Charles Mabhena
All eyes trained, and the binoculars are now before the watcher’s eyes. It is now ‘We are watching you’ one part declares; and a ‘We are also watching you too’ the other part responds, affair.
It is now the case of (Tom and Jerry) the jungle law, in which the hunter is also the hunted in Zimbabwe politics.
It sounds strange and far-fetched, but this is indeed the case prevailing in Zimbabwe today, the international community has its eyes trained on President Robert Mugabe, and his moves as he prepares for elections.
Mugabe tells them ‘to hell’ and warns that his binoculars are trained at them too.
The United States of America government through its Ambassador to Zimbabwe Henry Thomas Jr has recently warned that they were keeping a watchful eye on the events in the country as she braces herself for the much anticipated elections in 2018.
Thomas said his government was very alert on the incidences of political violence and that it will work with all institutions in the country that work towards the democratic handling of elections.
On the other hand Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services who is also President Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba has just said his government is closely watching the international community over alleged escalated machinations bent on influencing next year’s elections against it.
He was reacting to the donation by the European Union which gave US$5 million to the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Zimbabwe for proposals to promote democratic participation, good governance, and accountability in national issues.
The EU announced on Monday 27 February that it would fund CSOs in the country for the promotion of democratic processes.
“The beast is in the heat again. We are slowly inching towards elections and the Westerners are back with their mischief, except they don’t know we are watching,” he told the state run newspaper (The Herald) yesterday.
Charamba said this funding is a hidden way to grease anti-government groups that is meant to influence the elections to dislodge ZANU PF from power, adding that ZANU PF was vigilant and on the lookout for underhand machinations.
