Opinion / Letters
General Chiwenga sit down or join ZANU PF
14 Nov 2017 at 05:06hrs | Views
General Chiwenga made interesting and very controversial statements in a press conference yesterday. The press conference was a victory for Emmerson Mnangagwa yet it was a deadly blow to democracy.
The statement was dangerous to say the least and probably a threat to national stability.
The statement by the General destroys the national character and acceptance of the army as a common asset of the nation.
The statement is likely to divide the rank and file on factional and tribal lines. The statement will divide the army because the politics is sure to flow back into the army.
Let's be realistic some quarters of the uniformed soldiers are still loyal to Gen. Rex and feel Mnangagwa was not fair to Gen. Rex and Cde Teurai .
Others are even questioning the character of the CDF who was attested into the army in 1980 and served as a staff officer under Gen. Rex.
It is inevitable that leading members, Generals and even Brigadiers, will begin to disagree on all sorts of political questions. Political differences within a professional army are a prescription for its destruction, not to mention the chances of its acceptance as an apolitical national institution. The differences among the Generals can degenerate from logical argument into arguments of force, as some may be tempted to push their arguments with the force at their command.
The undue political influence by the army makes the country more unstable than it is; it wrecks the reputation of Zimbabweans of being civilised and politically mature people.
People feel diminished. It is true that sections of the press have always kicked up bogus controversies to underline the friction between the politicians and the army, thus subliminally advocating for the army's takeover each time it did. But most of these media outlets have carious reporters and writers, chiefly in the electronic press, havecarious clear linkages with the various agencies. Their utterances are their master's voice.
The fact of the matter must be recognised that all military dictators in Africa have, to their last days, remained politically on the defensive. None of them could ever acquire any legitimacy, let alone a secure one, though some of them have ruled for over a decade.
It is not fanciful to say that the army's presence and active role in the political field will divide it. Indeed this has happened before —and more than once. Anyone with political insight has had to watch with horror one military ruler being followed by another military dictator.
Sadly the statement by the General gives weight to Prof Moyo's presentation in the Politburo. The General is basically siding with Emerson Mnangagwa trying to bully members of ZANU PF into reinstating ED as VP at congress.
General in all sincerity you failed to stand up for a widow , who happened to be a war veteran , and wife to your former boss and mentor. Now you stand up for ED , why ?
Is it because you are a vice President in waiting ? Or is there more to this than meets the eye.
General are you not showing disregard for the uniform you wear by openly going against the Commander in Chief , same C in C who appointed you to be CDF leaving out the likes of Cde. Chocha, Perence Shiri , Mike Nyambuya and others.
General you serve at the pleasure of the Commander in chief and when he needs your opinion he summons you accordingly.
Now, if you want to stop people in ZANU PF from hiring and firing each other then maybe you need to join the party and rise through the ranks.
Remember this is not ZANLA neither is it ZANU , this is ZANU PF an entirely different movement that's why it no longer has a high command or dare re chimurenga as part of its organs.
These war veterans you defend , are they not the ones who got the economy into hyper-inflation mode through the sense of entitlement which got them demanding 50k packages.
By the way , what happened to the Demobilisation funds or the war victims compensation fund?
General , with the full weight of my Zimbabwean id I officially state that you need to mind Army business and ZANU PF business is not run from Defence house.
Political interference is unbecoming of a general. The British has Brexit from the EU the army never came out overzealously speaking on political matters.
Russian meddling in the American elections , the most sophisticated army in the world kept their calm like trained personnel.
Sadly in Zimbabwe our ndini ndamubata in uniform came out commenting on political party issues.
State capture in South Africa the generals are quiet because they understand the dictates of trias politica and the need for an apolitical military.
You have displayed a weak understanding of your role and that of your uniform. Maybe you are not fit for that office .
Maybe you never really earned your qualifications. Maybe you are really protecting yourself from the ghosts of COSLEG Pvt. Ltd. , or maybe the ghosts of chiadzwa.
The President should charge you with treason, grant you a dishonourable discharge and let a corporal put handcuffs on you. But sadly Gushungo is understanding and will tolerate you.
Whatever it is that you were promised by the croc please resign and join politics , start from the cell level and let's see if you are popular enough to win a cell election, otherwise please sit down and enjoy quality time with your young wife.
