a break!

( By the way I believe Zimbabwe would be much worse off under Emmerson Munangagwa than under Robert Matibili! Ask the now severely crippled Godfrey Majonga presently writhing in perpetual pain at Danhiko Centre!)

IN CONCLUSION:

We have had Mr Robert Gabriel Mugabe (correctly known as Matibili) for the past 40 years.

He has led us before Independence and after Independence !

What have we learnt from our associating with him?

Like Pavlov's dogs, what will happen to us when the name Robert Mugabe is mentioned? Do you feel confident and assured or do you shiver with trepidation lest someone behind you see you spit and vomit at the mention of his name?

Are we aware that one day he will be in a Casket at some Funeral Home like everyone else?

Has he prepared us for a day when the day will be shining on his "Golden Tomb"? Why can he not learn from Cde Nelson Mandela who left the Presidency while the masses still cried for him to continue?

What kind of a father has Robert Mugabe/Matibili been to us the millions he has claimed to Mr Tony Blair as "belonging" to him?

In short, yes, we have been "conditioned" for the past four decades to various emotions, fears, attitude postures; what has done to us etc?

As a parting shot: WILL THE "DE-CONDITIONING" BE SMOOTH AND UNEVENTFUL?


WILL THE MAN GET A DECENT BURIAL AND WILL IT BE AT HEROES' ACRE AMONG THOSE HE SENT BEFORE HIM?

OR WILL HIS CORPSE BE STOLEN, "VANDALISED" AND CREMATED AT MBARE OR HIGHFIELDS?

WILL SADC AND OTHER AU COUNTRIES NOT NEED TO SEND SECURITY FORCES TO TRY AND BRING ORDER WHEN THE MIXED EMOTIONS ERUPT?

AGAIN QUESTION STANDS: WILL THE "DE-CONDITIONING" BE UNEVENTFUL?

Respectfully Submitted,

Rev Mufaro Stig Hove.

www.zimfinalpush.blogspot.com