Leadership vacuum
THE death of at least six people killed by Zimbabwe’s military last Wednesday was the biggest blight on the country’s controversial election. Instead of providing leadership and taking charge to assure a shocked nation, President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa left the country dumbfounded by insinuating he was not in control of the army or the police.
Asked about the deployment of soldiers, Mnangagwa said he did not know what had happened. He promised a commission of inquiry.
A few moments before making this baffling statement, Mnangagwa had also posted on his Twitter account his reaction to another scandalous incident involving the police force.
Armed riot police had stormed a hotel where MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa was to address a press conference. They roughed up the media, including international journalists, while kicking them out of the venue. They said they had orders to do so from their superiors.
Mnangagwa’s reaction was again that he did not know what was happening, and that he would launch an investigation.
WHAT boggles the mind is the realisation that Zimbabwe has a president who is not in control of the country’s defence forces and the police. What Mnangagwa has shown by his reaction to the death of citizens shot dead by uniformed soldiers in broad daylight is that unknown persons are now in charge.
Instead of promising some future commission of inquiry to investigate this matter, Mnangagwa should have provided leadership, assurance and confidence to the nation by immediately taking action against the commanders of the army units(s) seen on the streets of Harare.
Even as he spoke, armed soldiers were beating up civilians and causing chaos in residential areas around Harare – imposing an undeclared curfew. And Mnangagwa said he did not know what was happening!
Mnangagwa is the commander-in-chief of the defence forces. Ignorance is no excuse for the loss of lives.
Zimbabwe has ministers of defence and home affairs who report directly to Mnangagwa and whose heads should have rolled, instead of the president groping for dumb excuses. – THE STANDARD, ZIMBABWE