There is no doubt that President Robert Mugabe can work a crowd. He knows he is in the people business, which is essentially what politics is about.
It means learning as much as you can about as many people and as many things as you can — and using that knowledge to your maximum advantage with a clear purpose in mind.
Which is exactly what Mugabe did this week in Pretoria, South Africa, when he sort of jocularly, but intelligently and insightfully commented on to the raging issue of colonial and apartheid symbols — such as the statue of Cecil Rhodes hovering over the University of Cape Town — still having pride of place in public some 20 years after majority rule. As soon as he tapped into this, it was one-way traffic: The audience got on his side all the way. By somewhat showing understanding of and expressing the people’s beliefs, views and attitudes on the matter, he became one with them. One didn’t have to be Zanu PF to see that.
The same way former United States President John F Kennedy, underlying US support for West Germany 22 months after Soviet Union-backed East Germany had erected the Berlin Wall to prevent mass emigration to the West, said in a speech on June 26 1963 in West Berlin: “Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”). He spoke this in their own German language, and the reassurance and resonance was immediate. The speech is considered one of Kennedy’s best at a notable moment in history. It was a great morale booster for West Berliners.
This week Mugabe, by speaking directly to the people, certainly stole a march on the South African leaders, who were waiting for the dust to settle down before taking a stance on the emotive issue. He gained an immense advantage over his hosts by speaking on the issue sooner and better than them. He spoke over and above them. Without addressing his audience in their mother tongues, Mugabe still spoke the same language with them in terms of shared beliefs and opinions.
The response was overwhelming and positive, pushing to the backburner reports that Mugabe had come to South Africa with “a begging bowl”. This certainly strengthened Mugabe’s hand. One didn’t have to be Zanu PF to see that.
In the same breath, it must be mentioned that his more than passing reference at the highest level to xenophobia in South Africa will have the effect of forcing the authorities there to show their hand more decisively and sternly against the deadly menace. It was the most appropriate public forum to raise the issue and made all the better by Mugabe’s measured words. One does not have to be Zanu PF to point out this positive development. It must be made loud and clear that xenophobia must not have a place anywhere.
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On the other hand, the motives of those who work crowds always can be questionable.
That cannot be ruled out, considering the tame questions from the journalists and that trusted Presidential spokesperson George Charamba — now emerging as Mugabe’s chief fixer — picked out the journalists to “fire” the questions even though ZBC-TV’s Judith Makwanya seemed to have a hard time reading out her pre-written question.
This time around someone did their homework thoroughly, tying up all the loose ends although nothing — practically nothing — can mask the fact that Mugabe’s age is now getting in the way, as hand-holders are always nearby. One would have expected at least one of the questions to be about the disappearance of journalist-cum-human rights activist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted in broad daylight by suspected State security agents last month.
And do people work the crowd for their own ego? Perhaps what was most revealing about Mugabe is that despite him and Zuma being allotted equal 10-minute slots for their speeches, Mugabe went on to speak for an hour or so, virtually hijacking the event or running away with the baton, whereas Zuma stuck to the time limit. No matter the temptation to strut his stuff, the President shouldn’t have gone over limit like that.
Could it be phoniness? When you compare what Mugabe says when he is on the other side of the Limpopo to what he says here, you would think there are two different Presidents. Out there, he sounds like Africa’s greatest gift to the world. He exudes amity; that is, friendship, peaceful harmony, mutual understanding between nations. Is it that side of him that has made him the concurrent chairperson of the African Union and regional bloc Sadc?
Out there, he is the paragon of a fearless fighter for justice. They look up to him as the champion of an alternative world order. He has been pushing, for instance, for a more democratic United Nations with Africa being allotted a permanent seat in the veto power-wielding Security Council. Well and good because the UN has become a relic of the bipolar Cold War past whereas the world is now multipolar. Such veto powers are tantamount to inbuilt rigging.
Back home, Mugabe has virtually given himself the very same veto powers he professes to loathe at the UN. Read a pro-Zanu PF weekly paper this week: “Zanu PF is prepared to remove from its ranks any officials with links to expelled ex-Vice-President Dr Joice Mujuru to ensure it forges ahead with singularity of mind and spirit.” This is cleansing by another name. Where in the whole, wide world do you get “singularity of mind and spirit”? Views are as different as the world is diverse.
Mr President, if you are a democracy purist, why don’t you practice democracy at all levels? Why are you secretive with the voters’ roll? Why can’t you embrace e-voting which gave Nigeria the freest and fairest elections in its history last month? Mr President, please bring your away form home.
