Arrest conspirators

via Arrest conspirators – DailyNews Live 27 November 2014 by Chris Goko

HARARE – They say comedy is often used to explain chaos, but the one we are seeing in Zanu PF has become deadly and not funny at all.

And as President Robert Mugabe’s party enters one of its most decisive weeks, and political phases in its 50-year history, indications are that attacks against Vice President Joice Mujuru and her allies will be escalated as we also go into the December 2-7 congress.

From stories that the embattled widow had mobilised a $21 million cash war-chest from hostile governments, if not elements, to theories that her lackeys had sounded out Israeli, and South African assassins to eliminate the 90-year-old leader, the allegations are getting uglier — and more confusing by the day.

But the ridiculous thing is none of those people, including Labour minister Nicholas Goche, Mujuru herself, ex-Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and Presidential Affairs minister Didymus Mutasa, have been arraigned over these “heinous crimes”.

And from that alone, it is quite clear that Zimbabweans have witnessed something more out of “marketing than an arrest” — if not media trial — of the quartet.

But in a country led by a pseudo-stickler for the law and in the form of Mugabe, it boggles the mind why these fellows have not been arrested given the very serious and treasonous nature of allegations against them.

As such, it beggars the question if we have become such a banana republic where Cabinet ministers plot and set in motion coups with such impunity

And if the stories about a Mujuru-led putsch were not anything beyond pulp fiction by some power-crazed individuals in government, and beyond, why has Mugabe chosen to appoint this beleaguered woman acting president on many occasions now and ever since this coup story started playing out?

Firstly, Mujuru was in charge when the nonagenarian was in New York, attending Michael Sata’s funeral in Zambia and in Equatorial Guinea.

Well, call it naïve, but why would Mugabe “trust someone facing such serious charges” and if Mujuru had such a capacity to unseat the Zanu PF leader wouldn’t she have used her “network” to tell the president that his plane won’t be landing after any of those trips?

On another note, isn’t she the same woman who subordinated her own and family interests by accepting the official inquest into her husband Solomon Mujuru’s death, and at a time when emotions were running high and she could have chosen personal glory?

As such, does Mugabe and Zanu PF really need to be terrified, and that paranoid about this hapless woman?

But that is the tragedy, which has afflicted this party today — fear, paranoia and witch-hunts that have been induced by a cabal also angling for power.

While it is understood that the issues that ignited all this hullabaloo might have emanated from the bhora musango and Wikileaks sagas, was this the best way of dealing with these unresolved issues and especially when the party should have been busy consolidating after July 31’s controversial win.

Was it also in Mugabe and Zanu PF’s interest to pummel Andrew Langa and John Mvundura’s Matabeleland South, and Manicaland structures after the miraculous comebacks of yesteryear?

And if the man himself eulogised Ray Kaukonde for Mashonaland East’s electoral exploits last year, what has suddenly changed for the emperor to excoriate the Scotia Holdings owner now?

As things stand, no one seems to care that this “new normal”, where the Goches and a whole VP’s curriculum vitae are tossed out by thugs, has actually increased disaffection among the electorate and as certain elements continue with this divisive campaign.

Still at it, shouldn’t the Temba Mliswa and Christopher Mutsvangwa sagas — and where the Mashonaland West legislators had mixed fortunes in the central committee elections – be instructive about what happens when party head honchos try to fiddle too much with processes or popular candidates.

And as we have seen that the same group has also emerged as Zimbabwe’s “thought-police”, and is working on a strategy to use one of the provinces to eject Simon Khaya Moyo and Mujuru via a no confidence vote, does Mugabe think this will leave his party stronger after December 08?

But by allowing some scoundrels to hijack his revolution, one does not need to be a rocket scientist to see that these senseless actions may actually spark another bhora musango come 2018 and that the comedy is no longer funny at all.