Nelson Chamisa's Attitude Problem

Manifestos are often mundane policy heavy affairs.  The launches are produced with much fanfare, and policies are thrown around from housing to health, infrastructure to ICT.  Policies which will probably come to nothing.
 
The policy that was presented today was both superficial and regressive.  The flat tax in particular is the very opposite of what this country needs, negatively affecting the workers, protecting the rich, and damaging state incomes.  The comments about not paying off debts as part of the MDC's "Smart Arrears Debt and Development Strategy" will slam the door in the face of many new potential investors.
 
But it really was not the policy that bothered me.  In any case we know how politicians like to make big promises and then change their minds.  This is not a uniquely African or Zimbabwean phenomenon.  Politicians lie.  Campaigning is poetry; and often the ugliest type of poetry.
 
What really bothered me was the immature, flippant and downright insulting attitude of the self-appointed leader of the MDC (let's not forget Dr. Khupe's legitimate claim).  While the current president of the nation spends his days preaching peace, love, unity and harmony, the supposed face of the future is making all the wrong noises.
 
Chamisa today mocked Mnangagwa's age on many occasions.  I for one was extremely uncomfortable watching his attitude.  Whatever you think of ED or his party, there is no doubting the man's energy. He seems to be everywhere, campaigning at home while bringing in investment abroad.  Chamisa of course ignores this.  That is natural.
 
But why ridicule? Why insult? And why do this on so many occasions.  Have we heard ED ridicule Chamisa? Have we heard ED use disrespectful language or metaphors? Today, Chamisa called ED his "nemesis" and said that to let him stay in power would be "abuse of the elderly".  In our culture we do not speak of our elders in this tone.  Whether you're Shona or Ndebele - we respect our parents and grandparents.  We respect the generation who built this country and continue to build this country.  Let's not forget who rid of us Mugabe.   
 
It was not the MDC.
 
It was the youth who came to the streets led by a man with experience (and a little help from the military).  It was led by a man who knows how to act. Now it appears that his self-defined "nemesis" does not know either of these things, neither experience nor how to act.  He chooses to rant and insult, divide and disrespect.
 
I hate to say this, but there are even similarities here with old Bob.  Chamisa's raw pursuit of power.  His ambitious arrogance.  His narcissism.  His raw intelligence and energy focused in all of the wrong places.  Self-aggrandisement is not a blessed objective.  Power at all costs is not a Godly goal.  Tone and respect still matter.  He also lies like the Old Man.  Just think about the scores of falsehoods we have heard: Lies about Trump, Nkomo, Bullet Trains, 15 billion dollars, Kagame, wifi for goats!
 
Leaders must set examples for our children, they must set examples for the younger generations.  They should be preaching peace and unity, fair campaigning and respect for one another.  Just like the president is.
 
So as we inch closer and closer towards judgement day, we must all start to take a hard look at ourselves and our leaders.  We must make decisions based on experience.  We must make decisions based on character.  And we must make decisions based on who has the maturity and level-headedness to lead this country in the direction we must now go.  We have suffered for far too long to fall into the traps of yet another young narcissist with dictatorial traits.
 
Zimbabwe has moved on.  We are in a period of unprecedented freedom.  We must now make sure we continue to move in the right direction.  On July 30th, our decision counts more than ever.  We waited nearly forty years for this moment.  Make it count.