via Where is Mutambara? | The Financial Gazette – Zimbabwe News by Ray Ndlovu 22 Jan 2014
FORMER deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has made an unceremonious exit from the grand political stage, quietly slipping into the shadows.
Ever since the expiry of the unity government last year, Mutambara has gone quiet, amid indications that only his closest friends and relatives know about his whereabouts.
Analysts said the garrulous robotics professor should never have been in politics in the first place if he did not have the stamina to last the distance.
“He was more of a political accident…he has the brains, but he was victim of irrelevance,” said Dumisani Nkomo, a political analyst.
Others say Mutambara was an “opportunist” and this has been exposed by his lack of relevance in the political scheme of things in the aftermath of last year’s elections.
In contrast, other political players are fighting to remain relevant after their heavy loss in the July 31, 2013 elections.
Leaders of the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations – Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube – have been bravely facing tough questions from their constituents over their embarrassing defeat in the national elections, without opting for the easy way out, which is to hide from their people.
Ncube and Tsvangirai are also out to mobilise support in order to forestall attempts to kick them from their positions.
Mmeli Dube, a political commentator, sees Mutambara as young enough to be able to re-launch another attempt to lead the country.
“He thought that ZANU-PF would easily be dislodged and once he realised that it was much harder than he thought, he resorted to singing for his supper in ZANU-PF and…that failed too,” observed Dube.
Mutambara, a former student leader, stepped onto the political stage in the aftermath of the MDC’s split in 2005 and took up the leadership of the smaller formation of the labour-backed party, now led by Ncube.
Mutambara had to be headhunted to lead and “sanitise” the splinter group, which was being viewed suspiciously through tribal lenses.
In 2009, he rose to take up the deputy premiership as one of the signatories to the power-sharing agreement that took the country to last year’s elections.
His time in the inclusive government was however, punctuated by controversy.
After being ousted from the helm of the MDC at a party congress, Mutambara refused to recognise the outcome of the congress by taking his case to the courts.
He remained in government after the court processes dragged on until the expiry of the inclusive government last year.
Throughout the lifespan of the unity government, President Robert Mugabe was accused of shielding Mutambara from being stripped of power.
The ZANU-PF leader continued to recognise him as a principal despite increased pressure from the courts and regional bodies to strip him of the position.
Mutambara also ga-ined the reputation of lending support to ZANU-PF’s positions in the unity government, fuelling speculation that he had become a reluctant ally of President Mugabe’s party.
It was, however, clear during Mutambara’s time in the coalition that he was without any political party under his leadership.
Although a handful of rebels opposed to Ncube’s leadership of the MDC coalesced around him, with no resources and no political party at their disposal, it was a matter of postponing the inevitable – the political demise of the once vibrant student leader.
Asked this week about the whereabouts of Mutambara, an official in the MDC had this to say: “We don’t know; we donated him to ZANU-PF a long time ago.”
COMMENTS
What embarrassing defeat is the author referring to when we all know that the elections were rigged. Asi chiiko kungowomoka (kurasa muromo pese pese)??!! I”brainwash” here?
Haiwawo ana Druzbha, rigging ipiko yamunoramba muchitaura? We have heard this repeated so many times over the years if it were true we should by now all know how its done, and so be able to stop it. But if things got rigged under the Prime Minister’s nose, and under the noses of the 14 MDC ministers (now former)then it either shows that they are all brainless, or just that rigging is a myth, growing in the retelling, and the refuge of losers.
Hunzi kwahi hayi Mutambara akashapishira muNyangani kudi wee! Imiwee, Hameno. Indai mundomutsvaka pachi padhuze mfana iyeye uyu. Pamwe akarombora achitaura mavocabulary eku school.
He is out fending for his family now that his job in government is over. Morgan is not answering tough questions, he is going around denying the outcome of the election fullstop.
Just making statements to look “Busy” to me is stupid. So wherever the profesor is, thats his business. Just mind your business.
We hear he made an application to ZUNDE which was declined. Team ZUNDE refused to be associated with suc failure – http://www.zunde.org
Arthur rest, but not in peace. You have been used to frustrate progress and are now in the garbage where you belong. Lets hope you stay there.
He was simply a pawn in Zanu PF’s political chess game. I would like to call him a political prostitute…all mouth but no doctrine
Kind of like Jonathan Moyo ka? That man know how to flip.
He wont be missed really.
But he did make a notable push for the re-opening of the ethanol plant
Mutambara was so strategic that he became Mugabe’s lovesick puppy which yapped arrogant zanufied rubbish
I think someone is tired of bashing Tsvangirai they want a new whipping boy.
kkkk listen to this one “We don’t know we donated him to zanu pf a long time ago” kkkk like they’re into buisness nxaa
Some of these reports are just based on wishful thinking or the reporter’s own imagination. What has Welshman’s party said or done to explain and really what is there to explain? Some of his heavy weights are reported to be now joining Zanupf. Check about the latest one Fuzwayo Maduma. True as already observed Tswangirai is jumping here and there including trips to TB Joshua, spending all those days in South Africa at Mandela’s funeral when invited heads of states including those with solidarity with the ANC had left. Then his imaginatio of an election “soon”. Then the next day you read elsewhere that he has cancelled a “state of the nation address” to attend Mugabe’s sister’s funeral. Is this “busy schedule” relevant? Its the press that just writes a lot about these two perhaps although Ncube has not said anything just like Mutambara.
