Some Matabeleland Cabinet Ministers are useless condoms

THE secretary general of the Movement for Democratic Change Ms Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga has said some Cabinet ministers from Matabeleland are just useless condoms who have sold out the region.

Ms Misiharirabwi-Mushonga, who is also the minister of Regional Integration in the inclusive Government, said the shocking remarks whilst addressing a Bulawayo Agenda organized public debate on Friday.

The debate was under the broad theme: "2011 in Retrospective; Achievements and Challenges in the Implementation of the Global Political Agreement (GPA).

Other panelists were Water , Resources minister Sam Sipepa Nkomo and the discussant was Matabeleland Constitutional Reform Agenda (Macra) leader, Effie Ncube.

Said Ms Musihayirabwi-Mushonga:

"There is the condom X –factor. The region's ministers have been condomised. Sorry baba Sipepa, we have seen an increasing number of politicians from this region, even Cabinet ministers that have sold out.

"Whether it is money, power or what, I do not know, the region's ministers are just doing the condom role," she said.

She added that it was ministers from Matabeleland who were quick to dismiss the region's projects in Cabinet as tribalism.

"When you talk about locals in Marange benefiting from their resources, it is ok, no-one makes noise because that it called devolution.

"The moment you start talking about bringing the Parliament to Bulawayo, Matabeleland Zambezi Water project and the de-industralisation in Bulawayo you are accused of fanning tribalism and sadly mostly by people of Matabeleland," she said.

Ms Musihayirabwi-Mushonga also told the gathering that she has had the benefit of getting married to a Shona person and the disadvantage of being having Ndebele blood.

"I have experienced the disadvantages of having Ndebele blood. I have had the benefits of being identified as a Shona person. I was married to a Shona. Not only a Shona but the pedigree type of Shona-a Zezuru who was related to President Robert Mugabe.

"Even President Mugabe calls me Muzukuru when we meet. Just by announcing my surname I can get a loan at a bank.

I know how it feels to be treated like a second class citizen and that is how Ndebeles are treated in this country. So all I can say is that the GPA has not done well, "she said.

Turning on the Professor Arthur Mutambara power wrangle for MDC leadership, she dismissed the whole matter as a tribal sting.

"Let's be factual here. Even the Prof Mutambara – Ncube case. It is not about the congress, no. It is not about what the law says.

"It is about the fact that there is a tribe of people that do not want to have a Ndebele person sitting as a principal and power sharing. It is about the fact that Prof Ncube is a Ndebele.

"That is why people like Professor Lovemore Madhuku are now singing from the same hymn book with Zanu PF," she said.

Addressing the same meeting, Mr Sipepa Nkomo said he wished that Matabeleland must be like Zululand in South Africa.

"I want Matabeleland to be like Zululand. I am pushing hard to be ruled by a Khumalo King," she said pointing at Muntu Zwidekalanga Khumalo, the grandson of King Mzilikazi.

Mr Sipepa Nkomo's sentiments come barely a month after he compared PM Tsvangirai's to King Lobengula.

In a veiled attack at Finance Minister Mr Tendai Biti, Mr Sipepa Nkomo said:

"I could have done better and more to bring water to Bulawayo but the problem is that we get budget allocations and do not get the money," he said.

Mr Sipepa Nkomo and Mr Biti belong to the MDC formation led by PM Tsvangirai.