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NewsDay

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Please shut up Madam Mahoka

Opinion & Analysis
The NewsDay yesterday reported that Hurungwe East MP Sarah Mahoka asked Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Faber Chidarikire to apologise

The NewsDay yesterday reported that Hurungwe East MP Sarah Mahoka asked Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister Faber Chidarikire to apologise publicly for addressing Vice-President Emmerson Mnangangwa’s wife, Auxillia, as the acting First Lady.

GUEST COLUMNIST RASHWEAT MUKUNDU

Chidarikire’s statement is not only sycophantic, but shows the low depth that Zanu PF politics has sunk, where individuals, mere mortals, that happen to be in positions of authority by accident, are hoisted as gods, to be hallowed by unprincipled politicians who can only see national issues to the extent where their stomachs end.

Chidarikire has already apologised to his party for his “moment of madness”, which I am sure will see him receive a letter of dismissal at 2am some few days to come.

Then enter Mahoka —the self-proclaimed Grade 2 Hurungwe East legislator — repeating exactly what she admonished Chidarikire for doing.

Mahoka reportedly went a gear up, claiming First Lady Grace Mugabe cannot be equated to any woman regardless of the fact that she is a mortal soul from Chivhu. Mahoka gushed: “No woman can be equated to our only anointed Amai Mugabe. She is an angel sent to this country to liberate all women and men. She is anointed by the spirit of Ambuya Nehanda.”

Here we have Mahoka proving her confusion, by talking of angels and spirit mediums in the same breadth.

I do not know what faith or religious persuasion Mahoka is, but from what she says, she stands somewhere between Christianity and African traditional beliefs, talking of angels and spirit mediums yet, the two cannot mix.

Clearly, Grace is not an angel and is equally not possessed by any spirit medium that we know of, if ever there is such a spirit at all.

Zimbabweans do not want to be led by possessed people, but by sober-minded politicians, who understand their concerns and address them.

We do not want to be governed by anointed people either, but those that we vote for into office in free and fair elections.

Let the anointed do God’s work of preaching and not running the country. Zimbabwe was liberated in 1980 after a protracted liberation struggle, and what is left is the end of economic and social problems largely spawned by a “clueless political leadership”, Mahoka being part of that grouping.

Instead of staying clear of Chidarikire’s fables, Mahoka brazenly moved a gear up by insinuating that Grace is a goddess of some sort and/or possess some mystical powers to make important decisions without being questioned.

The only “anointment” that Grace has is that of being President Robert Mugabe’s wife.

Regrettably, Grace is surrounded by kowtowing office-bearers like Mahoka who have no meaningful political agenda apart from praise-singing.

What has Grace done to liberate us and from what? Mahoka told us Zanu PF will remain at a standstill until its next congress, and no woman in the Women’s League can say anything or call for a meeting without Grace’s consent, not even her deputy and Bulawayo Provincial Affairs minister Eunice Sandi Moyo.

No doubt, fellow Zimbabweans, in Mahoka we see what Zanu PF has become, a Mugabe family-centered political party, followed by thin-brained cheerleaders whose only preoccupation is to praise sing the First Family in the hope of getting some ministerial appointments or some other position closer to the feeding trough. I would be happy to visit Mahoka’s farm and see if any production is taking place, if she pays her taxes and what contribution she is making to the development of her constituency.

I am yet to read any statement in the National House of Assembly where Mahoka’s presence must be felt as she presents issues affecting her constituency. I have never been to Hurungwe, but I am sure it is as poverty-stricken as my own rural home.

If there are still any sensible politicians in the ruling Zanu PF, then it is time to ask the likes of Mahoka, Chidarikire, Psychomotor Activities minister Josaya Hungwe and many others including famed “Mugabe is Cremora” praise singer and fired ICT minister Webster Shamu to use their energies somewhere else. Zanu PF used to be made up of leaders of character at some point, who were careful with their words, and spoke sense although they fell short in spearheading development projects.

Right now, the party is made up of questionable leaders in both capacity and character — from top to bottom.

Their main vocation is dancing and cheering until they lose their breath, and sloganeering until they get confused.

If the newly-appointed Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko keep quite with this hero-worshipping, then Zimbabwe will continue on the downward trend.

It is time Zanu PF establishes firm and sensible leadership and recruits disciplined leadership to lead the country.

Zimbabweans are surely tired of this sickening sloganeering and praise-singing.

Let Zanu PF get down to the business of managing the country and move away from preoccupying itself with mantras and treacheries.

We surely don’t eat all that, even though we are aware that for Mahoka and team that is what brings food on their tables. Sadly, for the rest of Zimbabweans it’s no longer a laughing matter.