RWG (Zimbabwe) Post-Election Statement

 

NO TO ZANU PF DICTATORSHIP! NO TO PASSIVE RESISTANCE!

BUILD RANK AND FILE UNIONS TO CALL FOR A CONGRESS OF WORKERS!

FORWARD TO A GENERAL STRIKE TO CONQUER OUR DEMANDS!

FORM A WORKERS PARTY AND BREAK WITH THE POPULAR FRONT!

The elections held on the 31st resulted in a landslide victory for ZANU PF in the presidential election, a two thirds majority in the Parliament and the regaining of control of most local councils they had lost to the MDC’s.The elections have generally been described by all observers, the parties and the western nations as peaceful but by some as not being free and fair due to instances and accusations of bussing, a shambolic voters role, massive disenfranchisement, double voting, suspicious voting slips and pens among others. In an initial statement the main MDC (referred to as the MDC-T) has rejected the election as a huge farce and met on Saturday to offer a way forward to their members who were becoming restless with some calling for a boycott of parliament and street protests. The other MDC (MDC-N or just MDC) has also rejected the outcome citing massive rigging of the elections by ZANU PF and security agents with the help of Israeli agents but resolved not to boycott the government.

What is clear is that the MDC-T is now desperate to regain confidence from its western imperialist handlers among its members and has resolved to boycott parliament and other state institutions demanding a re-run. In a clear sign of political impotence they have also resolved to present evidence of vote rigging and manipulation to SADC and the AU, the same bodies whose observers endorsed the elections. But most tellingly the MDC-T states it will achieve all its aims through peaceful means. It would have been foolhardy for anyone to expect the MDC-T to go beyond this and call for the mobilisation of the masses into the streets as this will be much difficult to control and may develop beyond the call for a re-run to include radical demands.

As we speak the mood across the country is one of surprise and shock for the masses who had put so much faith in the MDC-T. They are more shocked by its resolution to pursue a useless route. It’s true that to a large extent ZANU PF manipulated the voting system in their favour in order to defend itself against western imperialism and on behalf of Chinese led imperialism, but also critically over the years the MDC-T has lost its original appeal because of its record in office, as well as its initial limited radical tactics. The way it conducted its congress and selection of public office representatives also added to an already gloomy situation for the party. Some have also hinted to the nascent internal struggles and infiltration as additions to a list of factors that have made it possible for ZANU PF to retain its dominance. On the other hand Mugabe based on his pre-election speech and also in order to destroy the opposition, might offer positions to the MDC-T.

The key observer bodies, SADC and AU, have endorsed the elections and the outcome effectively ending their mediation role of over five years and also setting the tone for inevitable albeit grudging acceptance of the results by western countries and the USA which are eager to participate in the diamond industry and also tone down the ZANU PF indigenisation drive despite their recent condemnation of the outcome. That observers known to be funded directly by western states have castigated the manner in which the poll was run and the results will do little to sway the western states resolve to end this disastrous episode that has not boded well for them in terms of regaining dominance ahead of Chinese imperialism.

The key lesson for workers, youths and the poor masses is the inability of reformism to resolve even the basic democratic issues. Firstly, that a hated regime can steal its way to power and yet get away with it shows that real democracy is not compatible with a capitalist system where economic geo-political interests ride above people’s wishes and interests. Secondly and more importantly, this election has and will expose the reformist MDC-T party as a degenerated part in the imperialist game with no intentions and capacity to move beyond electoral,diplomatic,judicial,religious and legal routes in their fight for the rights and interests of the poor masses it claims to represent.

In our pre-election statement we wrote that, “The elections to be held on the 31st of July 2013, though not a fundamental national development, will point to the trajectory to be taken in the implementation of capitalist exploitation and state brutality on the workers and the poor masses. Whichever party wins the elections will without doubt and despite all election rhetoric go full swing to impose massive austerity as demanded by imperialism. The events in Egypt prove that democracy is not enough to cater for the needs of the poor. Workers and the poor should mobilise and organise now to be able to defeat such moves and protect their livelihood and interests”. Both ZANU PF and MDC have been fighting on behalf of their imperialist sponsors to oppress and exploit the masses and resources of this country.

We call on the workers, youths and poor masses to reject the impending ZANU PF dictatorship through independent mobilisation on the basis of genuine workers and poor masses demands as well as active and militant working class methods. International capitalism certainly cannot solve its crisis without proving that bourgeoisie democracy is but a mask for the bourgeoisie dictatorship. Zimbabwe is living proof of the futility of trying to polish the mask on behalf of the dictatorship! We also call on the workers and the poor masses to reject the call for passive resistance and symbolic protests and instead mobilise for a general strike as a key element of revolutionary protests led by independent local organs to avoid betrayal and the hijacking of the struggle by reformist groups bent on squandering the fight of the poor.

• Workers, youths and the poor form action committees to fight the growing and coming attacks on the wages and conditions of the poor and the livelihood of the majority poor! 
• Form rank and file committees in our movements and unions to advance the workers program, lead general and political strike actions and break with the reformist leadership!
• Workers and poor masses break with the MDC and ZANU (PF) through building rank and file unions and a congress of all workers, youths and the poor in struggle that prepares for a general strike!
• Workers form an independent workers party to break the popular front of the MDC and ZANU PF dictatorship and that champions the interests of the workers and the poor masses!
• Jobs for all can only be won by the workers’ conquest of their own economic plan, by sharing the work, by shortening the hours and ending poverty by implementing a sliding scale of prices and wages!
• Provide free quality health care and education for all run by the workers, students, educators, and health care providers themselves!
• The big capitalists and imperialist companies must be made to pay to end the poverty and misery. If they cannot or will not we demand they must open their books expose their business secrets and then to nationalize their assets and put them under workers control!
• For a workers government that defends workers and peasants against the local and foreign capitalists on the basis of the armed people building a workers’ state that implements decisions for the benefit the workers and the poor!
• For an African socialist revolution as part of an international revolution that alone can guarantee a better life for all!
• For a new world party of socialist revolution based on the Transitional Program of 1938 to lead the revolution to end capitalism and open the road to socialism!

REVOLUTIONARY WORKERS GROUP, ZIMBABWE (RWG-ZIM)

rwg.zimbabwe@gmail.com

www.rwgzimbabwe.wordpress.com

06 August 2013, Harare Zimbabwe