via Is there method in the madness? – The Zimbabwean 12 June 2015
As we watched a Nigerian satire journalist pummel President Robert Mugabe with some home truths, it has become a season of political buffoonery at home once more, but that’s nothing new.
I think Zanu (PF) fears Joice Mujuru’s come-back – given their continued attack on her. As the party rots from the head like a fish I would advise Jonathan Moyo to focus on getting his party sorted out, rather than continually attacking those outside it. He has become rather uninspiring with his predictable diatribe.
Mujuru et al have every right to establish whatever political platform they wish. There is no law against that. I predict that they will certainly give Zanu (PF) and Nikuv a run for their money if they decide to contest the next elections. Better still if they partner with other substantive opposition parties, we will be in for a political thriller indeed.
History has shown that when the beginning of the end is nigh, ruling parties will use any means necessary to discredit would be contenders but I think Zimbabweans have become politically astute, especially given the empty promises of Zanu (PF) for the last 35 years. It’s time to go.
Some of my readers will remember that before VP Mnangagwa was appointed I was one of his main supporters as the next President of Zimbabwe compared to Joice Mujuru. I conjectured that he would have more gravitas and would be more alert of what needs to be done post Mugabe era. I am afraid to say that each time he opens his mouth my confidence and enthusiasm on that assertion continue to diminish.
Trained to kill
We cannot have a VP who boasts of being trained to kill, or of being a terrorist and saying that they will be no electoral reforms. I also think that it is very naïve to boast of having been next to Mugabe from the beginning because this man and those around him have been a complete failure. We really don’t care about the past and we want our leaders to focus more on the future because that is where we are all going.
And then we have the vendors’ fiasco where the minister of local government threatened to call in the army to deal with what is really a civil matter. Zanu (PF) must now deal with the social and economic problems which they have created and calling in the army indicates that they have run out of solutions and must revert to their old ways-use of violence and force to get their way. We must reject that.
The vendors are a symptom of an economic system that has collapsed. We cannot call that the new economy. The only sustainable solution is to create jobs. In the meantime, yes we must clean up our city centres but we must come up with inclusive solutions as opposed to prescriptive solutions that do not take into account the needs of the people.
Political confusion
In my opinion, the political confusion and continued infighting in the party are not an accident. Any system that is not founded on sound principles will destroy itself from within as it fails to continually regenerate itself. The flawed thinking and value systems upon which Zanu (PF) is based cannot prevail and last forever.
Degeneration has caught up with it just as happened to dinosaurs. We have seen how this government continually wants to deal with symptoms to what is a problem of illegitimacy, irrelevance, incompetence and degeneration. We will all be better off without it.
Then we have the MDC- Renewal Team sex scandal. I just don’t know what happened there but that is why I hate political parties. There is too much intrigue and contestation for position that people will do anything to get power. If it is indeed true that Elton Mangoma was set up then I do not think those that did it deserve to lead us at all.
We cannot have unethical leadership claiming that they can lead us to a better future. We have learnt from the past and as voters we must now judge people who aspire to be leaders and who they are and not what they say. If we do not do that, we shall end up with the same problems that we now have.
Our problems are really self-inflicted and their source is lack of leadership. There certainly is no method in the madness. It is rather desperation to stop the tide of unstoppable change and no government in the world has survived that. Zimbabwe is poised for a fantastic rebound, get ready. – Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You can contact him at vtmusewe@gmail.com
COMMENTS
In that case why don’t we become serious and stop the 51% stupidity and the racism ?
Rebound, yes in time. And there may a civil war before that happens. And what will the new Govt do with the zanoids when they lose office?
Has Mujuru shown any evidence of being presidential material ?
She seems to have shown quite a lot why she isn’t, such as the ridiculous idea that the press should not expose corruption because it reflects badly on the country. But then again who is competent on the Zimbabwe stage, not the current VPs.
What are her achievements, an ineffective vice presidency and a claim to have shot down a helicopter plus being married to the Army commander. Not the greatest CV.
Oh by the way if you want an idea of where her priorities lie Google up Mujuru and Firstar on the attempted gold sale in 2009. I’m sure it was all for the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe.
Once, long, long ago I thought our country would be a beacon and exsample to the rest of Africa.
Not only do we have a crowd of gangstas running the show but the opposition has totally fallen apart. I am SURE that the gangstas have done all they can to sow dischord and chaos, but is the no one in the entire country who knows the meaning of the word “Patriotism”? It would seem not.
Instead of leading, we are an example of how NOT to run a country, we are an example of where the population are so cowardly, greedy (and racist) that they dare not challenge the oppression.
We are now one of Africa’s Failed States
ZANU PF is a big political party with a rich history. What is happening is very normal in a dynamic outfit. For its continued survival the party has to regularly relook at its self and shed off excess baggage. It will be naive for one to take that as a weakness.
We are now in a era of attack your own to survive. Mugabe and co attack Mujuru, Mujuru attacks Mugabe, Biti attacks Tsvangirai and so it goes on but the big concern is now the aspiring presidential candidate is starting to attack on tribal grounds and this is where we are going into a very dark area. They only do this because they have nothing to offer the electorate. Divide and rule since 1980.
Zimbabwe needs a whole new line of fresh leaders who are there for the national interest ( not their own )and who will take constructive criticism and react accordingly. That is why we need a limited term for any President.
Yeah Vince. My confidence in him dwindles each time he opens his mouth. The two VPs (plus the fired one) share the foot-in-mouth trait. Like Tsvangirayi sometimes. I could lead this country quite well. My mother too. But who would support a nonentity? Don’t we all like to trawl among society people for our leaders? Wouldn’t you just laugh me off if I registered my party tomorrow? We have a leadership crisis in the motherland, a symptom of the character of the Zimbabwean nation.