Opinion / Columnist
Photoshop and deceit - Handy tools for writing the Zanu-PF manifesto
11 Jul 2013 at 06:47hrs | Views
The ZANU PF manifesto that was launched last week by Robert Mugabe is a manifestation of the desperation, factionalism and lack of ideas that have come to be associated with the party. Even the most ardent ZANU PF supporter will shrink to the size of a Smurf in shame whilst reading the document.
Firstly, though, I just want to deal with some housekeeping issues which affect the completeness of the document.
The cover page is a balancing act as it features a photo-shopped image of Robert Mugabe, a picture of Amai Mujuru and words by the late John Nkomo to the effect that peace is the responsibility of all of us. Robert's Mugabe picture looks odd to say the least. Instead of looking his age they have attempted to make him look younger but they also made him look disproportionate in the process. Indeed the image makes one think of a certain irresponsible and petulant leader of North Korea who has been threatening to blow anyone who stands in his way to smithereens.
It is deceitful of ZANU to continue to abuse the well meaning words of John Nkomo - "Peace begins with me; Peace begins, with you, Peace begins with all of us". I suppose the idea is portray an image that whenever there isn't peace then it is the fault of all of us. In their thinking it means is that it's your fault if you are the victim of violence because you didn't play your part in keeping the peace. The aggressor and the victim are equally to blame.
It is the responsibility of the Government to provide peace, full stop.
There is a lack of attention to simple arithmetic throughout the document. Page 50, for example, has a table called the $42 billion cost of the sanctions burden, the actual total of the figures in the table is $46 billion. It is criminal that a party that expects to be in Government for the next 5 years cannot add 5 rows in a spreadsheet. The errors on page 105 could have been corrected with simple rounding, 590 050 multiplied by 10 is equal to 5 900 500 and not 5 900 498.
Lest we forget, what would a ZANU document be without those words? The words are conveniently placed on a pre-independence picture of a white man piggy backing on a black man's back as they cross a river. The intention is obvious but the result is disastrous. If you are in Zimbabwe replace the white man with the picture of a Chinese man. If you are a Zimbabwean in South Africa you will feel the pain of the dishonesty in the picture.
Aside from the issues outlined above which have left me convinced that the document was a rushed job done without input from the different factions of the party, there are other deceitful elements in the document. Was there a policy conference to discuss the contents of the manifesto?
The document lists what it calls the goals of the people, 23 of them. These include Independence, Sovereignty, Unity, Security, Respect for the values and ideals of the liberation struggle, Patriotism, Education for all, Equity, Peace, Freedom and democracy, Non-violence, Health for all, the youth as the future among others.
What is the difference one may ask between peace and non-violence? Why are they listed as different goals? Where is justice, employment? The words sell out also find their place somewhere in this section. I am surprised that they didn't find time to list warm sunshine, well behaved children and a three day weekend.
Zimbabwe is an independent country and has been since 1980. The fact that ZANU failed to use the independence to improve the lives of its citizens doesn't make it any less independent. It's done, its over, lets move on. How can the people of Zimbabwe have as a goal something that they already have?
As for sovereignty, we don't have our own currency thanks to the same liars who wrote the document. Walk into any supermarket and count the number of products manufactured in Zimbabwe. Don't mention the Chinese.
The youth of Zimbabwe should be ecstatic. ZANU has realised that they are the future. And what is the promise to the youth one may ask, well more of the past is the answer.
The second part of the analysis will look at other aspects of the ZANU manifesto and its promise or lack thereof for a better, brighter future for the people of Zimbabwe.
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Kumbirai Muchemwa is the spokesperson of the MDC in South Africa and can be contacted on kmuchemwa@mdcsa.co.za
Firstly, though, I just want to deal with some housekeeping issues which affect the completeness of the document.
The cover page is a balancing act as it features a photo-shopped image of Robert Mugabe, a picture of Amai Mujuru and words by the late John Nkomo to the effect that peace is the responsibility of all of us. Robert's Mugabe picture looks odd to say the least. Instead of looking his age they have attempted to make him look younger but they also made him look disproportionate in the process. Indeed the image makes one think of a certain irresponsible and petulant leader of North Korea who has been threatening to blow anyone who stands in his way to smithereens.
It is deceitful of ZANU to continue to abuse the well meaning words of John Nkomo - "Peace begins with me; Peace begins, with you, Peace begins with all of us". I suppose the idea is portray an image that whenever there isn't peace then it is the fault of all of us. In their thinking it means is that it's your fault if you are the victim of violence because you didn't play your part in keeping the peace. The aggressor and the victim are equally to blame.
It is the responsibility of the Government to provide peace, full stop.
There is a lack of attention to simple arithmetic throughout the document. Page 50, for example, has a table called the $42 billion cost of the sanctions burden, the actual total of the figures in the table is $46 billion. It is criminal that a party that expects to be in Government for the next 5 years cannot add 5 rows in a spreadsheet. The errors on page 105 could have been corrected with simple rounding, 590 050 multiplied by 10 is equal to 5 900 500 and not 5 900 498.
Lest we forget, what would a ZANU document be without those words? The words are conveniently placed on a pre-independence picture of a white man piggy backing on a black man's back as they cross a river. The intention is obvious but the result is disastrous. If you are in Zimbabwe replace the white man with the picture of a Chinese man. If you are a Zimbabwean in South Africa you will feel the pain of the dishonesty in the picture.
Aside from the issues outlined above which have left me convinced that the document was a rushed job done without input from the different factions of the party, there are other deceitful elements in the document. Was there a policy conference to discuss the contents of the manifesto?
The document lists what it calls the goals of the people, 23 of them. These include Independence, Sovereignty, Unity, Security, Respect for the values and ideals of the liberation struggle, Patriotism, Education for all, Equity, Peace, Freedom and democracy, Non-violence, Health for all, the youth as the future among others.
What is the difference one may ask between peace and non-violence? Why are they listed as different goals? Where is justice, employment? The words sell out also find their place somewhere in this section. I am surprised that they didn't find time to list warm sunshine, well behaved children and a three day weekend.
Zimbabwe is an independent country and has been since 1980. The fact that ZANU failed to use the independence to improve the lives of its citizens doesn't make it any less independent. It's done, its over, lets move on. How can the people of Zimbabwe have as a goal something that they already have?
As for sovereignty, we don't have our own currency thanks to the same liars who wrote the document. Walk into any supermarket and count the number of products manufactured in Zimbabwe. Don't mention the Chinese.
The youth of Zimbabwe should be ecstatic. ZANU has realised that they are the future. And what is the promise to the youth one may ask, well more of the past is the answer.
The second part of the analysis will look at other aspects of the ZANU manifesto and its promise or lack thereof for a better, brighter future for the people of Zimbabwe.
--------------
Kumbirai Muchemwa is the spokesperson of the MDC in South Africa and can be contacted on kmuchemwa@mdcsa.co.za
Source - Kumbirai Muchemwa
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