Kind regards
Cde Coup Repellant aka Fanya Haraka
Fanya Haraka is a thinker in Mgagao Tanzania
The statement was dangerous to say the least and probably a threat to national stability.
The statement by the General destroys the national character and acceptance of the army as a common asset of the nation.
The statement is likely to divide the rank and file on factional and tribal lines. The statement will divide the army because the politics is sure to flow back into the army.
Let's be realistic some quarters of the uniformed soldiers are still loyal to Gen. Rex and feel Mnangagwa was not fair to Gen. Rex and Cde Teurai .
Others are even questioning the character of the CDF who was attested into the army in 1980 and served as a staff officer under Gen. Rex.
It is inevitable that leading members, Generals and even Brigadiers, will begin to disagree on all sorts of political questions. Political differences within a professional army are a prescription for its destruction, not to mention the chances of its acceptance as an apolitical national institution. The differences among the Generals can degenerate from logical argument into arguments of force, as some may be tempted to push their arguments with the force at their command.
The undue political influence by the army makes the country more unstable than it is; it wrecks the reputation of Zimbabweans of being civilised and politically mature people.
People feel diminished. It is true that sections of the press have always kicked up bogus controversies to underline the friction between the politicians and the army, thus subliminally advocating for the army's takeover each time it did. But most of these media outlets have carious reporters and writers, chiefly in the electronic press, havecarious clear linkages with the various agencies. Their utterances are their master's voice.
The fact of the matter must be recognised that all military dictators in Africa have, to their last days, remained politically on the defensive. None of them could ever acquire any legitimacy, let alone a secure one, though some of them have ruled for over a decade.
It is not fanciful to say that the army's presence and active role in the political field will divide it. Indeed this has happened before —and more than once. Anyone with political insight has had to watch with horror one military ruler being followed by another military dictator.
Sadly the statement by the General gives weight to Prof Moyo's presentation in the Politburo. The General is basically siding with Emerson Mnangagwa trying to bully members of ZANU PF into reinstating ED as VP at congress.
General in all sincerity you failed to stand up for a widow , who happened to be a war veteran , and wife to your former boss and mentor. Now you stand up for ED , why ?
Is it because you are a vice President in waiting ? Or is there more to this than meets the eye.
General are you not showing disregard for the uniform you wear by openly going against the Commander in Chief , same C in C who appointed you to be CDF leaving out the likes of Cde. Chocha, Perence Shiri , Mike Nyambuya and others.
General you serve at the pleasure of the Commander in chief and when he needs your opinion he summons you accordingly.
Now, if you want to stop people in ZANU PF from hiring and firing each other then maybe you need to join the party and rise through the ranks.
Remember this is not ZANLA neither is it ZANU , this is ZANU PF an entirely different movement that's why it no longer has a high command or dare re chimurenga as part of its organs.
These war veterans you defend , are they not the ones who got the economy into hyper-inflation mode through the sense of entitlement which got them demanding 50k packages.
By the way , what happened to the Demobilisation funds or the war victims compensation fund?
General , with the full weight of my Zimbabwean id I officially state that you need to mind Army business and ZANU PF business is not run from Defence house.
Political interference is unbecoming of a general. The British has Brexit from the EU the army never came out overzealously speaking on political matters.
Russian meddling in the American elections , the most sophisticated army in the world kept their calm like trained personnel.
Sadly in Zimbabwe our ndini ndamubata in uniform came out commenting on political party issues.
State capture in South Africa the generals are quiet because they understand the dictates of trias politica and the need for an apolitical military.
You have displayed a weak understanding of your role and that of your uniform. Maybe you are not fit for that office .
Maybe you never really earned your qualifications. Maybe you are really protecting yourself from the ghosts of COSLEG Pvt. Ltd. , or maybe the ghosts of chiadzwa.
The President should charge you with treason, grant you a dishonourable discharge and let a corporal put handcuffs on you. But sadly Gushungo is understanding and will tolerate you.
Whatever it is that you were promised by the croc please resign and join politics , start from the cell level and let's see if you are popular enough to win a cell election, otherwise please sit down and enjoy quality time with your young wife.
Kind regards
Cde Coup Repellant aka Fanya Haraka
Fanya Haraka is a thinker in Mgagao Tanzania
Source - Fanya Haraka
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