Opinion / Columnist
Tribalism and Patriarchy at play in the appointments of MDC-T VPs
19 Jul 2016 at 14:43hrs | Views
The unilateral addition of Nelson Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri to the MDC-T presidium is set to split the party amid revelations that it is ultra vires the constitution of that movement.
The MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai is one of the people who have been viciously attacking President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF Government for violating the Constitution. The alleged violation of the MDC-T Constitution by its supreme leader, who is supposed to be the utmost upholder of same, once again exposes the magnitude of mendaciousness within the leadership of that party.
There has been a slapdash propaganda by Tsvangirai's spinmeisters who attempt to exonerate him and deflate attention from him on the basis that his party is not yet in Government. Of course the violation of the MDC-T could have evaded attention if the MDC-T was not dreaming of forming the next Government. Those small breaches and infractions of rules must be interrogated because they have a tendency of developing into a fully-blown culture which can be carried foward into Government.
If Tsvangirai can contravene his party's constitution now, nothing will stop him from doing so with the national Constitution if he lands the country's number one job. These are the small traits that electorate must consider when assessing the suitability of a presidential hopeful. In Mr Tsvangirai, there is a dictator in the making, a male chauvinist and a treacherous tribalist.
Tsvangirai shamelessly claimed that he made the appointments with the blessing of his National Executive Council so that the appointees could help him steer the ship ahead of the watershed 2018 elections. If there was such a directive from the National Council which is the MDC-T's highest decision making structure between congresses, his inner circle would not be as indignant as they are. Although they initially battled to hide their anger over the violation of their party's constitution by Tsvangirai, those who have hitherto been close to the center of power cannot veil it any longer. There are media reports that the top officials are holding clandestine meetings to scheme against the appointments.
The MDC-T Vice President, Thokhozani Khupe could not respond to enquiries from the media, only referring all questions to her boss. She is part of the National Executive Council and one wonders why she labored this much to respond to the media inquiry if she was part to the decision. "If you want any comment on that issue, can you please talk to Morgan Richard Tsvangirai," Khupe told the media. Her anger was apparent in her tone.
The anger was also evident in the MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu's post on his facebook wall. Gutu, who used to be very generous with responses on any issue pertaining to his party, referred all questions to Tsvangirai despite him being a member of the powerful national council.
"As MDC-T national spokesperson, kindly be advised that I have absolutely NO comment to make on the appointments for the office of Vice President that were announced at a press conference this morning," wrote Gutu. That statement, coming from a member of the national council and a national spokesperson is pregnant with meaning.
Even the secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora, the fourth powerful member in the MDC-T was not part to the decision to appoint the two VPs as he was outside the country. He will meet the shock of his life upon his return considering that he was also eying the presidency. When Tsvangirai went down with colon cancer, Mwonzora and Khupe allegedly hastened to talk about replacing him and were reportedly having unofficial meetings with the ZimPF for an alliance. The unilateral appointments of Chamisa and Mudzuri, both from the cold are a fix for Mwonzora and Khupe.
Ordinarily, Tsvangirai is sandwiched by any of his inner circle when announcing that important appointments to the nation through the media. Instead, the MDC-T leader announced the appointments while strangely flanked by his personal spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka and his wife Elizabeth. It looked very personal as if the Tsvangirais were appointing their farm manager. Certainly, the two appointees, being professionals as they are, would not derive pleasure from such appointments which lack institutional consensus.
Mr Tsvangirai was at the forefront of attacking President Mugabe for having a bloated structure including the presidium. The two offices of Vice Presidents in Zanu PF is justifiable considering that there was need to unite Zapu and Zanu, the Shona and the Ndebele after a civil disturbance that rocked the Matebeleland and Midlands regions in the mid eighties. Without any cause, Tsvangirai has done worse than Zanu PF. There is no need for three vice presidents in a tiny party like the MDC-T.
There are speculations that the appointments have been motivated by Tsvangirai's pending exit from the political scene due to infirmity. Thus, he wants to leave the party in the hands of a trusted lieutenant who will continue to protect his interests. If this is anything to go by, then Tsvangirai would have insulted the Ndebele tribe and the females of this country. Tsvangirai seems to have a conviction that a person from the Ndebele tribe cannot rule this country. Madam Khupe was just thrust into that office for tribal balance.
It is worse that Khupe is a female Vice President. Tsvangirai is a declared male chauvinist whose attitude towards women indicates a belief that they are innately inferior to men. At one time, women from his village in Buhera demonstrated against him, accusing the Prime Minister then, of abusing his powers by exploiting defenceless women. The demonstration came after Tsvangirai was embroiled in messy sex scandals where he destroyed the dignity of women by dumping them after either impregnating or making false marriage promises. As Priscilla Misihairambwi noted, Khupe suffers a double tragedy in that neither her gender nor her ethnicity has a role in the MDC-T leadership framework.
