Mnangagwa, Zanu PF outplay SADC
When Robert Mugabe was ‘ deposed’ by his fellow ZANU- PF comrades, many Zimbabweans thronged streets and pathways of Zimbabwe loudly shouting Martin Luther King Jr’s words: “Free at last, Free at last, Thank God Almighty we are free at last.” But little did they know, the chef may have changed, but the menu remained the same. ZANUPF had just pulled an illusion stunt. It worked. In the frenzy of delusion, Emmerson ‘ The Crocodile’ Mnangagwa stepped in. Portrayed as the Moses of our time, he promised to take Zimbabwe’s economy from intensive care, reduce poverty levels which were as high as Mount Kilimanjaro, and cut down unemployment rate which was reaching Mount Everest. The long and short; Mugabe was gone, but ZANUPF was still in power. They had simply performed a cosmetic surgery. But it was still, the same old fox.
As things stand, President Mnangagwa will again lead Zimbabwe in the next five years. He has ‘ duly’ been elected and inaugurated in the adulation of his SADC counterparts. He was declared the winner of the Presidential elections. Prior to the final election results, SADC Observer Mission, under the chairmanship of Dr. Nevers Mumba, reported that the elections did not comply with democratic principles. Mumba highlighted incidents of intimidation against opposition parties as one of the main issues. But Mumba’s sentiments were quickly and ‘ aggressively’ dismissed by ZANU- PF who accused him of bias and “hobnobbing and accosting” himself to main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change ( CCC). The accusations and counter- accusations have since continued between Mumba and ZANU- PF. As to whether Mumba carries moral currency to occupy that high moral pedestal, is a discussion I wish to reserve for the region’s intelligence services.
However, by the look of things, SADC heads of state, save for Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, seem to care less about Mumba’s ‘ findings.’ And so does ZANU- PF. They have not run short of legitimacy, as congratulatory messages and best- wishes continue to pour in for ‘ The Crocodile’ from all corners of the world. Very typical of ZANU- PF, they are never apologetic about their political stance. They even made it crystal clear in their communication to Heads of Mission in Zimbabwe that, “only Heads of Missions that their Heads of State/ Government are attending the inauguration ceremony will be allowed to come.” There is no usual patronizing diplomatic decency and lingo. It is a cutthroat; take it or leave communication. It may even interest you that, from Zambia came former President, Edgar Lungu at the invitation of Mnangagwa.
Nelson Chamisa’s call for fresh elections is proving to be hollow. Despite his loud claims that Mnangagwa has performed a “coup on the ballot,” there seems to be little to nothing he has so far done to delegitimise his presidency. His comments have so far gained no traction, even among Zimbabweans. If anything, the past elections have shown how deeply divided the opposition is, in Zimbabwe. They are so divided that, if they are to continue in the current trajectory, they will soon be in the trash- can of history. What is also evident is that, ZANU- PF is still enjoying political dividends of ‘ Gushungo’ as Mugabe’s diehard supporters adorably referred to him in honour of his clan totem. Hate him or like him, Mugabe was surely man of many epithets. He wore many hats and dressed in a coat of many colours. On one hand, he was an intellectual par- excellence, on the other hand, a schizophrenic dictator. As such, he had as many detractors, as adorers.
Among the rural populace in Zimbabwe, Mugabe is more than a ‘ Saint,’ he is God himself. His spirit is omnipresent. African Populism ideology is way more than a political dogma; ‘ it is opium of the masses.’ It is therefore, not a discovery that, Mnangagwa has not disassociated his policies from that of his predecessor. Actually, Mugabe is ZANU- PF’s ‘ guardian angel.’ And ZANU- PF is cashing out on evoking Mugabe’ spirit. As for Mumba and his SADC team, it was just a vacation trip to Harare.