Tafara Shumba | It was quite interesting to read on Sunday, in one of the Sunday papers that both MDC-T and Rugare Gumbo/Didymus Mutasa-led Zimbabwe People First party (ZimPF), were trying to lure business magnate, Strive Masiyiwa to lead them.
It was reported that the MDC-T and ZimPF are actually on a race to win the signature of Masiiwa, with some members of both parties subtly confirming that their parties were toiling over the idea of roping in the businessman into their top echelons. Gumbo, the spokesman of the breakaway or is it the main ZimPF, could not deny but only managed to say “why don’t you wait until we finish our consultations.” That pregnant statement alone suffices to conclude that the party is indeed attempting to enlist the leadership of Masiyiwa.
It was also alleged, in that report, that Masiyiwa hiked tariffs on his mobile phone service platforms in order to fund ZimPF. Quite interesting! Indeed the tariffs were hiked and no justifiable raison d’être was given for that hike. After these allegations, the world was anxiously waiting to hear Masiyiwa’s reaction, at least refuting the media’s story or confirming same. In the past, the multi-millionaire business tycoon used to hastily spring into action when these allegations were raised, refuting any links with any political party, MDC-T in particular. He is silent this time around, leaving people to second-guess him.
In case Masiyiwa is entertaining the idea of joining any of the opposition parties, he must do that at own peril. He is undeniably a shrewd businessman. However, that does not translate into political acumen. The two attributes are not related in any way. Politics is a horse of a different colour. The Americans, who conflated the two attributes and ended up electing a business tycoon, Donald Trump for president, are already crying. Politics is for the politicians who must facilitate a conducive environment for business people to do business.
Masiiwa is a world figure. He is on the world map through business. That will be naive for him to reduce himself from that glorious altitude to a village politician. Neither of the parties mentioned are worthy risking business reputation for. MDC-T continues to vanish with a terrible speed. The MDC-T’s erstwhile donors have all ceased to bankroll it due to its incessant dismal electoral performance. They have realised, late though, that they have been backing a wrong horse. Nineteen years of pouring money into a bottomless pit is enough for the former MDC-T benefactors to realise that the project is not working out. Having realised that no funds were coming from the foreign lands, the cunning MDC-T now wants to tap from the local sources. Masiyiwa is a target here.
The business mogul can do well if he takes time to read history. When the MDC-T was stronger than it is today, some former white commercial farmers generously doled out money to it after they had been promised that Tsvangirai would reverse the land reform when it gets into power. The white farmers can be forgiven, at least the MDC-T was strong then and it almost appeared like they would form the next government. But shame on those who expect the same miracle to happen today. Masiyiwa should know better.
As for the ZimPF which is co-led by Mutasa and Gumbo, even yours truly, an unemployed chap, would turn down the offer to lead that group of jokers. What more a world class businessman in the stature of Masiyiwa. He must give the invitation a thorough consideration before he soils his business reputation. The nature of his business empire cuts across political divide. They too are after his money and only God knows if the ZimPF elders have genuinely repented from their habit of diverting donor funds for personal use. This is the reason that has been causing the fighting and the subsequent messy split of ZimPF. That will be naive for Masiiwa to invest in those vultures, which have already displayed their true colours.
Masiyiwa must learn from what happened to another world class figure, Professor Arthur Guseni Oliver Mutambara, a Robotics scientist. Professor Mutambara was lured to lead the MDC that had chipped off from Tsvangirai-led MDC. They wanted someone more acceptable to the people than the architects of the breakaway themselves- Welshman Ncube and Gibson Sibanda. The two gentlemen thought that being Ndebele, they would not have a national appeal. We wonder who told them that Ndebeles cannot be leaders of this rainbow nation. They feared that their party would be perceived as a tribal ensemble, thus, they roped in Mutambara to neutralise the tribal matrix. However, Mutambara was later booted out in a messy fashion that left him with a big dent on his professional reputation.
At least Mutambara was booted out not before he enjoyed being in the corridors of power as a deputy prime minister of this nation, courtesy of the Inclusive Government of course. It is not certain if there will be another Inclusive Government for Masiyiwa.
One wonders why people form political parties when they have no confidence in themselves to lead those parties. Gumbo and Mutasa are outsourcing a leader as if they don’t have anyone with leadership qualities in their cabal. Remember this is the same Mutasa who said the apex of his dream is to become a Vice President.
