News / National
Mugabe is an insecure chap of average intellect
30 Oct 2017 at 03:28hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe's carefully constructed and diligently guarded, cult of personality which presents him as a formidable intellectual, a principled and incorruptible leader, a crafty political operator and black liberation icon is a mirage according to Zimbabwe's former deputy prime minister.
Former deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara who got close and personal with President Mugabe during erstwhile coalition government said in an interveiw that Mugabe is not an able man, but an insecure chap of average intellect.
"Mugabe cannot work well with individuals of superior intellect or talent, strong personality, and independent thinking. This explains the fate of Eddison Zvobgo, Edgar Tekere, Ndabaningi Sithole, Simba Makoni, Dzinashe Machingura and Enos Nkala, to mention a few names.
"Mugabe's shallowness, intellectual inadequacy, and lack of gravitas are best revealed by his packing order of matters he considers important: number ONE is himself, number TWO is his family, number THREE is ZANU-PF, number FOUR is the country. This means he will do things that are just good for him alone, but which negatively impact his family, and devastate his Party. The way he has handled succession in ZANU-PF is instructive.
"More importantly he will ruin the country while satisfying his personal narcissistic needs, the aspirations of his family, and ambitions of his Party in that order. This framework - the Mugabe hierarchy of importance - explains all his activities and why the country is in such a mess. The success and welfare of the Zimbabwean citizens is the least of his concerns. This is clearly not enlightened, informed or intelligent leadership. It is the hallmark of unparalleled mediocrity and inordinate insecurity.
"He is an ardent practitioner of Machiavellian politics. He only read and continues to read one book: The Prince. The framework is: How do I pursue power, get power, and keep it; by any means necessary. Power is an end in itself, and NOT a public good. Mugabe is the personification, and an embodiment of, a crippling inordinate lust for power. He does not realize that actually Machiavelli wrote a second book called The Discourses, where he explained that The Prince, in addition to pursuing power, must also care about Legacy. Hence the grip on power can be explained by this Machiavellian streak.
"As explained earlier this fixation is driven by the views of Machiavelli as expounded in the book: The Prince. However, Mugabe's interpretation is a primitive understanding of the Machiavellian philosophy and strategy, as the later book the The Discourses refines the disposition to include legacy and positive socio-political and economic impact, as objectives of a Prince."
Former deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara who got close and personal with President Mugabe during erstwhile coalition government said in an interveiw that Mugabe is not an able man, but an insecure chap of average intellect.
"Mugabe cannot work well with individuals of superior intellect or talent, strong personality, and independent thinking. This explains the fate of Eddison Zvobgo, Edgar Tekere, Ndabaningi Sithole, Simba Makoni, Dzinashe Machingura and Enos Nkala, to mention a few names.
"Mugabe's shallowness, intellectual inadequacy, and lack of gravitas are best revealed by his packing order of matters he considers important: number ONE is himself, number TWO is his family, number THREE is ZANU-PF, number FOUR is the country. This means he will do things that are just good for him alone, but which negatively impact his family, and devastate his Party. The way he has handled succession in ZANU-PF is instructive.
"More importantly he will ruin the country while satisfying his personal narcissistic needs, the aspirations of his family, and ambitions of his Party in that order. This framework - the Mugabe hierarchy of importance - explains all his activities and why the country is in such a mess. The success and welfare of the Zimbabwean citizens is the least of his concerns. This is clearly not enlightened, informed or intelligent leadership. It is the hallmark of unparalleled mediocrity and inordinate insecurity.
"He is an ardent practitioner of Machiavellian politics. He only read and continues to read one book: The Prince. The framework is: How do I pursue power, get power, and keep it; by any means necessary. Power is an end in itself, and NOT a public good. Mugabe is the personification, and an embodiment of, a crippling inordinate lust for power. He does not realize that actually Machiavelli wrote a second book called The Discourses, where he explained that The Prince, in addition to pursuing power, must also care about Legacy. Hence the grip on power can be explained by this Machiavellian streak.
"As explained earlier this fixation is driven by the views of Machiavelli as expounded in the book: The Prince. However, Mugabe's interpretation is a primitive understanding of the Machiavellian philosophy and strategy, as the later book the The Discourses refines the disposition to include legacy and positive socio-political and economic impact, as objectives of a Prince."
Source - newzimbabwe
