Zanu-PF leaders have lost direction, says Mugabe's nephew

President Robert Mugabe's nephew - Patrick Zhuwao has lashed out at top Zanu PF officials whom he accused of fleecing ordinary Zimbabweans 'of their hard-earned money'.

He said the unnamed leaders have lost direction.

Zhuwao made the bold claims in his weekly Sunday Mail column - The Zhuwao Brief.

Below is the full narration which has focus on Heroes and Defence Forces days.

The Zhuwao Brief congratulates the nation on the occasion of our Heroes and Defence Forces days.

These holidays serve to remind us, as Zimbabweans, of not only the supreme sacrifice that our gallant sons and daughters of the soil made to ensure that we are a free and liberated people.

We must also respect, with gratitude, how our uniformed men and women continue to toil to safeguard our hard-won Independence, territorial integrity and national sovereignty.

Whilst these holidays appear to be focussed on celebrating our heroes and our uniformed men and women, the Zhuwao Brief believes that the holidays offer us, as the political leadership, an opportunity to re-evaluate the manner in which we conduct ourselves.

Consequently, this week I borrow from the theme of the liberation war song titled "Nzira dzemasoja".

"Nzira dzemasoja" is premised on Chairman Mao's three rules of discipline and eight points of attention.

This was a military doctrine issued in 1928 for the Chinese Red Army as they were fighting the Kuomintang.

Chairman Mao's three rules of discipline and eight points of attention provided the foundational values that enabled the Red Army to secure the support of the Chinese masses.

In a similar vein, "Nzira dzemasoja" served to provide the footing that saw Zimbabwe's war of liberation being a collective effort between the trained liberation fighters and the masses of Zimbabwe.

"Nzira dzemasoja" provides the root for the discipline that is quintessential of a well-trained soldier who is able to resist the temptation of abusing the massive fire power inherent in the arms of war he/she carries.

"Nzira dzemasoja" is particularly apt for this particular holiday season.

It is a song that explains the discipline that resulted in Zimbabwe becoming independent. It is also a song that outlines that discipline is also a necessary and requisite condition for safeguarding that hard-won Independence.

The leadership in Zanu-PF needs to remember that the ruling party was founded for the specific purpose of waging an armed liberation war against the oppressive white settler colonial regime.

That means Zanu-PF was established to be a military party. It is a party whose ethos revolves around military-style discipline.

This is amply demonstrated by its rites and rituals, some of which include saluting senior leadership.

Consequently, Zanu-PF's leadership must be reminded that Chairman Mao's three rules of discipline and eight points of attention as articulated in "Nzira dzemasoja" apply to them as the leadership of a military party.

It is gratifying to note that Zanu-PF youths have taken to reminding each other of these three rules of discipline and eight points of attention.

Unfortunately, the Zhuwao Brief cannot vouch for the behaviour of some of the senior leadership who appear to have abandoned Chairman Mao's three rules of discipline and eight points of attention.

This is particularly disheartening when one considers that some of these members of senior leadership were trained militarily. They have lost direction.

Furthermore, the behaviour of some of Zanu-PF leaders in terms of their engagement with citizens leaves a lot to be desired. Ordinary men and women are being fleeced of their hard-earned money by land barons who hide behind Zanu-PF's name.

Some of these unscrupulous scoundrels have gone to the extent of abusing the name of the First Lady.

"Nzira dzemasoja" was created to ensure that soldiers behave responsibly in light of the massive fire power they have at their disposal.
Icho!