Good riddance to bad rubbish. Mutambara was always Mbeki’s man, maybe he should go and ask Mbeki for a job. So should Welshman!
We all know that MDC M/N was an Mbeki set up to weaken the orginial MDC. Not that it needs any weakening now with Tsvangirai floundering around, opening either his zip or his mouth and continually putting his foot in it!
Oh! Mutambara , the really man who brought a big harm to MDC , he splitted the party and that resulted ZANU PF to continue with its autocratic leadership , he might be hiding someway waiting for opportunities to arise and then take advantages , what a stupid man , he is another Snowball not in the animalfarm but lingering arround the streets of unknown destinations , no job , destroyed his status of being a proffessor— go teaching you mbavu or else sell tomatoes in the streets so that we will see you and pose some questions about your gamblings of being an opportunist , you damn dwurf minded like this Mthwakazi who thinks he owns the Ndebeles , what a shame !!!!
@Khaya.Which MDC do u belong to? T,N,M,D,B,99,22,14?
Dont start Mthwakazi,the quiter he is,the better for everyone.
I believe the true sayings of the best seller book. That says without a vision people perish. Our opposition parties are to have their own vision like moses to take people from evil to good, from wrong to right.
This kind of vision is not bassed on the wrongs or weakness of the other party or leader, but simply from the love and passion for people and the nation.
With this kind of vision, no matter what, you won’t break up, or give up or hide like what we see from the party.
How man times did pharoh say no to moses bt becoz of the guiding vision moses didn’t change his quest, let my people go.
A party or leader or vision that can’t stand testing times is not worthy following.
You are all asshooles. Where in the constitution of Zimbabwe does it say the only political parties in the country should be MDC-T and Gukurahundi ZANU PF? Which section of the constitution says that?
Bloody uneducated; ignorant; stupid gukurahundi idiots!!
Leave Zimbabweans alone, to participate at any level in the politics of their country as they see fit. Whether its Mutambara, Dumiso Dabengwa, Makoni, Ncube, Tsvangirayi, gukurahundi Mugabe, Paul Siwela or who so ever.
This is their country – leave them alone to exercise their constitutionally given rights!!!
Mutambara’s story is like the scorpion and the Fox story. They both needed to get to the other side of the river. The scorpion said “fox you can swim please let me get on your back so that we can both cross the river” The fox said “I am afraid you will bite me” The scorpion said “I wouldn’t be that stupid. We would both drown.” The fox put the scorpion on his back and whilst swimming across the river they were hit by a wave and the scorpion bit the fox. The fox asked “Why did you do that now we will drown.” The Scorpion answered “I am a scorpion that is what I do”.
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@ Mthwakazi the part of the body you refer to is a very important part as it takes out all the rubbish from the body including the bad smells.
@Murimi , because ZAPU PF couldn’t do well , i turned be a full memeber of MDC T -but this is my disapointment , Murini agree here with me , we have got the two giants and these two giants ZANU PF and MDC T should have contested the elections to rebuild Zimbabwe and it was going to be fair in that way , these opportunist parties were only formed solely to achieve their own goals , Mthwakazis , Simba Makoni ,Welshman Ncube without a seat in the parl, arising from the dead my former party ZAPU , ZUNDE with their dreams which will be fulfilled , all this parties are fooling Zimbabweans , they must be thrown into the dustbins , they have brought such a ludicrous situation in our country , they have divided the votes , their uncalled for actions have energised ZANU PF and it is good for ZANUs especial you Murimi , people must use their brians and have direction , they must understand what is unity , the formations of these pety partise its not all opposing ZANU PF , this about the individual’s goals to be achieved and making money , ZANU PF is very combined than the people of Zimbabwe , if we are really serious about unseating the government of ZANU PF then we can’t have all these idots forming their pety parties , but we should be one and have one word for a way forward , MDC T almost achieved a goal in 2008 elections , Mtambara and Simba Makoni stole the votes which meant to be for MDC T , now ZUNDE and Mthwakazi are on it again , let this Mthwakazi continue with his insults until his mouth goes extended , he is already a loosing leader , debating its all about facts not about being emotionally .
The covert forming of multiple “opposition parties” is a well-known ploy used by many in power around the globe. It’s simply a way to split the opposition vote. The idiots are those convinced by sly operatives that heading a political party is the route to renown status. Their egos replace good common sense, and they are easily duped.
When a government needs to be revised, the oppositions must band together rather than splinter, put their differences aside for the moment, plan and implement together, and work out those differences once they’ve accomplished their major goal of replacing the bad government peacefully.
And therein lies the problem for Zim… ZANUPF has no grasp of democracy, and will never go peacefully. Well, not until there’s nothing left to steal.
sorry ZUNDE’s dreams will never be fulfilled