Right of reply: Wafawarova wrong
reason 11

Reason Wafawarova

Chalton Hwende
If it was not for the compelling need to educate Reason Wafawarova and others who allow their endemic misconceptions to mislead them, l would have just ended with nice laughter after reading his opinion piece published in The Herald of February 27, 2014.
Wafawarova lays it very clear and bare that his upbringing and even professional circles viciously exposed him to the rough world of ZANU-PF’s factional battles as well as the patronage system. For Wafawarova to pretend to be enlightened and accuse elected MDC officials of bootlicking the party president is not only mischievous, but also the height of ignorance.

But before I educate the likes of Wafawarova, let me quote from his article.
“This writer would sit in the kitchen, or verandah of the house, both of which were quite close to the lounge where these politicians would spend hours back-biting their opponents and plotting how to eliminate office holders that did not belong to their faction,” wrote Wafawarova in one of the several instances he eloquently reveals the processes that indoctrinated him.

There was no way he would have become anything else, having grown up ensconced within social structures that exposed him to first hand ZANU-PF systems of power battles and bootlicking. He further reveals in the article how he even faced the same realities in professional corridors, of course, only stopping short of divulging how he capitalised on his grooming and skills to bootlick through the system.

Nonetheless, there cannot be any doubt as to the kind of worldview Wafawarova has, which is virtually influenced by the circumstances he grew under and orientation he went through. To Wafawarova, life is about sinister scheming, plotting to eliminate others and surviving on bootlicking — a vivid reflection of the mindset of a grounded ZANU-PF activist.

Now, Wafawarova has developed an attitude of wantonly applying his standards on anyone and everything and hence attempted to apply his value system on the MDC and a couple of the party leaders, including myself.

He accuses MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai of fighting against democracy by refusing to give in to shrill calls by a few members to step down.

Wafawarova needs to be educated and the first lesson for him is that the MDC leader’s democratic credentials are well known across the world and ZANU-PF and President Robert Mugabe will bear testimony to that.

After resisting all efforts to turn the MDC’s popularity into staging an uprising against the ruling ZANU-PF, Tsvangirai has remained faithful and resolute in pursuance of democratic development and change in Zimbabwe. The results are there for all to see and include a new people-driven Constitution.

Therefore, for Wafawarova to try and use minor internal issues of our party to erode Tsvangirai and the MDC’s democratic credentials is futile and sickening.

In fact, and rather, Wafawarova must admire the MDC for the freedom members have to deliberate on any issues, including that of leadership — which is taboo in ZANU-PF.

However and on that note, l should educate my colleagues and others like him that in spite of Tsvangirai’s tolerance and democratic nature, members are still required to uphold dignity and respect for party structures and channels, even in their desire to take over leadership.

That is why virtually all the party structures have rejected and condemned the strategies being used by some, aimed at putting the party into disrepute and causing chaos within the party. The mischievous attempts by Wafawarova and ZANU-PF agents to hijack the MDC internal issues and blow them out of proportion will not yield anything because the members are solidly behind the leadership of president Tsvangirai, which was elected at the 2011 congress. That brings me to the last point.

It is the height of ignorance for Wafawarova to suggest that MDC spokesman Douglas Mwonzora has to “bootlick” the party leader.
Mwonzora was elected to perform the role by congress and therefore has no need to bootlick the party leader to perform his duties.

The same applies to party organising secretary Nelson Chamisa, who also has a mandate from congress and needs not bootlick anyone.
We are unlike ZANU-PF, where full-grown men and women drool and kneel in order to get favours, corrupt deals, pieces of land, mining concessions and even appointment to key positions.

That is why the party’s deputy treasurer-general Elton Mangoma has the freedom to express himself on the leadership issue and even declare his ambitions despite him having been assigned to crucial roles such as being negotiator to inter-party talks and a government minister.

 

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey