Under 5 politics has crippled development in Zimbabwe

The way we do our politics has automatically destroyed our country. Zimbabwe is behind in terms of development. I've been assessing social media for some days, most people use abusive language, very emotional, not sober minded. If you look at European politics, they are sober, level headed, even during campaign times they use one platforms as parties, they are mature they know how to handle their opponents. What happened in Matabeleland during the prayer session in Bulawayo shows that we still have a long way to go in terms of development. Discussions should be debatable, constructive, productive and mature enough to bring something on the table. Honestly I was very disappointed by Zanu PF and MDC and other small parties, the way they handled issues after the 24 November debacle. Everyone thought a transitional authority was coming but alas we saw another thing the next morning there was a cabinet in place with only Zanu PF members. I thought ED would seat down with Tsvangirai and put their political and ideologies aside and work together for the good of our country. Most of these activists, protestors are concerned about politics of the belly, they can go for the kill if given a bottle of Kachasu. What is this hell of going to protest in a church, why then cant you protests outside church or at the airport. Some of these hooligans deserve a beating honestly this behavior was kind of embarrassing the head of state in front of guests and other dignitaries.

Bootlicking and Hero Worshipping

Honestly for someone to call another human being close to GOD is totally blasphemous and hero worshipping for nothing. I remember the days of Chipanga when he was the youth league secretary , he mentioned that Mugabe was going to usher people in heaven, and with that kind of abusive language, do you leave any room and space for critic, my answer will be absolutely no. I think ED has learnt his lesson. It is not good for people to do hero worshipping this will destroy you. Someone would call a leader cremora, and that was utterly nonsense. Make sure you leave room and space for constructive criticism. This issue of inscribing allover and calling leaders, semi god is totally wrong and it should be condemned uttermost. I used to listen to those so called youth inter face rallies and it was all about hero worship and praise and worship nothing else. I was disappointed to see young people being frog marched to rallies to do hero worshipping instead of telling them what to do, initiating projects, and also creating ideas and employment. It was all about Mugabe, Kasukuwere, Jonathan Moyo, Chipanga and Chombo and to them those rallies were important because they wanted to remove ED in the name of inter face rallies instead of gathering views from young people. For ED I think this should be a good lesson. Never make a mistake Mr President of allowing people to hero worship you or boot lick. I saw Chipanga and Chombo wearing those hats inscribed ED Mnangagwa and I wondered that these men they are used to bootlicking and with politics , they only know how to make their stomachs full nothing else.

Deception

The very people who expelled ED from Government and atb party level are the same people who endorsed his presidency. What is the problem then? Zim politics is full of deception nothing else. Most people in Zanu PF and Mdc are concerned about their stomachs and nothing else. Why then would you endorse someone's departure and expulsion in a shameful way and within two weeks, the same people then will endorse his presidency, then our politics needs to be cultured and ideologies of parties should be introduced in curriculum theories. I think before people join politics it is very important for them to go to a school of some sort. I'm saying this because most people would say PAMBERI NA MUGABE and they would endorse him province by province and now the old man was hounded out of the party and Government. This is totally deception and nothing else. They say Tsvangirai chete chete behind his back they are saying Tsvangirai must go now. You see all they want is to line their pockets through donor fund. I will tell you something to them it is all about eating nothing else. Most activists who called for Mugabe to go where are they? I've seen that most of these culprits they are not consistent with what they do, today they are with tajamuka, tomorrow they are with mdc , another day you see them with youth inter face rallies, what exactly is this?

Rumour Mongering

Most Zimbabweans the reason why their politics will never be practical it is because they believe in rumours. 2018 election results will shock them and some will be rushed to Parirenyatwa hospital because they always believe in what they read on Facebook and whats app. They don't campaign, they don't do door to door, as we speak Mai Mnangagwa is busy in hospitals, door to door she is moving, the President was in Bulawayo attending church service, this other day he was in HARARE malbereign attending church service and you think he is joking. This is politics believe you and me, come August someone will be ferried straight to the intensive care unit. In politics you must learn to deal with reality, stop the belief and culture in gossip and deal with what is on the ground. Mdc lost elections in 2013 because of Baba Jukwa and they got 31% instead of getting more than 70% because of these kitchen cabinet criminals around the principals, they believed in few individuals who misled them come election day Tsvangirai lost the election dismally.

Opportunists

We have so many opportunists in this country, when opportunity arises you see them allover potential leaders. I was shocked to see some of the politicians who left politics of the belly long time ago only to resurface in Highfields on the day of the march. Some they done mind, they are not principled, in over one year they can easily join more than three parties. Today they join the alliance, tomorrow they are in Zanu pf, another day they are in GNU, another day they are in South Africa, another day they are begging for another gnu. That is the problem with our politics. Politics of the belly, today they are given money you will never hear them condemning the Government, tomorrow they are in this party, they are all over.

Lack of Appreciation and Political Tolerance

In Zimbabwe we don't appreciate the good that someone has done. Why do we condemn a President or leader who has gone to church? To me I think it is too early to judge let's give ED time to deliver and see the results for ourselves. Let us not be selfish to use the suffering of people as a political tool to achieve our political endeavors. We can't bet with people's livelihood to measure someone's success. For now people want food on the table and we expect him to deliver. If MDC has done well let's all take into account, If ED has done well let's take it into account. If he has gone to church to reconcile with his God, let's be accommodative and let's appreciate. Let's not condemn everything for the sake of condemning but we need to come to a level of understanding. Let's us make sure that we never use bitterness as a way of solving our grievances, remember we are all Zimbabweans. Tsvangirai has done good let us pray for him, let us appreciate what he has done as a prime minister instead of insulting him day and night let's give respect to our leaders.

Asante Sana

Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo writes in his personal capacity as the head of Southern Institute of Policy Analysis and Research – SIPAR TRUST, which is responsible for policy analysis and research. He is also an academic and researcher. He holds a BA, MA from Solusi University, and he also holds a Masters of Development Studies from University of Lusaka, Zambia. He is currently enrolled at University of KwaZulu Natal University in South Africa (PhD in Development Studies). He is also an advisor to many financial and political institutions within and outside Zimbabwe. He can be contacted at southerninstitutepar@gmail.com.