Opinion / Columnist
Chiwenga is Joshua Nkomo of Mashonaland
08 Sep 2020 at 03:41hrs | Views
Like Joshua Nkomo, Chiwenga is too generous with political power. Imagine a man who spent grueling weeks at the Blue Roof and State House in 2017 wrestling for political power from the late President Mugabe, only to hand it over to President, Emmerson Mnangagwa on a silver platter with the hope that the power hungry monster will voluntarily return it to him after 5 years.
This is as good as throwing a nicely cut piece of meat to a hungry dog with the hope that it will return it. Unfortunately such benevolent people like Chiwenga cannot rule because there is no charity when it comes to power, worse more in Zimbabwe.
It took one politically immature Zezuru to transfer political power from his own Zezuru brothers to the Karangas. Power hungry Mnangagwa and his Karanga tribesmen could not believe their luck in 2017 when Chiwenga presented to them the most treasured gift.
Soccer coaches would describe such a move as a fatal own goal. The mistake has cost the Zezeru political reigns that they managed to hold on to for 37 years through their dearest son, Mugabe. No wonder many Zezurus consider Chiwenga a sellout who must correct his political plunder before he dies. Given their tiny population of 7%, it might take many years for Zezuru to take power again.
Chiwenga should have learnt something from Ndabaningi Sithole who said in his Ndebele novel, "umbuso awugabelwana njenge gwayi" (power cannot be given for free like a cigarette). Once power is in your hands you do not donate it to someone.
Mnangagwa, not a new player in the corridors of power. He has been in the swing of things as Mugabe's protégée and right hand man long enough (40 years) to see that politics and tribe in Zimbabwe are intertwined. And that Zezurus and Korekores were pillars that supported Mugabe's power base in both public and private sector and that the same pillars would support Chiwenga.
Mnangagwa knew very well that if he were to last a day on the throne, he had to destroy Mugabe's political base (Zezuru- Korekore Alliance) and replace it with his own (Karanga).
His first priority was to catch the Zezuru top dog, Chiwenga, strip him off his military regalia and dangerous military power and cage him in the presidency. Here, Chiwenga becomes an unelected political weakling serving at the mercy of the appointing authority as Vice President of the country. Any mistake here, Chiwenga can be fired by Mnangagwa in the same fashion that Mnangagwa himself was booted by Mugabe in 2017.
With Chiwenga under his full control like a yoyo, Mnangagwa launched a purging exercise to remove all known and unknown Zezurus from top positions in the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force, Central Intelligence Organisation, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and Judiciary. Most were retired and some Posted on diplomatic missions too far away from home.
At a time when Mnangagwa had uprooted all Zezuru top leaders in the security sector and elsewhere and replaced them with his own Karanga, with Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner - General, Paradzai Zimondi being the last Zezuru to fall, Chiwenga's supporters started to make some political moves.
How political naive can that be? Organising a march and telling the public that you have the support of VP Chiwenga and the military at a time when the very Chiwenga is at his weakest point, striped of military and political power.
The political dwarfs who attempted to organise a march were rounded up swiftly, beaten tortured and arrested by the same military and police they claimed were in support of their march, hence the much hipped July 31 march was a total failure.
This exposed Chiwenga and his supporters as a none entity, and Chiwenga as someone who has completely lost support of the military and unable to stage a military coup d'etat similar to that of 2017.
He could not help it but keep silent as his supporters were arrested and prosecuted. Maybe he is saving his own life after surviving two assassination attempts through poisoning. Former ZANLA Commanders like Josiah Tongogara and Solomon Mujuru were assassinated for their political beliefs and Chiwenga could be next.
Zimbabwe has reached a breaking point. The shortsighted tribal and divisionist policies produced by Shona supremacist intellectuals are backfiring very badly resulting in the disintegration of Zimbabwe.
Matabele people who suffered a genocide and continue to face tribal marginalisation in all spheres of life in Zimbabwe are calling for a breakaway from Zimbabwe to restore the statehood of Matabeleland.
The war amongst Shona tribal groupings is all about which Shona tribe must control government and get the opportunity to loot.
The "unconquerable" Zezuru have been defeated and relegated to second class by the Karanga who have asserted themselves as ruling the class. No question about it the Zezurus are angry with Mnangagwa for humiliating them, dropping them like dead wood from top positions. They will leave no stone unturned to make a come back. The fight back is on and Mnangagwa is already feeling the heat.
The Manyika- Ndau languish at the bottom of the Shona social class. They are the most despised of Shona tribes viewed as not Shona enough to rule Zimbabwe. The likes of Christopher Mutsvanga, very active and garrulous but used by Karangas as tongs to hold hot pieces.
Cde Paul Siwela's prophecy has come to pass. He said that after Mugabe is gone, Zimbabwe will be the next Somalia in terms of political chaos and tribal violence. And that Zimbabwe will revert back to its original state when there was no central figure to lead Shona people. Each Shona group was led by its own tribal chief.
On going tribal battles within Zanu-PF and the main opposition MDC show that Shona tribes have turned against each other. Karangas do not want to be lead by Zezurus. Manyika and Ndaus have just discovered that they are being used as political pawns by both Zezuru and Karanga and the Zezuru refuse to be lead by Karangas. The center cannot hold anymore.
