ZANU PF IS A PARTY In the space of a month, Tendai Biti has gone from Tsvangirais heir-apparent to villain of the party. After MDC-T deputy national treasurer Elton Mangoma was assaulted by supporters of Tsvangirai and a Molotov cocktail exploded against Bitis perimeter wall, cracks were evident in the partys structure. Any chances of a ceasefire were blown, following utterances by Biti which can be interpreted as an endorsement of Zanu PFs election victory. The ruling party, desperate for credibility after another controversial election win, immediately latched onto Bitis speech, which was aired for a full 10 minutes on ZTV, a channel on which MDC-T could not buy even 10 seconds of advertising time during the run up to July 31. In comparison to August 2013 when he eloquently said Zanu PF had stolen the election to the extent that they themselves are so embarassed, Bitis latest remarks are a shocking turnaround. Biti said the ruling party had a better election message. A neutral observer cannot help but wonder whether Tendai Bitis moment of clarity is inspired by the recent attempt on his life. Despite acknowledging the need for his party to speak the same language as the little woman in Chendambuya or Dotito, a glance at Bitis Facebook page will reveal that one needs a dictionary to decipher the many jawbreakers in use. Biti went on to praise Zanu PFs populist tactics of offering land, a strategy he called selling practical realities, versus his partys approach of selling hopes and dreams. What will really infuriate MDC-T loyalists is that Biti has indirectly rubbished the partys claims of Nikuved elections and of the Registrar Generals concealment of the voters roll. In its attempt to prove rigging, the MDC-T has a dossier - a document no doubt compiled with the secretary generals input. Biti also criticised his partys manifesto, a document which he probably co-authored. Bitis speech begs the question: If he genuinely wants to fight for the little woman in Dotito - whoever she is - why has he publicly made remarks that are damaging to his partys cause? One theory is that, rather than an endorsement of Zanu PF, Bitis remarks are the precursor to the announcement of another break-away party. Whatever his motives, what is clear is that Biti can only expect expulsion or suspension from MDC-T. Robert Mugabe recently branded former finance minister, Simba Makoni, academically intelligent but politically foolish. Being a man of advanced years, it is possible he got the names muddled. Perhaps he was speaking of another former finance minister. High court judge, Nicholas Mathonsi issued a stunning verdict, in a case involving Fungai Chaeruka, a Zanu PF member. After being evicted from his farm for underutilisation, Chaeruka appealed the governments decision. The farm has been reallocated - shock, horror - to its former white owner, Heather Guild. Judge Mathonsi said one cannot be allowed to hold on to large tracts of land that one is not using, simply to baby-sit an inflated ego. If a beneficiary is not using the land, that is breach of the conditions upon which the land is offered. Of the 498 hectares, only 1 hectare was in use. Travelling along the countrys major highways, one sees only grass flourishing where crops once grew. With all the vast stretches of grassland, one would expect an increase in cattle ranching, but the national herd has shrunk, since Zanu PFs chaotic land reforms began. At a time when Zimbabwe faces a critical food shortage, it remains to be seen whether Mathonsis ruling signifies a policy shift on indigenisation. Morgan Tsvangirai has predicted that Robert Mugabe will propose a coalition government, in order to jumpstart the dying economy. They (Zanu PF) will come. There is nowhere to go. The main reason for Tsvangirais election defeat in July 2013 was the oppositions collective naivety. It all began when Zanu PF, which had been unwilling to approve the draft constitution, suddenly had a change of heart and pushed for a yes vote in the referendum. When Zanu PF suddenly agreed with the MDC-T on the draft document, alarm bells should have rung at Harvest House. Instead, MDC-T blindly joined Zanu PF in campaigning for a yes vote. In terms of the GPA, the drafting of a new constitution was a precondition for holding elections. Zanu PF sanctioned the draft constitution, in order to rush the unprepared opposition into elections. The naivety of the MDC-T was even more evident when they waded into the crocodile-infested waters of an important election, despite visible signs that Zanu PF had planned to cheat. As the poll date approached, the voters roll was still unpublished, but still the opposition blundered on. As things stand, for Tsvangirai to say that he expects Mugabe to invite him to the negotiating table once again reveals his political naivety. Mugabes main concern is to escape prosecution for his many human rights violations. As long as he remains in office, in terms of the AU resolution of 2013, he cannot not be brought before the ICC. Power cuts, potholes and Tokwe-Mukosi floods do not register on the conscience of Robert Mugabe, who seems to live in his own little bubble. The stagnation of the country does not bother him one bit. In the past 3 months, Mugabe and Zanu PF have blown well over $5Million in meaningless festivities - $3M for the Zanu PF December congress, $1M for Mugabes birthday and goodness knows how much more at the wedding of Bona. The renovation of roads to State House alone cost $1M. Mugabes recent splurge gives an alternative meaning to the phrase, Zanu PF is one big party. Zanu PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo has referred to Tsvangirais predictions as preposterous, before confidently declaring that, on the back of Zanu PFs blueprint, the country will see an uplift in the economy in 6 months time. Unless Zanu PF has a powerful nanga on its payroll - somebody more powerful than Rotina the Chinhoyi diesel charlatan - nothing new will happen between now and June, at which point Mugabe will have been in power for a full year, post GNU. Sithembiso Nyoni (Matebeleland North MP) and Simon Khaya Moyo (Zanu PF national chairman) were at election victory celebrations in Nkayi. One wonders whether there might be an outbreak of senility among the senior citizens at Zanu PF. Thirty-five years after the last bullet was fired from the Rhodesian FN, they still speak of the enemy. Fourteen years after seizing all white-owned farms, they still harp on about indigenisation. It is as if the party bigwigs fell into a coma in 1979 and have only just woken up, belatedly celebrating an event which transpired long ago. Maybe the election victory has still not sunk in. Perhaps Biti was correct the first time round, when he said even they could not believe they had won. Zanu PF won the election. Bhora mugedhe The ball struck the back of the net 9 months ago. The time for election celebrations has gone. It is time to deliver the promises made in June 2013. Till next week, my pen is capped. Jerà
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:07:27 +0000
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