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The ongoing attack on Zimbabwe by racist elements and their local puppets is betrayed by its timing.

The attacks which were supposed to climax in the failed July 31 protests, have now been turned into what is called a “keyboard war”.

This means anti-Zimbabwe elements are going on overdrive on social media platforms to put Zimbabwe on the global agenda over alleged human rights abuses.

“A campaign drawing attention to human rights abuses in Zimbabwe is attracting international celebrities and politicians as pressure mounts on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to act.

“The #ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign, which originated in South Africa this week, is currently No 1 on the list of trending topics on Twitter and prominent on other social media platforms.,” claimed the Guardian of the UK yesterday.

The so-called international celebrities include hip-hop musicians Ice Cube, Lecrae, Tinashe and AKA.

So, what is off about the timing of the “keyboard war” against Zimbabwe?

It’s the Global Compensation Deed (GCD)!

Last week, President Mnangagwa presided over the signing of the historic GCD where 4 000 white former commercial farmers who lost their land during the Government’s fast track land reform programme will be compensated through a US$3,5 billion facility for improvements they made on the land.

The compensation of former farm owners for the compulsory acquisition of their land is in line with the Constitution.

As we reported yesterday, since 2000 when Zimbabwe embarked on a Land Reform programme for the resettlement of citizens on agricultural land, the issue of dispossessed farmers has been political fodder for the opposition and hostile foreign forces.

So, what the signing of the GCD has done is to kill the narrative that Zimbabwe is a lawless country where property rights are absent.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube was spot on, on Monday, when he said the conclusion of the GCD shows the Second Republic’s commitment to constitutionalism and rule of law as well as bringing finality to the successful land redistribution process.

In a communique, Prof Ncube said Government and the former farmers’ representatives had engaged in extensive negotiations over the global compensation figure, leading to the closure of the chapter.

The chapter that has been closed could leave many an activist jobless and die hard Rhodies without an audience.

The new attack on Zimbabwe, a “keyboard war” on steroids, is trying to undo what the GCD has done — close the thorny chapter that created fissures with the West.

On Monday President Mnangagwa did not mince his words when he said the country will overcome renewed attacks perpetrated by some rogue Zimbabweans working in league with foreign detractors.

In his address at State House in Harare, President Mnangagwa said since his inauguration, the Second Republic has faced many attacks from the divisive politics of some opposition elements, the illegal economic sanctions, cyclones, droughts and more recently, the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.

Added to this, the President said, is economic aggression where there is local currency manipulation and detractors who fear the success of his administration’s reforms.

Zimbabwe will not back down. The GCD is only the beginning.

And lies, have one problem: they have very short legs.