Matabeles must use this God given opportunity very wisely to breakaway from chaotic Zimbabwe. We call upon all Matabeles to put on their thinking cap, unite and fight for their independence instead of following Zimbabwe to the grave.
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
This is as good as throwing a nicely cut piece of meat to a hungry dog with the hope that it will return it. Unfortunately such benevolent people like Chiwenga cannot rule because there is no charity when it comes to power, worse more in Zimbabwe.
It took one politically immature Zezuru to transfer political power from his own Zezuru brothers to the Karangas. Power hungry Mnangagwa and his Karanga tribesmen could not believe their luck in 2017 when Chiwenga presented to them the most treasured gift.
Soccer coaches would describe such a move as a fatal own goal. The mistake has cost the Zezeru political reigns that they managed to hold on to for 37 years through their dearest son, Mugabe. No wonder many Zezurus consider Chiwenga a sellout who must correct his political plunder before he dies. Given their tiny population of 7%, it might take many years for Zezuru to take power again.
Chiwenga should have learnt something from Ndabaningi Sithole who said in his Ndebele novel, "umbuso awugabelwana njenge gwayi" (power cannot be given for free like a cigarette). Once power is in your hands you do not donate it to someone.
Mnangagwa, not a new player in the corridors of power. He has been in the swing of things as Mugabe's protégée and right hand man long enough (40 years) to see that politics and tribe in Zimbabwe are intertwined. And that Zezurus and Korekores were pillars that supported Mugabe's power base in both public and private sector and that the same pillars would support Chiwenga.
Mnangagwa knew very well that if he were to last a day on the throne, he had to destroy Mugabe's political base (Zezuru- Korekore Alliance) and replace it with his own (Karanga).
His first priority was to catch the Zezuru top dog, Chiwenga, strip him off his military regalia and dangerous military power and cage him in the presidency. Here, Chiwenga becomes an unelected political weakling serving at the mercy of the appointing authority as Vice President of the country. Any mistake here, Chiwenga can be fired by Mnangagwa in the same fashion that Mnangagwa himself was booted by Mugabe in 2017.
With Chiwenga under his full control like a yoyo, Mnangagwa launched a purging exercise to remove all known and unknown Zezurus from top positions in the Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force, Central Intelligence Organisation, Zimbabwe Republic Police and Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services and Judiciary. Most were retired and some Posted on diplomatic missions too far away from home.
At a time when Mnangagwa had uprooted all Zezuru top leaders in the security sector and elsewhere and replaced them with his own Karanga, with Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner - General, Paradzai Zimondi being the last Zezuru to fall, Chiwenga's supporters started to make some political moves.
How political naive can that be? Organising a march and telling the public that you have the support of VP Chiwenga and the military at a time when the very Chiwenga is at his weakest point, striped of military and political power.
The political dwarfs who attempted to organise a march were rounded up swiftly, beaten tortured and arrested by the same military and police they claimed were in support of their march, hence the much hipped July 31 march was a total failure.
He could not help it but keep silent as his supporters were arrested and prosecuted. Maybe he is saving his own life after surviving two assassination attempts through poisoning. Former ZANLA Commanders like Josiah Tongogara and Solomon Mujuru were assassinated for their political beliefs and Chiwenga could be next.
Zimbabwe has reached a breaking point. The shortsighted tribal and divisionist policies produced by Shona supremacist intellectuals are backfiring very badly resulting in the disintegration of Zimbabwe.
Matabele people who suffered a genocide and continue to face tribal marginalisation in all spheres of life in Zimbabwe are calling for a breakaway from Zimbabwe to restore the statehood of Matabeleland.
The war amongst Shona tribal groupings is all about which Shona tribe must control government and get the opportunity to loot.
The "unconquerable" Zezuru have been defeated and relegated to second class by the Karanga who have asserted themselves as ruling the class. No question about it the Zezurus are angry with Mnangagwa for humiliating them, dropping them like dead wood from top positions. They will leave no stone unturned to make a come back. The fight back is on and Mnangagwa is already feeling the heat.
The Manyika- Ndau languish at the bottom of the Shona social class. They are the most despised of Shona tribes viewed as not Shona enough to rule Zimbabwe. The likes of Christopher Mutsvanga, very active and garrulous but used by Karangas as tongs to hold hot pieces.
Cde Paul Siwela's prophecy has come to pass. He said that after Mugabe is gone, Zimbabwe will be the next Somalia in terms of political chaos and tribal violence. And that Zimbabwe will revert back to its original state when there was no central figure to lead Shona people. Each Shona group was led by its own tribal chief.
On going tribal battles within Zanu-PF and the main opposition MDC show that Shona tribes have turned against each other. Karangas do not want to be lead by Zezurus. Manyika and Ndaus have just discovered that they are being used as political pawns by both Zezuru and Karanga and the Zezuru refuse to be lead by Karangas. The center cannot hold anymore.
Matabeles must use this God given opportunity very wisely to breakaway from chaotic Zimbabwe. We call upon all Matabeles to put on their thinking cap, unite and fight for their independence instead of following Zimbabwe to the grave.
Izenzo kungemazwi!
Israel Dube
MLO Secretary for Information and Public Affairs
Source - Israel Dube
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