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NUMBERS DON’T LIE . . . zanu-pf risks losing its grip on numbers through the ugly animals (real or imagined) that threaten its hegemony, which are corruption and factionalism

Hildegarde The Arena
The writer was raised in a village where elderly men and women live with monikers; names given in line with their personal traits and/or characteristics. My grandfather’s lineage was known more by their nicknames than clan name — some of them fairly odd, e.g. Horsekey. And my paternal grandmother was another one with an unusual moniker —VaMutikanga!Loosely translated it symbolises deportment — walking straight, chin up and full of confidence in everything one does, and never wavering and/or being double-minded. It also signifies a visionary and focused person. And, that was what she was!

Don’t ask me how she got it, but up to the time she joined her Maker, she lived with that alias to the extent that a song was composed and sung at many-a-beer-gathering:

“Mbuya vaSori (her grandson)
VaMutikanga
Robuda! (At sunrise)
VaMutikanga!
Rodai (at midday)!
VaMutikanga!
Rovira! (at sunset)
VaMutikanga, ‘Kanga, ‘Kanga!”

Although she had her birth name, the nickname was the millstone around her neck, reminding her to dare not walk away from the principles she had set for herself. The flashback comes as the writer recalls her pictures from the 1960s, donning fur hats — the political statement of the time. Shrewd as she was, she probably told them that although they claimed that Independence was just around the corner, why was it that it took two decades to realise national sovereignty and Independence?

If we were to fast-forward time, and ask her to comment on the goings-on in the ruling Zanu-PF, she would have a mouthful, and would speak so frankly, asking them where they were missing the mark, and admonish them to stop wasting time on trivia, and majoring in the minor — for time never waits for anyone.

In her soft-spoken voice, with eyes that had seen and understood so much, despite never having gone to school or travelling in a motor vehicle for a distance of more than 50km, she would chuckle: “WaChabata-a! Ko maa kuda kutengesa Chimurenga chine ropa rakaeerera kudai!?” (Let me laugh, me daughter of Chabata! You want to sell out the struggle that resulted in so much bloodshed?)

VaMutikanga would have reminded the Zanu-PF leadership and cadres to walk the talk of the First Chimurenga that she experienced, and also walk the straight line of unity, instead of the divisive, malicious, backbiting, retrogressive and mischievous path, that threatens to lead the party to damnation.

She would have asked what is happening to the party’s ideology that brought the country Independence.

All that said and done, the loss in the Norton by-election was a wake-up call for the ruling Zanu-PF party to realise that it’s no longer business as usual, unless of course we are beginning to see the fulfilment of the “destroy the party from within” initiative.

As preparations for the Chimanimani West and Bikita West by-elections gather momentum, the lessons drawn from Norton should give guidance not just for 2016, but until 2018.

Since 1980, the ruling party has won elections as a team (Team Zanu-PF), and lessons learnt during the struggle — home and away, were informative — and continue to be relevant, the goal being to thoroughly beat the opposition, with their grand coalition.

It should not take the ruling party forever, for they have the knowledge and expertise to realise who in their midst is garnering for what happened in 2008 — “bhora musango”. They should also brush aside attention seekers, who think that they are bigger than the party and the people it represents.

People out there — the older generation especially — have adopted a wait and see attitude, but their hearts also bleed as they wait for transformation to visit them, since it has already visited the “mafikizolos”, who are having it nice and good, on the sweat of their brow.

Restoring order in its house is the one and only way for Zanu-PF to have another clean sweep in 2018. When your adversary pours scorn on your downfall, it is also worth analysing his/her statements.

Incumbent Member of the National Assembly for Norton Temba Mliswa (Independent), in his emotive response, summarised some of the foibles Zanu-PF needs to address, as a matter of urgency:

“I am a rural person and I simply maximised on the in-house fighting in Zanu-PF. How can I fail to win against a party whose political commissar is always firing people, instead of recruiting? This is a message to Zanu-PF that if you don’t deal with your manifesto, and concentrate on in-fighting, people will speak out like they did in Norton,” said Mliswa soon after winning.

The ugly animals (real or imagined) that threaten Zanu-PF are CORRUPTION and FACTIONALISM.

The party is full of people who profess the Christian faith. They must have come across what Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, when he cautioned them about divisions based on class, for Team Jesus was now grouping itself thus: “What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-14)

Paul also cautions them about litigations among believers, and this writer is of the view that Zanu-PF can learn from the words of wisdom, for the party is a group of people that agreed to adhere to a certain conduct, and what they do to each other is an in-house issue.

According to media reports, there are impending litigations — the loopholes that Mliswa and others after him can take advantage of — thereby donating seats to the opposition.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:1-9: “If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? . . . The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.”

I rest my case!

US needs morning after pill

A fortnight ago, I did a countdown in a piece on the United States of America 2016 election: 20 Days to a ‘Rigged’ Election. The writer maintains that position, with the caveat that the “rigging” seems to be from all corners, the Establishment included. This is a very serious allegation, but we will apply the principle of first mention.

The US has a strange electoral system. Although November 8 is the official voting day, in some states, early voting started last week. But whoever ends up in the White House, the US population and allies should have a “morning after pill” on standby for November 9.

It might turn out a normal day, but with the strange occurrences on the electoral landscape, to be on the safe side, they need it. The morning after pill is defined as “a contraceptive pill that is effective up to about seventy-two hours after intercourse”.

This transitional period will test the tenacity of US democracy, for as is, they seem to be playing a game without rules, where everything is possible, but nothing is certain. Notwithstanding the ever-changing opinion polls, on November 9, there will be a new occupant in the White House and those with their morning after pill, have no option but to take them.

They come in various brands, but the downside are the side effects. On November 9, I won’t even need the Greek fundi Pythagoras to tell me that the world is round, for this will do it as we welcome a new member of the “banana republics”.