OPINION: ED Is His Own Detractor

An opinionist writing for Newsday has said President Mnangagwa is his own detractor. Basing his argument on the fact that the president was ushered into office by the army in 2017, the opinionist further claimed that President Mnangagwa was following the footsteps of former president Robert Mugabe of preserving the ruling party from being voted out by the masses by any means necessary and he was missing the opportunity to do right and be carved in history as a great statesman.

Opined Cyprian Muketiwa Ndawana:

…Now, with the Mnangagwa coronation, it became apparent that the bullet prevails over the ballot. It stands to reason that the military is the kingmaker. It cannot be by accident but by design that for the second time, the military deemed it its mandate to directly decide on politics.

Readmission process of Mnangagwa into Zanu PF and electing him as first secretary were of subsidiary significance.

It was rubber-stamping an appointment the military had already made. After all, all party provinces had endorsed his sacking by Mugabe without a whimper.

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Anyway, life had to move on. However, comparisons are inevitable. Ordinarily, it is imperative for anticipating future prospects for citizenry to compare the leadership of Mnangagwa with that of his predecessor. But, this norm does not apply when it comes to headstrong Zanu PF.

My sworn conviction is that the welfare of citizenry is not essentially determined by any leadership traits of a particular leader but by the system they represent and uphold. Granted, Zanu PF is a rigid entity that is primarily concerned with self-preservation.

When Mnangagwa said that Zanu PF would rule despite citizenry wailing, (tichatonga muchingo vukura) it was this rigidity he was referring to. Before him, former Vice-President Simon Muzenda told party members that if Zanu PF fielded a baboon, vote for it.

Despite a litany of mantras by Mnangagwa, the change of guard has zero rewarding prospects for the populace. It signifies the slouching of a reptile in which the shedding off of the old skin does not change the nature of the creature, in spite of its new skin.

It would be for academic purposes only to compare and contrast their leadership philosophies. What is of paramount significance is to realise that whoever leads the party, regardless of varying leadership thrust, their singular objective is the preservation of the party.

It was precisely for party preservation objectives that on his ascendancy, Mnangagwa bought trucks for all Zanu PF constituency leaders and chiefs. Also, he created offices for bigwigs who lost elections. Indeed, the party cares for its own rank and file.

This explains why he heaved traits of the old dispensation, in their entirety, into the said new. There is not a single ideology that differentiates the second republic from the first. He changed labels without changing contents, just like wearing the old regalia inside out.

There can never be a second republic or a new dispensation when the stench of the old subdues the aroma of the said new. With all due respect, Zimbabwe can never be open for business in such foul conditions. As I see it, all these mantras are rhetorical nonsense.

Me thinks Mnangagwa is his own detractor. His holding on to the notion that sanctions on Zimbabwe were imposed illegally impedes economic recovery more than the sanctions. It is time he rose above Zanu PF humdrum. He risks missing the opportunity of being distinguished Statesman if he does not implement reforms.

More: Newsday