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Tafara Shumba <tafieshumbaz@gmail.com
The MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai is one of the people who have been viciously attacking President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF Government for violating the Constitution. The alleged violation of the MDC-T Constitution by its supreme leader, who is supposed to be the utmost upholder of same, once again exposes the magnitude of mendaciousness within the leadership of that party.
There has been a slapdash propaganda by Tsvangirai's spinmeisters who attempt to exonerate him and deflate attention from him on the basis that his party is not yet in Government. Of course the violation of the MDC-T could have evaded attention if the MDC-T was not dreaming of forming the next Government. Those small breaches and infractions of rules must be interrogated because they have a tendency of developing into a fully-blown culture which can be carried foward into Government.
If Tsvangirai can contravene his party's constitution now, nothing will stop him from doing so with the national Constitution if he lands the country's number one job. These are the small traits that electorate must consider when assessing the suitability of a presidential hopeful. In Mr Tsvangirai, there is a dictator in the making, a male chauvinist and a treacherous tribalist.
Tsvangirai shamelessly claimed that he made the appointments with the blessing of his National Executive Council so that the appointees could help him steer the ship ahead of the watershed 2018 elections. If there was such a directive from the National Council which is the MDC-T's highest decision making structure between congresses, his inner circle would not be as indignant as they are. Although they initially battled to hide their anger over the violation of their party's constitution by Tsvangirai, those who have hitherto been close to the center of power cannot veil it any longer. There are media reports that the top officials are holding clandestine meetings to scheme against the appointments.
The MDC-T Vice President, Thokhozani Khupe could not respond to enquiries from the media, only referring all questions to her boss. She is part of the National Executive Council and one wonders why she labored this much to respond to the media inquiry if she was part to the decision. "If you want any comment on that issue, can you please talk to Morgan Richard Tsvangirai," Khupe told the media. Her anger was apparent in her tone.
The anger was also evident in the MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu's post on his facebook wall. Gutu, who used to be very generous with responses on any issue pertaining to his party, referred all questions to Tsvangirai despite him being a member of the powerful national council.
"As MDC-T national spokesperson, kindly be advised that I have absolutely NO comment to make on the appointments for the office of Vice President that were announced at a press conference this morning," wrote Gutu. That statement, coming from a member of the national council and a national spokesperson is pregnant with meaning.
Even the secretary general, Douglas Mwonzora, the fourth powerful member in the MDC-T was not part to the decision to appoint the two VPs as he was outside the country. He will meet the shock of his life upon his return considering that he was also eying the presidency. When Tsvangirai went down with colon cancer, Mwonzora and Khupe allegedly hastened to talk about replacing him and were reportedly having unofficial meetings with the ZimPF for an alliance. The unilateral appointments of Chamisa and Mudzuri, both from the cold are a fix for Mwonzora and Khupe.
Ordinarily, Tsvangirai is sandwiched by any of his inner circle when announcing that important appointments to the nation through the media. Instead, the MDC-T leader announced the appointments while strangely flanked by his personal spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka and his wife Elizabeth. It looked very personal as if the Tsvangirais were appointing their farm manager. Certainly, the two appointees, being professionals as they are, would not derive pleasure from such appointments which lack institutional consensus.
Mr Tsvangirai was at the forefront of attacking President Mugabe for having a bloated structure including the presidium. The two offices of Vice Presidents in Zanu PF is justifiable considering that there was need to unite Zapu and Zanu, the Shona and the Ndebele after a civil disturbance that rocked the Matebeleland and Midlands regions in the mid eighties. Without any cause, Tsvangirai has done worse than Zanu PF. There is no need for three vice presidents in a tiny party like the MDC-T.
There are speculations that the appointments have been motivated by Tsvangirai's pending exit from the political scene due to infirmity. Thus, he wants to leave the party in the hands of a trusted lieutenant who will continue to protect his interests. If this is anything to go by, then Tsvangirai would have insulted the Ndebele tribe and the females of this country. Tsvangirai seems to have a conviction that a person from the Ndebele tribe cannot rule this country. Madam Khupe was just thrust into that office for tribal balance.
It is worse that Khupe is a female Vice President. Tsvangirai is a declared male chauvinist whose attitude towards women indicates a belief that they are innately inferior to men. At one time, women from his village in Buhera demonstrated against him, accusing the Prime Minister then, of abusing his powers by exploiting defenceless women. The demonstration came after Tsvangirai was embroiled in messy sex scandals where he destroyed the dignity of women by dumping them after either impregnating or making false marriage promises. As Priscilla Misihairambwi noted, Khupe suffers a double tragedy in that neither her gender nor her ethnicity has a role in the MDC-T leadership framework.
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Tafara Shumba <tafieshumbaz@gmail.com
Source - Tafara Shumba
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