The question: Who is capable of rescuing Zimbabwe from this mess? Is an important and relevant question but one best answered after the democratic reforms are implemented and there is real democratic competition. Many will enter the race to be elected president of Zimbabwe but many will fall by the way side and, in a health and functioning democracy more often than not the best candidate there is will win.
Zimbabwe’s present political atmosphere stifles debate and democratic competition and thus it is impossible to separate the goats from sheep. Indeed the corrupt system favours the wolves in sheep clothing!
Nomazulu’s suggestion for all those who really want to see Zimbabwe get out of this hell, first, accept that the present system has failed, it is pointless trying to make a flawed system work. Second, people should demand the implementation of reforms. NTA can implement the reforms or any other mechanism the nation agrees up after debate.
Very good point Wilbert, what is your suggestion way forward regarding reforms.
I agree with you sarah, this is the time to create a united front and someone is busy dividing the nation. Together as one we win and divided we fall. This is very true whichever way you look at it. These are the very people we don’t need in our society at this moment.
Good analysis by all of you guys. But surely who do you think is capable to rescue Zimbabwe from this mess?Zimbabwe is not Zimbabwe any more. Change is long, long overdue. People have suffered a lot and need a real change.
Anyone who contest in a flawed election process knowing the process is flawed is a down right traitor in my books! We have a train-load of traitors on both sides of the political divide without adding more to that list!
If we are ever going to get out of this hell-on-earth Mugabe and his thugs have landed us in then we need people with integrity and a generous doze of common sense – common sense to know it is insane to continue contesting flawed elections and expecting a different result!
The common sense to know that just because Tsvangirai et al failed to get even one democratic reform implemented during the GNU does not mean we do not need the reforms implemented. We do and the need is more urgent now than ever before!
True Zanu PF will rig the elections as long as no reforms are implemented regardless of who joins the opposition in their big tent coalition. If you think the issue of implementing the reforms and having free and fair elections is settled, think again; the issue is once again back on the national agenda.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that these opposition politicians who continue to contest flawed elections are sell-outs who do not care about free and fair elections but only pay lip service to the subject,
The battle to have free, fair and credible elections is the only fight worth fighting and the fighting has only just begun. This is the fight for freedom, reason, human dignity; the fight for the body and souls of the nation; the fight for the very survival of this nation. There is everything to fight for and withdrawing or surrender are completely out of the question!
Mugabe is used to mediocre opponents like Mujuru, Tsvangirai, Mnangagwa, etc. whom he has bamboozled with his bullshit, bribed, cheated and even murdered others. Well in the fight for free and fair elections the tyrant will soon discover there are no pushovers!
If Masiyiwa wanted to be involved in politics then he must have the common sense to see there absolutely nothing to be gained by taking over a party like MDC-T of ZimPF. These parties are stuffed full of some of the most corrupt and incompetent individuals, with a proven track record of being so. These people are wooing him to lead them today but as soon as he agrees, they will be desperate to hang on to their own leadership position they will be leading him by the nose like a bull in the market!
MDC-T and ZimPF are the sower’s ear if Masiyiwa thinks he can make a silk purse out of that then he is more naive that I thought!
The recent rumours that Masiyiwa was thinking of throwing his hat in to the political arena but have send a panic wave into the opposition camp. The one thing Tsvangirai , Mutasa and others fear is quality opposition setting up their stall because they know they will never compete. As long as they can lure the quality into their own party they know they will benefit from having some quality to cover up for all the train-load of mediocrity and crap.
No doubt the like of Tsvangirai and Mutasa will be interested in helping Masiyiwa spend some of his money. Both these gentlemen have huge appetite and are struggling on their present shoe string budgets.
Beside, if the quality leader is in their own camp they will know they are still relevant even if they dilute his talent to nothing!
If Masiyiwa is serious about being involved in Zimbabwe politics then he must have the courage to start his own party and screen the new members very careful because there are hundreds of thousands of political refugees out there desperate to find a political party home!
This is just nonsense from a zanu pf loyalist. Why do you concentrate on the obvious known by an ordinary man in the street. Leave MDC alone and come up with alternatives. This article proffers no solutions at all except the blame game. Get a job or shutup.
With or without Masiiwa’s Signature Zanu pf will win election. **Masiiwa is a businessman not a Politician
I would advise Mnumzana Strive Masiiwa at least be part of the NTA. The administration is not for politicians from any political party whatsoever, but experts in their own rights, who are to take charge of the interim so that a level playing field is created. I personally would welcome from him some gentle kind of contribution to the Nation of Zimbabwe by being part of this dynamic group of experts and never beyond the time mandate of the interim administration NTA.