Rugare Gumbo is a bitter man 2QWKHHYHRI=LPEDEZH·VÀUVWGHPRF- UDFWLF HOHFWLRQ LQ WKH VWDWHFRQ- WUROOHG GDLO\ 7KH +HUDOG FDUULHG WKH IROORZLQJ LQWHUHVWLQJ DUWLFOH EDVHG RQ DQLQWHUYLHZZLWK5XJDUH*XPERQRZ =$183) 6SRNHVSHUVRQ LQ ZKLFK KH VKDUHG KLV YLHZV RQ 5REHUW 0XJDEH DQGKLVDWWLWXGHWRGHPRFUDF\HOHFWLRQV BITTER MAN: Rugare *XPERLVFDSWXUHGLQWKLVÀOH DPRQJRWKHULVVXHV:HUHSURGXFHLWLQ photo. - timeslive IXOOEHORZ0DULRQ'XQFDQUHSRUWHG e is a bitter man. His eyes blaze at the mention of Robert Mugabe. A man he says, “stole two years of my Hlife.” He is Rugare Gumbo, the passion- ate mouthpiece of the recently released ZANU-PF detainees, who is currently for and obtained a BA. An MA followed Mugabe. Then came the Geneva Confer- the centre of one of the most intense po- from Carlton University in Canada and ence in 1976 and I as publicity secretary litical struggles the country has yet seen. and ME [Masters in Eduction] from To- built up Mugabe’s image for the confer- All major parties contesting the general ronto University. “All this time I retained ence. There was already trouble in the election [1980 election] are desperate to my interest in politics and in 1973 when party, but we did not have time to sort it capture the candidacy of these rebels. ,REWDLQHGP\ÀQDOGHJUHH,UHWXUQHGWR out before the conference. Their representatives plague the still the armed struggle. I was immediately “Everything Mugabe is, he owes bewildered men; large women in party made secretary for information on the it to us – the very people he detained. dress hound them. The dissidents are DARE [the Zimbabwe Revolutionary After Geneva there was a meeting then it wooed and courted like beautiful wom- Council –a ZANU external wing] under all happened. Mugabe asked me a point en by hungry men. And in the middle, the chairmanshp of Herbert Chitepo. blank question. He said, “Gumbo, do Rugare Gumbo remains calm and placid “It was at the time of the power you want us to dissolve ZANU in order and with his objectives clearly etched VWUXJJOHDQGÀQDOO\WKH5HY1GDEDQLQJL to join the PF [Patriotic Front]?”I said in his mind. “My preoccupation is with Sithole made it clear he no longer sup- yes, if that is the only way we can unite unity, to discover a common base for all ported DARE members. After the as- the people of Zimbabwe because as far ethnic and racial groups in this country sasination of Chitepo in August 1975, as I am concerned the issue of unity is so that they can work together for the fu- there was confusion in the party as to above party politics. ture,” he said. who should succeed to the chairman- “Mugabe said, “I will never leave He was born in Belingwe [re- ship. The next man in the chain was the ZANU. I will do everything that I can named Mberengwa after independence] secretary general of the party – Robert to make sure that we do not unite with district of Rhodesia in 1940, educated Mugabe. We agreed that he was the ob- ZAPU.” Shortly after, we were arrested ÀUVW DW D PLVVLRQ VFKRRO DQG ODWHU DW D vious successor. Senior members of the and detained. When we were detained, government secondary school. From his party came to see me and other DARE Mugabe would come to see us in the pits early teens he was involved in nation- members to ask us what to tell their peo- where we were kept like animals. He alist politics, and at the age of 22 was ple. They were Dzinashe Machingura, would laugh at us, taunt us, we were tor- a branch chairman of the Fort Victoria James Nyikadzinashe, Parker Chipow- tured. He laughed. He enjoyed seeing us [now Masvingo] ZAPU party. era and Soul Sadza. We told them the suffering. He is ruthless. He uses people He was arrested in 1962 for his new leader would be Robert Mugabe. – the Presidents of the Frontline States, part in the attempted organization of We chose him. At this time he was de- people like Joshua Nkomo to build him- a general strike, but was released two tained by Frelimo in Mozambique, and self up and then he tries to destroy them. years later. He then went to America, it was because of letters written by us He cares nothing for the masses to Boston University where he worked that President Samora Machel released &RQWLQXHGRQ3DJH ZANU-PF Escalates Attacks on Facilitation Team, Seeks to Divide SADC On the other larly ZANU-PF sup- DQGÀUPFRPPLWPHQW in South Africa, our hand, a large number porters and allies to democracy, partic- key demands as Zim- of Zimbabwe civil have trained their ularly to the ideals of babwe civics remain society leaders con- arsenal on president free and fair elections unchanged: verged on Windhoek Zuma’s Facilitation – a development that SADC must urgently Coordinator’s to lobby SADC lead- Team, particularly on has so much stung lay out in clear terms, ers - these included Ambassador Lindiwe ZANU-PF. ÀUP SUHFRQGLWLRQV Note representatives from Zulu. A ZANU-PF South Africa’s