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Typical Zanu PF arrogance cannot mask its failings

NOTHING can be more arrogant than Zanu PF’s unequivocal declaration that they will not apologise or pay back loans that party officials, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa himself, took under the farm mechanisation programme in 2008 during the tenure of Gideon Gono as central bank governor. This is despite an outpouring of anger by the majority of Zimbabweans over the loans that no one but only a few have paid back.Overwhelming evidence has been provided to confirm that, indeed, the farming equipment worth about US$200 million availed to Zanu PF officials were not freebies, but power was abused to make them appear as such. So, after all the talk, Zanu PF responded through its acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa, whose tone seemed to say “we took the equipment, we will not pay, so what?” Arrogance was all over the statement and all he said was to acknowledge the people’s anger, but not remorseful for clear wrong doing. The people are asking tough questions on how a scheme that was supposed to be paid back was never paid back. Though the intention of the exercise was superb, the execution was done in a corrupt and deceptive manner that left the taxpayer having to pay for the benefit of the elite. No amount of spin has cleared the air and more questions are coming. What has become clearer from Chinamasa’s statement is the arrogance of Zanu PF, the careless attitude that makes the party and its leadership think they are above the law and that and their thievery and looting must not be challenged. Chinamasa took time to lecture about the “revolutionary land redistribution” exercise, somehow tying in the opposition MDC in the puzzle. How the opposition party, Rhodesians, the Westminster Foundation or sanctions come to be involved in the plunder of national resources by the ruling elite is still a mystery. Zanu PF is not known for being transparent and each time its fat cats are caught with the proverbial hands in the till, they find something or someone to blame, including the weather at times to justify their failure to lead, plan or make coherent policies. Chinamasa, now given a voice because the often reserved Simon Khaya Moyo is incapacitated, simply reproduced the classic Zanu PF playbook: admit nothing, apologise for nothing and blame somebody no matter how ridiculous it sounds. The party has never apologised for Gukurahundi that saw more than 20 000 being killed by government forces in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces between 1983 and 1987, they have not apologised for the political violence that killed thousands from 2000, including the horrific acts preceding the 2008 election run-off. It would have been a surprise if the party had apologised for the looting of State resources. Billions have been looted under the Command Agriculture Programme and no one has been put to task. COVID-19 equipment and donations continue to be plundered and no apologies have been made. Typical of Zanu PF. Those who have dared question the ruling elite for their wrongdoings have found themselves behind bars and in worst sce

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