×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

The folly of political banter

Opinion & Analysis
The moment one starts seeing consequences of their actions, good or bad, manifesting immediately thereafter or later still within one’s appreciation of memory and reflection, it is safe to bid the Sunday school teacher goodbye. It is instructive that at this stage, one needs to take charge of not only their actions, but in some way influence the direct and indirect outcomes they desire.

The moment one starts seeing consequences of their actions, good or bad, manifesting immediately thereafter or later still within one’s appreciation of memory and reflection, it is safe to bid the Sunday school teacher goodbye. It is instructive that at this stage, one needs to take charge of not only their actions, but in some way influence the direct and indirect outcomes they desire.

By Robert Sigauke

Children say what they want, anywhere even, and easily get away with it. Some adults do too, it is unfortunate but forgivable. Think not about their ‘adult’ tag but more about their standing and circumstances. Some adults cannot afford to say what they want, and get away with it. It is expensive.

What an irony that former President Robert Mugabe failed to see the thickening plot to oust him from right under his nose, while he managed to see the impending “grand coalition grand defeat” from miles away? If Mugabe thought he was safe in his seat, well he was wrong as everyone witnessed, but his thought that the much-hyped grand coalition would suffer a grand defeat, the vindication is long but surely coming.

The people who are laughing the loudest are MDC-T vice-president Elias Mudzuri and MDC-T breakaway leader Thokozani Khupe. The “I told you so” look on their faces can easily make anyone a prophet. It is founded on both fact and legitimate suspicion. What still gives Khupe the energy to go on fighting all the way to the courts to retain legitimate leadership of the bigger faction?

What’s behind Mudzuri’s publicised displeasure with the candidate selection process within the MDC-T? It is telling remembering the succession upheavals that rocked the party. The dust has certainly not settled. It was a battle won, not the war as yet.

MDC-T leader Nelson Chamisa makes their case much easier. Whether it is a case of dreaming big that went into overdrive or simply a runaway train, he should know he carries all the now slim chances the coalition desperately can salvage. The coalition is not short of better principals than Chamisa, but the political blueprint finds every reason to eliminate each one of them from the helm.

This already is a frustration to all of them, their nights get longer because of a brilliant young man who is blind to the damage his actions and reckless utterances are doing to their collective effort. For political correctness and warmth inside the tent, it is wisdom at this critical time to remain silent in case the gods are kind on the ballot.

Unfortunately, the gods have become so predictable like never before that keeping quiet on the principals’ part will surely come as a personal leadership yardstick in the future, specifically the day after election results when they will face their respective parties to explain how things went wrong but not why they got it wrong. Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume, even with his briefcase party found it hard to be dictated to by Big Brother, if his words at his congress are worth any salt. How dare you, iwe Ngarivhume?

But being a Christian party have you prophesied that Big Brother is now in name only and heading south, pulling the tent with him?

While it is good and indeed commendable to dream big, in the process one must know his audience, their immediate needs and indeed circumstances, what’s practical to them and what’s not, their exposure in relation to the average world and indeed, it is not always costly not to be politically correct.

Chamisa’s many a gaffe come across as desperation at best and opportunistic at worst. Publicising a false $15 billion promise from US President Donald Trump is desperation, promising every villager in Murambinda a tractor and tarring the road a few months into office is laughable, transforming the growth point into a city is futuristic and inconsistent with today’s agenda, denying on BBC Hard Talk that he said he met Trump which was caught on video is, at best, wily.

All the jobless and hungry city folks, Chamisa has blessings in the bag for you too! Bullet trains even envied by those Mongol-eyed inhabitants off the coast of Tokyo. Much ado about the monotonous gospel of “introducing” greenbacks and rand as local currency in place of bond notes.

All the while the Crocodile is pressing the right buttons at every gathering. He does not just speak, he reads his audience well and resonates with their expectations and hope for the near future, in their lifetime. Mnangagwa pulls along even those on the other side, even those still stuck in sympathy of the past administration. He has managed generational conflict on practical terms. Chamisa’s generational consensus approach has completely lost its plot and has disengaged with the vast rural buy-in which is expensive for a political party aiming for more national appeal, let alone in an election year.

Chamisa, do not bank on swing votes from the older generation or the rural voters, you will not get any. Go to basics with them, talk their language, do not try to be too clever for them in case you make them feel as dull and detached from the speed of world development, utter what is practical with indeed a flair of charm espoused in vision and hope, dream on but move with the people at their pace and not disengage, otherwise the runaway head will crash without the wagons packed with matter, indeed the people who matter.