Bow out gracefully, respect voters

IT was refreshing to hear Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling United States President Joe Biden that, "Israel does not make policies guided by pressures from abroad." This was after Biden had warned Israel not to pass a new law that curtails the independence of the judiciary so as to protect Netanyahu who faces criminal charges over corruption.

His wife has already been convicted and fined while Israel's defence minister has been fired for opposing the proposed changes.

What made many Africans interested is that the USA and western Europe have arrogated to themselves the role of world policemen. Africa, in particular, has been on the receiving end of dictatorial tendencies of the West with the late president Mr Robert Mugabe being the only one who had the guts to tell them to back off and let Africa chart her course at the United Nations meetings.

Many people must, therefore, have enjoyed the joke that Norton's Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa unconsciously cracked on the results of the recent Zanu-PF primaries.

He did not waste time dashing to Twitter threatening to write to the "international community" reporting of the alleged massive rigging that cost a preferred candidate the right to represent Zanu-PF in the forthcoming Parliamentary elections whose date the President is yet to reveal.

It was lost on the MP that as a sovereign country that gives citizens the right to join (or leave) a political party of their own choice the parties are expected to be independent. Unless he knows something that we are not aware of, especially in terms of external forces calling the shots within our political sphere, there was no need for the MP to infer that our MPs report to foreign forces instead of the electorate that in this instance rejected the incumbent.

That a supposedly independent MP was taking so much interest in happenings in a political group of which he is not a member took many by surprise. Given that his preferred candidate had lost just does not warrant the threats of meddling in internal processes of a party that is expected to field a candidate against him. Or did it dawn on him that the sun was about to set on him and it was a premonition.

How the USA and UK have a say in what happens in a local political party is beyond comprehension. Why the West could be interested in what happens in Mashonaland West politics is a mystery that only the MPs there might have answers to.

Taking to Twitter, the honourable representative said, "A huge percentage of all those tussling to come in under Zanu-PF are people who simply want to come in and eat. That is their mindset and it has nothing to do with a developmental orientation or national reforms . . . this is scary!" It was lost on him that it sounded more like a confession.

Most of the time he is at the forefront demanding huge perks for MPs based on what their counterparts in the region get. But they never talk of what ordinary workers and their regional salaries are.

What is clear is that the ordinary people in the streets think that politicians are answerable to them. Election time is when the electorate review performance based on the promises made before the previous elections. If in their wisdom they deem the incumbent not fit for office or if someone else promises to do better, then it is within their right to change representatives. How a career politician misses that defies logic.

It is time that our politicians realised that only the registered locals vote. Playing to the gallery abroad or staging marches in European capitals and South Africa does not win elections as the voters are right here in Dotito, Gwelutshena, Sun Yet Set, Loreto, Neuso, Nswazi and Mutiusinazita.

The USA is Israel's most important partner and benefactor as USA funds a huge chunk of Israeli annual budget. The US protects and defends Israeli interests in the UN Security Council and will not brook any threats towards Israel. The Jewish state gets away with war crimes and genocide in the Middle East and remains untouchable and answers to nobody.

Together with USA, Russia and China, Israel does not recognise the International Criminal Court (ICC) while it enjoys unwavering support from the USA.

Given all that, Netanyahu has publicly rebuked the USA for interference yet in Zimbabwe some politicians invite external interference even over minor issues like internal party elections.

Cited in Perspectives on World Politics, Samuel Huntington, in his contribution to the literature on transnational relations argues explicitly that international organisations are relatively insignificant in contemporary world politics.

Internationalism involves agreement among nation states. Therefore, there is no point in taking domestic matters to international fora as it still rests on the locals to forge the way forward while "national representatives and delegations engage in endless debate at UN conferences and councils."

Internationalism is a dead end . . cul-de-sac. The irony is that every political entity has mechanisms for redress should any issues arise. In this instance, Zanu-PF has various organs like the national commissariat and the Politburo who are ready to address all conflicts, the MP chose to engage the West over internal conflict in an organisation of which he is not a member. Curious is it not! Probably the fact that he is facing a formidable challenge in this year's elections riles him so much he wants foreign protection, only time will tell.

When Israel tells USA off it must dawn on our politicians that not everyone wants to be like America or be handheld by them. Sovereignty that we enjoy came at a huge cost of sweat, blood and lives. That cannot be surrendered just because an MP has lost a primary election. Where is the democracy if some take part in primary elections and must win as a right? Mliswa insinuated that those who lost can compete as ‘‘independents''. History has shown that such characters always return home as it is cold out there. The MPs must be exemplary and respect the wishes of our brothers and sisters who sacrificed for the freedoms that they wantonly disrespect. The politically bankrupt and selfish must be replaced by those willing to safeguard the ideals of the liberation struggle. It is good that most of them bowed out gracefully aware that there are lots of opportunities outside politics. After all, life is about growth we cannot afford to be stuck in one place.