Zimpapers Logo

Nicole Hondo-Correspondent

Zimbabwe has always provided for interesting politics, especially during election season, what’s with the campaign antics of candidates and weird theories that get thrown around by perennial losers. 

But we shall explore that another time, today, I want to share what the case CCC MP Job Sikhala who is remanded in prison has taught me. Not that I am aspiring to join politics, but you never know.

So Job Sikhala, or “Wiwa” as he is misleadingly hyped, was arrested after violating bail conditions he had been given for another crime. One Harare Magistrate described Sikhala as “an incorrigible and unrepentant criminal with a propensity to commit similar offences.”

I cannot fathom who hates him so much to keep encouraging him to commit these senseless crimes, but clearly someone does. And naturally, it is his constituents who suffer as well as our correctional services that have to feed his bulk.

Sikhala’s case and long romance with Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison hospitality, has provided key lessons that politicians and those aspiring across the board would do well to learn.

Firstly, beware of your own internal rivals who push you to the forefront of doing stupid things which themselves will not do. 

It has long been whispered that he-who-shall-not-be-challenged at CCC felt that Sikhala was getting more popular and revered than him because of his thirst for violence which most of the CCC supporters seem to want as they have been primed for violence since 1999. 

So, what better way to get rid of the threat than encourage him to do the most stupid, illegal things that the smart ones in the party will not do? And poor Sikhala fell for the applause, fell for the encouragement, not knowing he was being cheered to jump off a cliff by persons who felt he was encroaching into their leadership. 

It is queer that none of the CCC leadership was with Sikhala when he was committing his crimes, not one spoke in support of his statements. They cheered him on and left him to hang. One wonders if these people are the same whom Sikhala recently accused of trying to poison him in prison. We do not know(Hameno).

The second lesson ladies and gentlemen is social media will destroy you (inonyudza). Do not get carried away by cheerleaders especially on social media, when they log off, you are alone, in this case, in Chikurubi. 

Look at Sikhala’s bird of a feather, William Chinyanga, who was recently jailed for three years in the UK for almost a similar crime. Like Sikhala, Chinyanga let the cheers get to his head, he basked in the retweets and likes on social media and whistles on the ground from drunk youths who know no better and he committed a crime live on camera. When time came for him to face his sentence, he was weeping alone and lamenting that no one stood by him yet he was doing it for Chamisa and CCC. Will it be any different for Sikhala I wonder?

Politics in this modern era should be a contestation of ideas not college student activism. 

How is Wiwa now serving his constituency from Chikurubi? A wise and true servant of the people works for development of his constituency instead of yapping for social media likes and calls of “wiwa wiwa” from drunk youths.

Thirdly, people need to learn from Sikhala’s case that the opposition is not immune to prosecution. For long, and for some funny reason, the opposition in Zimbabwe has thought and acted like they are immune from laws that govern everyone else in the country. 

As if an opposition status guarantees one diplomatic immunity, or as opposition, they only account to some house of questionable “Lords”. Silly huh? 

One hopes by now all concerned appreciate that Zimbabwe has rule of law and anyone found on the wrong side will face its full wrath. Zimbabwe is a peaceful and unitary state. 

A situation that all sober-minded people cherish and hold dear. Loose cannons cannot and will not be allowed to destabilise it for a few pieces of silver or silly fame. 

 It does not matter if one’s handlers tweet their fingerprints away, law is law and shall be applied to everyone. Curiously, all other senior CCC officials seem to understand this fact, hence you do not find the likes of Fadzayi Mahere taking part in silly demonstrations or inciting people to violence. 

No, Fadzi will blow an ambiguous kiss on Twitter from the comfort of her home in the suburbs and a hashtag. That is it. 

Luckily for the golden CCC circle to which Fadzi belongs, they have excitable ignoramuses to put at the forefront and take the fall while they continue enjoying GoFundMe proceeds. That is a story for another day.

That said, it is time for Zimbabwean politicians, especially those in the opposition to stop the mickey mouse business and for once, focus on development of the country. 

At a time when President Mnangagwa has done and continues to do so much to build this nation and restore it to glory, the least the opposition can do is stop disturbing him. 

In throwing “jecha” as their leader Chamisa boasts, CCC is slowing down progress intended to benefit Zimbabweans at large. 

No one who claims to have citizens at heart would do that.

Would it be so difficult for the opposition to provide policy alternatives instead of shallow hysterical criticism of everything? Would it be so difficult for the opposition to acknowledge the strides being made by Government instead of spreading fake news daily? 

Would it be so difficult for the opposition to practise tolerance for people who do not identify with the CCC project instead of branding them of all sorts of horrific names and threatening violence? Would it be so difficult for the CCC to stop being a western puppet?