In particular, a week spent with my reverend friend, an apostolic bishop, in prayer and supplication, would go a long way to soothe my tempestuous soul. It was this very Bishop who phoned me a few days before flight, with a veiled suggestion.
“Kenny, is your trip all set?” He asked, breathing slowly and deliberately. Africans have this ability of transmitting messages without saying actual words. I remember my mother standing there, in a posture of aggression, after we had stolen her peanut butter.
“Masamba asiyana.” He continued. The date was October 19 or thereabouts, and I was supposed to attend Ibbo Mandaza’s workshop on the Constitutional Amendment Bill (3) on October 22.
After hearing my intention, the bishop said quietly (though the breathing was louder than his words). “Kenny, did you hear what I said?”
Two days later, Brother Mandaza’s conference centre was fire-bombed.
A few weeks later, Professor Lovemore Madhuku and his colleagues, were visited by a police (allegedly) posse.
“You cannot escape without a beating,” police agents, whose names have been circulated on Internet, proudly announced while assaulting the learned professor and his colleagues.
Kusafunda kwakaipa. Many years, in 1961, after the Soweto school riots, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the invasion of the Anglican Cathedral in Johannesburg by police thugs, beating up pupils who had taken refuge there.
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This was followed later by an attack of attorney Douglas Coltart by stalwart and much acclaimed Zanu PF central committee member Luckmore Tapiwa (has more than one name). Coltart’s’ telephone was seized and his eye glass smashed.
Mukuru misled!
My misgivings about the Constitutional Bill (No 3) have nothing to do with the provisions themselves but about a feeling I have that Mukuru has been misled by psychophants and proceeded on a dangerous path (Rutendo Matinyarare) without exhaustive consultation.
For instance, the CAB (No 3) as proposed in Bulawayo and Mutare Zanu PF conferences was short and self-explanatory.
The proposition was to explore the extension of Mukuru’s tenure by two years in view of his principled, stalwart and revolutionary leadership in development projects.
In the same conference (Bulawayo) attorney Patrick Chinamasa showed unparalleled patience and wisdom in explaining the hurdles that stood in the way of the proposal.
The Wise One (Chinamasa) said there were two proposals, one to extend Mukuru’s tenure and the second to exonerate Mukuru from the constitutional clause that bars incumbents from benefitting from changes they themselves have proposed (self-interest).
Each proposal would require a separate referendum.
A sinner brother stood up to destroy the meticulous work the Wise One had done by these words. “This constitution is ours, if we feel like, and we don’t like it, we can tear it to bits.” (or words to that effect).
That is the attitude of a very foolish brother. There are things in the universe which are sacred. Constitutions are sacred, they cannot be torn up each time a brother drinks some pombe (beer).
Kusafunda kwakaipa. Humans are treacherous, and wise men need pay little attention to their songs. “Mukuru huchi.”
When the Persian leader Cyrus the Great (d 530 BC) visited his grave diggers- they began to sing lustily- May Cyrus live forever!
Cyrus had the presence of mind to point out the contradiction.
The heart of the constitution (2013) paragraphs (328) (952) (98) was to make it impossible for a second Mugabe to be born and to rule till he was senile.
Secondly, the CAB (3) is loaded with all sorts of paraphernalia which is unrelated to the conference resolutions in either Bulawayo or Mutare. The politicisation of chiefs, the extension of parliamentary terms, the elimination of the Gender Commission, etc..
Thirdly, Rutendo Matinyarare, a tireless propagandist, shares some credit for placing the country on the World Tourist Map as number one destination in Africa and the withdrawal of US-Zidera sanctions.
Rutendo’s input was excluded while the opinion of the notorious intellectual prostitute, Jonathan Moyo was sought.
The exclusion of Rutendo, a propagandist of international renown, may have been fatal as will be shown below.
Jonathan, true to his profession as a prostitute, does not even hope to advance the merits of CAB (3)-as per BBC audio (February 4).
He proposes to by-pass scrutiny through a fake constitutional challenge by prostituted attorneys before a captured constitutional court.
An under-current of dissatisfaction arises from the attempt to exclude Gudo Guru from the succession debate and the daily attempt by these sinner brothers, Chris Mutsvangwa and Temba Mliswa to disrespect and erase Gudo’s illustrious career before and after independence.
For Chris, this is a repeat of his attempt to erase Sister Joice Mujuru’s liberation story (the Runaida story 2012).
The liberation record will show that Gudo, under the nom-de-guerre of Dominic Chinenge (26 years old) commanded the first mass guerilla group in June 1977 that expelled a colonial force from Nyajena territory.
Headmaster Joseph Mushuku, an eye witness at the school, is still alive.
Unlike Zapu PF (my party) the Nyajena operation was the first time Zanla forces had transformed from guerilla tactics to a national force.
Rutendo argues that while Mukuru has done well for his time, but for a man who has served in government since 1980 (46 years) to seek more time is an unserious argument. (American English).
In any case, of the 230 items listed in the 2017-19 manifesto, only 16 percent have been accomplished, after ten years. ls.
“I am a constitutionalist- and I believe that the constitution should be followed to the letter. Shona-Kana nguya yako yasvika, enda.” Mukuru.
Zanu PF can double down, which is foolish, or can return to the platform presented by the Wise One (Chinamasa).
The resentment is based on two platforms: (a)the additional “stuff” added to the original resolution (b) and the attempt to avoid procedures.
- Ken Mufuka is a Zimbabwean patriot.
