Victory in pyrrhic loss

I have been thinking, quite profoundly of late, that in life there may be some battles that one may gladly lose, not because of pyrrhic loss as there is victory but because there may be vindication in loss.  What easily comes to mind is the somewhat frivolous and vexatious litigation against Governemnt by Zimbabwe People first project leader, Joice Mujuru, challenging issuance of bond notes.

Her heads of arguments are hinged on what she has described as "phantom currency" and Government's attempts to reintroduce the demonitised Zimbabwean dollar through the back door while purportedly avoiding Parliament.

"It's apparent that the proposed bond notes are not Zimbabwean dollars and therefore not bank notes within the contemplation of Sections 6:7 and $0 of the Reserve Bank Act. The bond notes are not provided for in the Act," Mujuru's lawsuit reads in part. She goes on to allege that government is trying to avoid Parliament otherwise an amendment of the Act would have been tabled had there been a genuine desire to do so.

 The greater good and genuine intention by the people's government in trying to come up with a raft of measures aimed at addressing the liquidity crunch while promoting domestic industry and commerce appears lost to the former Vice President. Furthermore, this is not withstanding the fact that president Mugabe Mugabe, as the head of state, is empowered by the RBZ Act (Chapter 22:15) to determine the denominations, designs or form of bank notes that may be used as legal tender in the country. But then I digress.

As said earlier on and being a bipolar person that I am, the inquisitive part of me was asking whether Government would go through with introducing the bond notes, judging by the mixed reactions from the intended beneficiaries who are the local citizenry.  Two scenarios emerged with respect to the foregoing.

The first being that the sorry application by Mujuru would not turn out to be so sorry after all if it was granted by the apex court wherein Government would the introduction of bond notes had been stopped by the courts and ZANU PF being a law-abiding party would stand guided by the constitution of the land. Would the party and government feel defeated by Mujuru? Absolutely not, but just a victory for the judicial system in a democratic country where all are equal before the law.

Second scenario, the proclivity of Mujuru's frivoly is exposed and case is dismissed for lack of merit. Government mulls the possibility of proceeding with the introduction of bond notes amid likelihood of consternation from a section of society led by opposition political forces whose understanding of politics is denominated in anarchy only. But then Government asks itself why bother with this route if Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016, periodically modified of course, is adequate on its own to pacify consumers, shut up opposition sycophants and protect local industry and commerce.

The Freudian impulsive I argue that loss is victory, either way.  

Yet when I heard RBZ Governor, Dr John Mangudya articulating the need to press on with bond notes introduction in parliament recently, I was left in no doubt the sincerity of government in as far as improving the country's economic performance is concerned. The country can ill afford to be annexed by neighbouring countries to the extent of its national partaking in demonstrations in those countries against measures aimed at addressing the concerns that have driven them to the diaspora in the first place. The likes of Mujuru may preoccupy themselves with tissues whereas serious-minded people dwell on issues to do with improving the wellbeing of our lot. Then, victory becomes victory.    

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sambulo vuma <samvumindaba@gmail.com>