ZAPU fires warning shots at Mnangagwa

ZANU is a criminal organization built on a foundation of lies, conspiracy, treachery and a network of bought puppets masquerading as all sorts of officials. These officials are found on all strata of society from the ZANU Ward Committee Chair, Youth League, Women's League, Army, Police, Media, Judiciary, the Civil Service right up to the Cabinet and I daresay the Presidency. In effect the State of the Republic of Zimbabwe is now captured by this Mafia who fail to distinguish, even on a cameo basis, the line between Party and State. Were it not for the tragic consequences for the country we could be laughing our lungs out daily. But this comedy is ruining the country at a breakaway speed with no end in sight.

The events of the past week have brought out one chilling aspect of this State capture. The sustained attacks on the person and office of the Ndiweni Chieftainship have brought to the fore just how vindictive ZANU is if you do not toe their line. It is no secret that ZANU through the Government has captured most chiefs and village heads through their tried and tested method of patronage and handouts. In Resettlement areas most of the Village Heads are deployed war veterans with the given mandate of terrorizing the poor villagers and making sure they toe the ZANU line in exchange of donor handouts disguised as Party largesse.

At the more complex level of Chieftainship, ZANU has continued with the colonial system where the Government has a say in the conferment of Chieftainship. This system was used by the colonial administration to destroy any resistance built around the Chief who was a representative of the King and a symbol of both Tradition and Culture. The administration meddled and appointed its puppets in most Chieftainships. These puppets paid allegiance to the administration which rewarded them with nominal stipends. ZANU has continued this system of patronage, giving perks to traditional leaders as payment for loyalty. In some sections of the society we have seen disputed chieftainships being decided on Party lines. The Charumbira case being at the fore. Fortune Charumbira sings louder and more off key than everyone else to hold on to a seat that is not his birthright.

The Ndiweni Chieftainship has given the ZANU government headaches because the incumbent, one Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni, does not need to sing for his supper. His Royal Highness is assured of his birthright according to tradition and culture, he is even more assured of his role as a traditional leader of the Mangwe Clans and his rights as a citizen of this country. He is on record as saying the stipend is not befitting his status and is not enough for his breakfast. He was not the preferred candidate of the government because of his perceived rebellious nature. He has not disappointed. He has taken the fight to the establishment without fear and in the process earned the affection and respect of his people. He has also given hope to other Ndebele Chiefs who had been cowed into silence by the state.

Understandably this has also earned him the wrath of the ZANU apparatus of state capture. They have come out in all their comic rage to attack Chief Ndiweni. It is shocking that a reputed taxi driver with dubious claim to war veteran status can threaten a chief of Mdladla's stature and not receive a reprimand from the Government. What is even more shocking are the utterances attributed to this useless expense on the fiscus that the people of Matebeleland are a ‘deprived section' of the society. We have rarely witnessed such careless utterances from the cabinet. This taxi driver has to be censured and kicked out of cabinet. His language is more befitting of his kith and kin in the mushika-shika business where he obviously belongs. Chief Ndiweni was clearly within his rights to warn ED of an impending uprising by the people who are increasingly restive because of the unsustainable hardships they are facing daily. ED's cabinet is responsible for the mess through their lies, policy bankruptcy, corruption and ineptitude. And the buck stops with ED as their boss. Ultimately the buck stops with the people of Zimbabwe to whom ED and his Cabinet (taxi driver included) are accountable. The people of Zimbabwe do not owe ED any allegiance. Instead ED owes an obligation to the people of Zimbabwe to improve their standard of living as he promised during his campaign for election.

OkaKhayisa was within his rights to call ED and his government to account. He certainly does not need to be threatened by dubious a war veteran who is clearly singing for his supper. Of even a greater threat to the security of the country were the actions of the ZANU youth and women's league in the company of people from the President's office of assaulting the Chief.The vehicle they tried to repossess does not belong to the government, neither does it belong to ZANU. It belongs to Chief Ndiweni as his birthright assured by the constitution of the Republic of Zimbabwe which recognizes the office of traditional leaders. That vehicle is not a symbol of 30 pieces of silver for which the Charumbiras have sold their souls.

ZAPU calls on ED to put a leash on his hounds, otherwise the thin veneer of his legitimacy is wearing off for the world to see and condemn him. The actions of the taxi driver and the youth are a more clarion call for sanctions than any press statement by Chief Ndiweni. Sanctions are imposed for Human Rights violations such as harassing and assaulting a Chief for daring to alert the President to security threats caused by his government.

ZAPU takes this opportunity to warn ED of the security threat posed by the actions of his taxi driver and the youth of his party. ZAPU would like to tell His Excellency that such actions and utterances won't work in bringing development but will work in bringing sanctions. It won't work, will work, you will not work. Simple.