By Ndaba Nhuku| The year 2015 came and is now gone with the ever unpredictable Zimbabwe political drama still an endless source of entertainment. Zanu has kept us on our toes, its name on our tongues, its politicians glued on screens for news.
Prof Moyo has been the star entertainer per excellence with his ever busy Twitter account.
Not to be outdone was the party’s Mother Dr Grace Mugabe who all of a sudden developed an acidic tongue averse to female politicians. With some lightning speed she managed to subdue and get rid of numerous cadres. The likes of Oppah Muchinguri have had their wings clipped and can only appear at rallies at the mercy of Dr.Amai.
Showing that her power was not only over the female cadres, who else would she belittle other than her husband,
President Mugabe’s two vice presidents she told the nation, are her students who daily seek advice from her.
The ongoing drama saw most of the renowned party cadres face the three political figures silenced, suspended, or sacked. She effected these without any hesitation. What has hitherto been undermined as the G40 became a reality as it completely changed the face of the party by bringing unknown faces to replace the fallen well known ones.
Who would have foreseen that a mere typist would overnight purge the party of its veterans who also included the once feared war veterans leaders? The general populace of Zimbabweans, and am sure even foreigners were stunned, but those in Zanu were visibly shocked as some tears fell with the departure of long nursed political and government positions.
Grace and the G40 are just ruthless and running amok like a derailed train. Prof Moyo’s loss of his beloved daughter did not deter the ongoing purging. It did not end with perpetual grieving and quiet Amai Mujuru. They turned on the current VP Mnangagwa who had briefly run on the excitement of the Mujuru purges as he saw himself as the anointed one.
He misread the political drama, or was it a mistake that he did when he allegedly influenced the sudden inexplicable departure of Prof Moyo from the beloved Information department that has literally since ceased to exist? Was it his alleged contentious relationship with his VP colleague that Mphoko that could have worked against him? In no time, before he had even warmed his VP chair, before the celebrations had even stopped as some people embarrassingly shouted loudly that he was a saviour, the G40 sharpily turned its fangs on him. Within a month he was a lonely figure hopelessly watching his lieutenants purges one by one. When loudmouths like Mutsvangwa are despatched off, its serious business! To get rid of Mujuru and subdue Ngwena, and tell off the likes of Rugare, Mutsvangwa and others takes amadoda sibili. These guys must have had their thing well planned and oiled, they are just easily effecting it now. Startegy and brains. Whether the other factions like it or no, they have been thouroughly beaten and humiliated. Mnangagwa’s excitement when Mujuru was despatched was a mistake, the same fate has visited him. Its like watching a lione devour your kids whilst you try to beat it with a twig. It can turn on you. Like Mujuru, he couldn’t defend anyone. How the grea have been deceived; Mugabe silently supporting his wife. And where are those overrated security chiefs? As always, I still believe these guys are military professionals we tried to force into politics, save for a few, the rest have no interest.
Zanu has within a short time fallen into three or four factions; Mugabe, Mujuru, Mnangagwa and Amai’s gang.
Those who have been sacked or seen their dreams shattered have their supporters cursing and crying fowl. Everyone feels cheated by Mugabe! Surprisingly they also wanted, or want the same Mugabe to appoint a successor! How can people be so self-contradictory?
If you want Mugabe to appoint a successor, let him do it. He will appoint Grace|! You have mandated him to do as he pleases, so why cry foul if he appoints his wife as his successor? I have said it several times for years, Mugabe should have no right to appoint any successor. All he has to do is to groom leaders within his party and these get subjected to an election for people to choose someone they want to lead them. Mugabe cant choose a successor for millions of Zimbabwe, why burden the old man? All I know is that Mujuru and Mnangagwa’s followers thought Mugabe would appoint their own leader. Am sue a lot had already been promised some party and government positions whilst the likes of Moyo have been confined to Tsholotsho! Politics is about power.
Mujuru and Mnangagwa have to blame themselves as should all the other zanu leaders and members unhappy with the current scenario. You gave Mugabe too much power and made him own you and the party and the country. You made him a god who could not be criticised and not be subjected to a contest with opposition political parties. Mugabe was happy to go along as everyone worshipped him not for party loyalty but to be rewarded with a position, which meant easy access to state resources. Anyone without a freebie farm? Anyone recall Mnangagwa boastful tell those who had been sacked along with Mujuru, esp restless Mliswa that, ‘ Life outside Zanu is cold?’ Once outside ZANU and critical of it, you lose all your property you acquired as a ZANU cadre! Yes, maybe rightfully so as all the property was corruptly acquired under the name ZANU. This should serve as a lesson to all Zimbabweans not to worship political leaders, They are mere human beings who can easily get intoxicated with power and turn against you! MDC T and First People supporters, please take a leaf and learn from the Zanu dyanamism. If MDC had not tried to imitate the Zanu political way of life, it wouldn’t have been divided into six political parties; that are or were led by Mutambara, Tsvangiarai, Sikhala, Ncube, Biti and Mangoma. When internal dissent is suppressed, it becomes volcanic and can not be controlled.
This is why its so sad and puzzling that the opposition has no voice as Zanu seems at its most vulnerable position. The opposition seem to have been puzzled into sleep by all these Zanu dynamics. What then is the way forward?
The way forward for Zimbabwe as of 2016 is in unity. Zanu should find peace within itself so that it refocuses on the ongoing economic mess. Zanu has a mandate running till 2018 to solve the mess, or short of that, call for an election. But why bother consider an early election when we don’t have a live and robust opposition? Zanu should not let the country burn whilst wasting time and state resources on its internal strife. In that vein, the opposition parties should also come together and negotiate a genuine unity pack and ensure some of them have to desist from the Zanu Big Brother mentality. Those well known to be corrupt or human rights abusers should not be anywhere near leadership seats. Zimbabweans are the best people to clean up their mess, and it can only take unity of purpose, focus, and determination to do so. Yes, we can do it. If we cant, then lets allow the country’s greatest risk taker of the year Dr Grace Mugabe, to lead us into the perpetually unattainable Gushungo dream of prosperity.