opin- to ensure democratic National Association position paper that ion on Zimbabwe elections in Zimba- of NGOS, Women’s was circulated at matters, and we are bwe that are without Coalition, Crisis in the Namibia summit counting on Zuma to violence and intimi- Zimbabwe Coalition, strongly criticized remain steadfast and dation and that fully Zimbabwe Lawyers Ambassador Zulu and to strengthen the re- comply with SADC for Human Rights, called for her removal solve of other SADC principles and guide- Zimbabwe Election from the Facilitation leaders who may be lines governing dem- Support Network, the Team. The 22 May prevaricating under a ocratic elections. We Institute for Demo- edition of the state- barrage of propaganda reiterate that, despite dewaMAVHINGA cratic Alternatives, owned but ZANU-PF IURP =$183) RIÀ- talk to the contrary, Zimbabwe and the aligned Sunday Mail cials who are actively Zimbabwe is not National Constitu- weekly newspaper seeking to break the ready for elections tional Assembly. carried a vicious and emerging consensus in 2011 and that on We held two press malicious opinion within SADC and her own, without di- conferences on Zim- piece stating that force SADC to re- rect assistance from babwe on 19 May, ZANU-PF had for- verse Livingstone SADC and the AU, one coordinated by mally lodged a com- Troika resolutions. Zimbabwe lacks ca- SADC CNGO with a plaint with the ANC South Africa must be pacity and political broader focus but also over “the behavior frank with ZANU-PF will to deliver a free touching on Zimba- of Lindiwe Zulu fol- that the Mbeki era is and fair election. bwe and the other co- lowing ‘reckless and long gone, and that it We state un- ordinated by Crisis in LQÁDPPDWRU\· VWDWH- will not be business equivocally that the he 20 May Zimbabwe Coalition ments she allegedly as usual. If ZANU- conditions obtaining special SADC exclusively looking made regarding suc- PF chooses to go for in Zimbabwe such Tsummit in at Zimbabwe and out- cession law in Zim- broke then it must be as widespread state- Windhoek that end- lining key demands to babwe.” The article told in no uncertain sponsored violence, ed up not discuss- SADC regarding pre- quotes a ZANU-PF terms that South Af- partisan application of ing Zimbabwe was conditions for Zimba- RIÀFLDODVKDYLQJVDLG rica will not support the law, increased de- characterized by a bwe elections. Ambassador Zulu any anti-democracy ployment of soldiers ÁXUU\ RI DFWLYLW\ E\ The ZANU- is, “ playing a very tendencies. across the country ZANU-PF support- PF lobby in Wind- cheap and dangerous South Africa openly intimidating HUVDQGRIÀFLDOVZKR hoek was anchored game which can be and SADC must re- citizens and cam- sought to have the on two threats: (1) played by any fool. VSRQG RIÀFLDOO\ WR paigning for ZANU- full SADC Summit That SADC is under What she says about these incessant at- PF and increased ar- do the unprecedented attack from the West our leaders we can tacks on the Facili- rests and harassment – refuse to endorse whose Trojan Horse say about hers with tation Team and its of rights activists SADC Troika resolu- was the SADC Troi- more credibility. She members. SADC and MDC leaders all tions on Zimbabwe ka hence the need to is forgetting that she must not allow po- FRQÀUPWKDWNH\VWDWH taken on 31 March in reverse Livingstone is a mere assistant to litical parties to be in institutions remain Livingstone, Zambia. Troika Resolutions in the facilitator. She is the habit of insulting unreformed and ex- ZANU-PF’s lobby to order to keep SADC just an aide.” LWVRIÀFLDOVDQGLQVWL- tremely partisan and have Zimbabwe dis- united, and (2) If Such a display tutions. SADC must politicized. cussed at the SADC SADC insisted on of fury and vitriol by demonstrate that there These are the failed, with SADC opposing ZANU-PF ZANU-PF support- are consequences that matters that SADC leaders deferring the views, then Zimba- ers is testimony that come with holding its must address directly matter to 11 June in bwe would be with- South Africa’s at- institutions in con- when they meet over South Africa when drawn from SADC in titude towards Zim- tempt. Zimbabwe in South SADC leaders will the same manner that babwe is no longer As prepara- Africa in June. meet on the sidelines Zimbabwe withdrew quiet diplomacy and tions get underway of the COMESA from the Common- acquiescence – under for the SADC special feedback: summit to deliberate wealth. Zuma there is now summit to discuss coordinator@crisisz- of Zimbabwe. But particu- robust engagement Zimbabwe on 11 June imbabwe.org Personal Reflections on the meaning of Africa Day for Zimbabweans ver two years down the line, Zimba- bwe has not yet gotten on the path transition and al- O ONE PEOPLE: most everyone in the coun- This iconic image try is pinning her/his hopes preaches unity on SADC to come up with amongst Africans.