Tough and vexing questions for Zanu-PF
Zanu-PF beware of the grumblers, the malcontents who are following their sinful desires. Loud-mouthed boasters, showing favouritism to gain advantage. Munhu wese muZanu-PF ita kumunhu ari pedyo newe; “tiri tose here muZanu-PF?”
THERE is this song that goes something like “Mukadzi akanaka anobva kuna Mwari”. Proverbs 19 vs 14 confirms this saying: “Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.” Allow me, dear congregants, to twist the lyrics to the song a bit and add that “opposition like the MDC-T inobva kuna Mwari”. The MDC-T is God-given.
How else can one explain what’s happening in the MDC-T? Ndati MDC-T, kwete zvekuti MDC-Alliance nekuti hakuna chinhu chakadaro.
Tsvangirai and his deputy Thokozani Khupe are not seeing eye-to-eye, dealing the supposed opposition coalition a massive blow.
Tsvangirai has taken President Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to court challenging the recent proclamation of the voter registration exercise. It gets even worse — the MDC-T is angry that ZEC went to State House to register President Mugabe as a voter under the biometric voter registration.
Complaints, anger, divisions and courts — that’s the MDC-T manifesto for the 2018 elections. Dzokezvo voti Zanu-PF rigs elections.
Zanu-PF has no reason to rig the elections with such an opposition.
There is nothing going on well for the MDC-T and tuhasha twenhema can tell you kuti vanhu vapererwa. The opposition is focusing on trivial issues and wasting time going to the courts. That won’t win it any votes, especially considering that elections are a few months away.
Let me repeat this again — the 2018 elections are a few months away. Very few months. The opposition should stop chasing the wind and start chasing the votes. Being forewarned means being forearmed. Hatidi vanhu vanozochemazve kuti hehe, elections too early, hehe we have been ambushed! Vagonzwa here vanhu vacho? Haiwawo!
If Tsvangirai and his hangers-on think their complaints, their anger and the courts will stop elections in the next few months, they are fooling themselves.
The MDC-T just don’t have the numbers to stop anything. So Tsvangirai will do himself a lot of good if he stops twiddling fingers and come up with a real election plan.
In the meantime, Bishop Lazarus wishes Tsvangirai a speedy recovery. We want a fit and strong Save because he makes our elections exciting. Come on Save! We hope to hear good news from South Africa.
Anyway, this sermon is not about the MDC-T. It’s about Zanu-PF and the tough questions that the ruling party should answer before elections next year. Difficult and vexing questions whose ripple effects can go as far back as 1963. It’s time for self-introspection. Serious self-introspection.
The questions: Because of the hugely successful Presidential Youth Interface Rallies, does it mean that Zanu-PF no longer needs war veterans? Who are the real war veterans anyway? Because of the huge turnouts at the Presidential Youth Interface Rallies, does it mean Zanu-PF no longer needs a national political commissar?
The barrage of attacks on Vice President Mnangagwa, hasn’t he taken enough? Isn’t it time to give him space to see how he will handle the situation going forward?
Isn’t it time to get back to real issues affecting the people?
I said tough and vexing questions. I know some will not agree with Bishop Lazarus.
These people will tell you there is nothing vexing and tough about the questions above.
They will tell you that war veterans are no longer part of the equation and war veterans are no longer the real deal for the 2018 elections.
Kwanzi mayouth ndiwo ane yese. These people will tell you that with Kudzanai Chipanga, there is really no need for a national political commissar. And they will tell you that VP Mnangagwa havasati vadii. Toda kuvatsokodzera.
Well, Bishop Lazarus thinks otherwise. Thomas Jefferson once said: “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as a cause for withdrawing from a friend.” This is a simple but loaded statement.
The Holy Book warns us in Romans 16 vs 17-18 saying: “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.”
Zanu-PF should never get carried away and be deceived by the smooth talk and flattery coming from those with sinister intentions to cause divisions in the party.
You get a sense of celebration from some sections in Zanu-PF that zvedu zvaita, but tose tave kuiziva Zanu-PF. In fact, let me put it bluntly tose tave kuvaziva Gushungo.
Jude 1 vs 16-19 is even more elaborate. It says: “These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favouritism to gain advantage. But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.”
Zanu-PF beware of the grumblers, the malcontents who are following their sinful desires. Loud-mouthed boasters, showing favouritism to gain advantage. Munhu wese muZanu-PF ita kumunhu ari pedyo newe; “tiri tose here muZanu-PF?”
When they respond, don’t listen to what they say, just listen to what they will not say and look at their eyes. Ini saBishop hana yangu iri kurova and haingo rovi, rovi.
I was already a Bishop in 2008 when Zanu-PF almost kicked itself out of power through Bhora Musango.
I can see the traits and I can smell a very big rat.
Some will say Bishop Lazarus is being an alarmist, but let me tell you what I am seeing in my crystal ball. I am seeing another Government of National Unity (GNU), another inclusive Government, if Zanu-PF chooses to ignore the tough and vexing questions above.
Just like in 2008, the opposition won’t be a major factor. Zanu-PF will score an own goal, if the party lets grumblers and malcontents fool everyone. Iwo makore anopera na8 aya achatiparira nhai imi vanhu. 2008 now 2018?
But why is Bishop Lazarus preaching such a worrying gospel?
This other day, I was listening to the loud-mouthed Christopher Mutsvangwa.
He said: “We are going to pit that impeccable level of organisation against the upstarts of the G-40, and this is the mother of all battles in the Zimbabwean politics. We have been on it for some time but today we are declaring that the battle and the campaign begins.”
Look here dear congregants, Mutsvangwa and his team comprising the reckless Matemadanda and the clueless Mahiya are clearly now a political nuisance. Kuita kunge kamhezi kaya kanoramba kachingodzoka. But hey macomrades, don’t we know that a fool can burn the whole forest? Kutopisa sango rese.
I was reading a book on political communication a few weeks ago. Pardon me dear congregants I cannot remember the exact title of the book. In the book, the author said: “Within parties, conflicts may occur time and again because of different perceptions on political issues, as well as due to personal rivalries for positions and influence. These conflicts are inevitable and legitimate, but must be argued out in a correct manner. Within a party, there is always a concurrence of power and influence; this is part of everyday business.
“In the end, however, internal conflicts must be decided within the limits of democratic and transparent procedures. It is very important that everybody involved in such conflicts respects the democratic decisions of the party.”
Many comrades in Zanu-PF should read the above statement over and over again. But then with the pomposity and verbosity on display, this could be a waste of time.
Thomas Paine, that great political activist, would say: “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.”
Surely, this Bishop can’t be administering medicine to the dead.
Bishop is out!