Why Zhuwao tries to place Chiyangwa a distance from Mugabe

A political commentator Alex Magaisa has there is politics in the  totem dispute raised by Patrick Zhuwao, the President's nephew  when he  wrote in the Sunday Mail condemning Philip Chiyangwa's behaviour and essentially disowning him as a relative of the President.

Magaisa said Chiyangwa has previously been presented as a nephew of the President.

"Now, Zhuwao says the relationship is merely totemic and is not a close family relationship although they are both of the Gushungo clan," said Magaisa.

"The incident reminded me of something that happened during my tenure in office when I worked with Mr Tsvangirai."

He said Tsvangirai and himself happen to share a totem.

"We are both of the Save/Dziva clan," said Magaisa.

"One day, in a meeting with a senior diplomat, I was surprised when I was asked if it was true that I was Tsvangirai's cousin. Why, I asked, knowing that someone was up to some mischief. You see, politics is very dirty and people are always saying unpleasant things about other people. In my brief tenure, I learnt that there are no real friends in politics. And there is no secret in politics, too. So whatever you say, you can be sure that it will reach other ears."

Magaisa said this is why often, it is best not to talk but to watch and observe quietly.

"If you talk, it can only be because you want the message to reach other ears," he said.

"Anyway, someone or some people had obviously been going round spreading the false message that Tsvangirai had hired his relative. This was consistent with the image they wanted to paint that Tsvangirai liked to surround himself with his relatives. So the message was, far from being a professional who had been hired, Magaisa was in fact his cousin."

Magaisa said, "I chuckled when the diplomat made this remark because I sensed where it was coming from and why. I took the opportunity to deliver a lecture on totems and clans in traditional Karanga/Shona society. I saw that he was quite fascinated by the whole phenomenon and later we would often talk about this traditional institution and its implications."

"It helped him to understand the phenomenon but also exposed the double-standards and duplicity of those colleagues who had been spreading false rumours of a close familial relationship between Tsvangirai and I, over and beyond our totemic connection."

Magaisa said there was a totemic link yes, but not the close familial relationship they wanted to paint.

"I had been hired not because I was a Save, but for professional reasons. And if I was defending him, it was not because he was a Save but for professional reasons. It was an interesting discussion, one that gave early insights into the dirty character of politics," said Magaisa.

"So it was with some interest that I read about Zhuwao trying to place some distance between his uncle President Mugabe and Phillip Chiyangwa, even though they are both of the Gushingo clan. Politics!"