Dr Masimba Mavaza| The events of the last few days in the War Veterans camp proved more than ever that in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests. “Permanent interests” in this case simply means – you scratch my back or groin, I scratch yours – we tame the itch and stop fidgeting.
Friendship is a difficult thing to maintain even among the closest of families. Friends are hard to come by, so hard to keep and at times even so hard to get rid of. Not in politics though. Here, friendships are as easy as ABC. You can change them like underwear without having a bath and it is just okay. This is exactly the scenario between war veterans and what remains of ZANU PF. Maybe war veterans are being fooled by the expelled leader Cde Mutsvangwa or simply that they are genuinely concerned.
Politics is a dangerous and dirty game, and truth is not necessarily a fair game. The war veterans have been a back bone of the party and have caused a plethora of gigantic economic problems by demanding fifty thousand dollars even if they knew that the money was not there. When the money was finished they demanded more and now they blame the government for the mess they caused. Now they claim to love the same people they destroyed economically. This kind of political friendship does not require any standard of proof or evidence beyond any reasonable doubt. It does not care what the rest of the country think or feel, as long as you both stand to gain from the friendship. That is “permanent interests” for you. The question becomes are these war veterans or mercenaries?
But what one can vouch for is that “permanent interests” is the sadza and the selfish mind of war vets with which politics is eaten.
A snake is known by its skin. Even if it crawls out of its skin, it still remains a snake. It can wish to be another animal, cover itself with grass, fly like a bird or jump like a frog, but it’s rattling or hissing nature will always betray it. The war veterans have not shown any complete change from the selfish mentality that they freed our country so they need a payment. Some are permanently lodged in a hotel and some are demanding school fees for their children yet they know the masses have no pay.
At this point, matters of those who wish well for the war vets and the opportunistic people around come into play. Who really are the friends of the rogue war vets?
A lot has been said about the true intentions of some of the politicians around the War vets. How quickly will they move on from, for instance, a killing machine to angels. On the other hand, some members of the opposition secretly imagine that they will gain from this fallout. Is this plausible? So, who truly means well for the war vets and for the country.
Should we take the war vets seriously, since they keep changing with the tide, adapting to the situation with a well-trained political eye? And who suffers in the course of these political games? Is it not ordinary Zimbabweans?
As the marriage of convenience between War veterans and opposition endorsed by over six million voters in the 2018 elections continues to weather. The backlash observers wait to see how long this marriage will last. Will it continue long after the elections? Will they continue to be sweethearts when the elections are over? Will the bond be that close if they lose to ZANU PF.
Once members of the opposition, no one dared imagine that OPPOSITION and WAR VETS would one day be as close as a finger and a ring. But they had permanent interests to assume the leadership of out country and hold it tight between them so no one can wrest it away from them. After striking a common bond and targeting a common enemy, they ride on sympathy votes and will campaign on the grounds that Mugabe must go. Forgetting that they have been together with Mugabe and its only their indiscipline which causes their grief.
They are painting Mugabe as a common enemy that is persecuting them like Saul on his way to Damascus and emotionally blackmailed their supporters to feel and suffer with them at the foot of their rebellion.
And they cried out loud to ZANU PF Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?” And the people heard and voted.
One of ZANU PF’s best friends on the scene is Mutsvangwa MP this is the man who allegedly confessed to having fixed Mai Mujuru. Despite Mutsvangwa appearing on the scene like a mourner at a burial with dripping saliva in his eyes and wailing louder than the bereaved, he is now at the forefront of championing Tsvangirai’s interests and pushing for the masses to dump the party. Despite his self-incriminating confessions, no one will arrest him because he serves “permanent interests”, and they love and trust him because he is that friend who would lay down his life for a brother.
Now he has abandoned the same brother he stood out for.
Who knows about tomorrow in this political world of permanent interests? It would not be a surprise to see Mutsvangwa and Opposition one day eating, joking and laughing together while sitting at the table of brotherhood, long after their supporters have killed each other, created widows, widowers, orphans and refugees and destroyed property worth billions.
The war vets have learnt that “Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.”
The actions of the war vets is motivated by selfishness not genuine love of the country. If they are offered more bread and coke they will again be war veterans.
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