Kaukonde heads south

via Kaukonde heads south 10 December 2014 by Jera

Deposed Mash Central chairman Ray Kaukonde has made a pre-emptive dash for the southern border. Also linked with Joice Mujuru, Didymus Mutasa, made his excuses (from South Africa) for absconding the congress, claiming that both he and the missus were unwell and that he would be taking his wife to India for treatment. Husband and wife coincidentally ailing just as the congress began. What are the odds!

News of Kaukonde’s flight does little to improve the international perception of Zimbabwe. Ahead of the congress, the British government – perhaps anticipating disturbances – issued a travel warning to its nationals; all that with finance minister Patrick Chinamasa appealing for ‘new friends.’

Mugabe can call it ‘Western meddling’ but even the Russians, Japanese and Indians are not exactly falling over each other to invest their precious Roubles, Yen and Rupees in the Republic of Chaos. It is not only foreigners who expected mayhem at the congress. Following the “alleged coup attempt”, a paranoid Mugabe heightened security measures, with CIO boss Happison Bonyongwe and long-time loyal Emmerson Mnangagwa personally inspecting the interior of the congress venue.

Mugabe trusts no one. Even the politburo members were barred from bringing their mobile phones into a meeting just before the congress. None of this advertises Zimbabwe as a safe investment zone. The removal of targeted personal sanctions on Mugabe will come not by shouting but by creating an environment convincing enough to the outside world. Under current conditions, the louder Zanu (PF) shouts for removal of sanctions, the more their leadership appears dangerous, like a trench-coated man in a park, offering sweets to little children and shouting ‘I’m harmless, trust me!’

After hours of slogans, eating and political hot air, President Mugabe – three months from 91 – showed he was in no hurry to remedy the country’s ills. He delivered the usual liberation war rhetoric, then said he needed time to select his politburo. This delay obviously means he will be a while longer in naming the new cabinet, which further delays the possibility of government formulating any sort of plan of action to resolve the current crisis.