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Acie Lumumba

The conventional and social media have in the last two days been on fire as discussions around a young man called William Gerald Mutumanje, also known as Acie Lumumba, raged.

In the realm of Zimbabwe’s politics and in the ruling party Zanu-PF itself, Lumumba is an insignificant, negligible quantity, having joined the party and its youth wing a few years ago.

Uncannily, however, and in spite of the strong revolutionary tradition of Zanu-PF, the young man found himself being railroaded through the structures to the extent that he was Zanu-PF’s candidate for the Hatfield constituency in Harare for the 2013 parliamentary elections, which he lost.

Just a few weeks ago, he announced that he was quitting Zanu-PF which rash action appeared motivated by accusations that he had misappropriated funds at the Ministry of Indigenisation and Youth Development and what appeared to be a personal fallout with the relevant minister.

On Thursday, Lumumba called a press conference to announce the formation of his own party and it was there that he shocked many with an expletive-filled rant against the Head of State and Government, President Mugabe, using the despicable “F” word.

Zimbabweans from across the political divide have been united in their shock and disgust at the actions of the young man especially the lack of respect, etiquette and diplomacy from a man — aged 28 – who purports to speak for a generation, leading a political party, and is within the bracket of people considered the future leaders.

For all we know, the bitterest of political enemies past and present have never used such terms as the F word to publicly lash at each other — even in the heat of war.

We never heard Ian Smith using that term in reference to President Mugabe, bitter enemies though they were; and even across oceans and history, President Franklin Roosevelt did not publicly use that word against Adolf Hitler.

So, who is this young man to do so?

The answer is, as we have stated above, nobody: he is just a young man trying to gain fame, which ordinarily we should withhold, in an era where publicity is very cheap.

He, by crossing what he correctly noted to be a red line, no doubt believed that he could get attention and maybe boost his fledgling political interests.

Yet that was an own goal, an unfortunate aberration that pretty much looks like a sign of juvenile delinquency.

But this speaks to a broader problem that we have in Zimbabwe today.

They young people who the older generation should trust to pass the baton to are misguided, narcissistic and a disaster waiting to happen.

If we are to recall, another youth, Kudzai Chipanga, was at one point daring war veterans to a fist-fight, which many people found unpalatable despite the political heat of the moment.

With this temperament, our future leaders do not convince anyone that the country for which many died for and which the older generation is set to bequeath to, will be safe.

It does not take any sophistication to see that.

In the final analysis, we should posit that the current leaders of the revolutionary party have failed to nurture young people who will be responsible enough to carry the revolution and party forward.

No, you cannot have foul-mouthed, ranting leaders as torch-bearers.

This kind of vacuum speaks to the unfortunate delay that has been witnessed in the implementation of an ideological school and orientation arm of the ruling party which should have been instituted right at independence such that it would churn out exemplary and ideologically grounded cadres.

The idea of the school has just been given lip service.

Meanwhile, all sorts of people are incorporated and co-opted into the ruling party some straight to positions of authority having used money and questionable connections.

This can only result in the disaster that now sure is waiting for us with young “leaders” like Lumumba.