Opinion / Columnist
ED's self-made prison: Trapped by power and paranoia!!
21 Sep 2024 at 13:05hrs | Views
So, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa will not be attending the UN (United Nations) General Assembly to be held at the organization's headquarters in New York on 22-23 September 2024.
This is the first time the Zimbabwe head of state has missed the event ever since assuming power through a military coup d'état (that toppled his long-time mentor, Robert Gabriel Mugabe) in November 2017.
Of course, he, as every other national leader, did not physically attend the 75th UN General Assembly in 2020 on account of the global COVID-19 lockdown.
Nonetheless, he participated virtually.
What then makes this year different?
Why - based on his spokesperson, George Charamba's statement - is he suddenly not attending this very important event that brings together heads of state and government from all across the world?
Let us remember that this is a man who appears all too eager never to miss an opportunity to attend an international gathering to which he would have been invited.
At times, there are even accusations of him flying to functions that some of us believe should have been attended by one of his cabinet ministers instead.
In the past, we have heard nicknames as 'Tongombeya' being thrown around, which speak to his penchant for international travel.
Again, I ask: So, what happened this time around?
As a matter of fact, as the new chairman of SADC (Southern African Development Community), should this year's UN General Assembly not been a 'must attend', in order for him to also speak on behalf of the regional grouping?
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Group on: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CBQVPGODBPQG969OBVLyeT
Yet, for some strange reason, Charamba claims his boss has too tight a schedule such that he can not attend!
What 'dense programme in the last quarter of 2024', according to Charamba, can force someone like Mnangagwa to pass up an opportunity to attend a global event of this magnitude?
It just does not make any sense.
I can not wait to see what the president will be up to during the 'last quarter of 2024' that is so super important that it prevented him from attending the UN General Assembly.
Something is just not adding up.
In such a perplexing situation, there is never a shortage of speculation and hypotheses thrown out there from all directions.
We need to remember that, reportedly, Mnangagwa's advance team had already been dispatched to New York, including his security team.
This means that, until only a few days ago, the president was scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly.
It can, therefore, be safely assumed that there was no 'dense programme' for Mnangagwa before only two or so days ago!
From where did this 'dense programme' suddenly emanate?
Could the 'real reason' be security fears by the president and his team after the presidential helicopter crashed during his (Mnangagwa's) birthday celebrations in Masvingo on 15th September?
Already, some of those believed to be aligned to the president, such as the ZYAP (Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform), are making noise over 'traitors' who supposedly sabotaged the helicopter.
The organization has called for an 'independent panel' to investigate what they termed a 'treasonous attack' on the president.
This is more revealing than the flimsy statement by the information minister, Jenfan Muswere, only to the effect that 'the accident was being investigated '.
If these utterances by ZYAP are anything to go by, then those around Mnangagwa actually believe that the presidential helicopter crash was no accident but a carefully crafted assassination attempt.
We can, therefore, not be faulted for working around this theory.
The first question we need to ask ourselves is why anyone would want to kill the head of state?
The statement by the clearly excitable ZYAP was deafeningly silent on the usual detractors.
There were no threats and vitriol targeted at 'the West' and their local 'regime change agents and puppets'.
As such, we can safely eliminate these from the equation.
This leaves us with those within the ruling ZANU PF party itself.
It is a well-known fact that there has been a lot of bad blood between different factions.
It is widely understood that the rivalry has now descended into bitter animosity.
There are those pushing for Mnangagwa to remain in office well after his legal tenure ends, to the extent of calling for constitutional term limit amendments.
On the other hand, there is a camp that wants the ZANU PF leader to respect both the party and national constitutions by stepping down in 2028.
This faction is believed to back vice president Constantino Chiwenga - the former commander of the ZDF (Zimbabwe Defence Forces), who was behind the coup d'état against Mugabe.
With this knowledge in mind, one can only assume that these ties to the military are why some quarters may suspect an assassination attempt.
Let us not forget that the presidential helicopter is under the AFZ (Air Force of Zimbabwe).
I will not dwell on conjecture but move on to facts that can be backed with substance.
It is said, 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
All these shenanigans to enable Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond his constitutional term limit point to an individual now corrupted by power.
Why not simply respect a sacred document that was accepted and voted for by 94.5 percent of voters in the 2013 constitutional referendum?
Why seek to amend it merely for the sake of one man's insatiable desires?
What bigger sign can there be of a leader now intoxicated by power?
I have no interest at all with ZANU PF power struggles since I do not believe, not even for a moment, that anyone who replaces Mnangagwa will be any better and lift ordinary Zimbabweans out of poverty.
These people are fighting for power and a chance to be at the helm of the gravy train and nothing else.
If anything, a man with a military background and ruthlessness as Chiwenga may actually prove to be even more brutal and repressive than Mnangagwa.
My concern is simple and straightforward.
We need a country ruled on constitutionalism.
As such, the president has to lead by example by respecting the sanctity of the supreme law.
This will not only be good for democracy in the country but also central to economic development.
Therefore, Mnangagwa has to do the right thing and step down in 2028.
I will never condone or justify the assassination of any leader (or any individual, for that matter) for whatever reason.
However, those in authority should always know that greed for power is what causes most of their headaches.
I am quite sure that, if there is one thing that is keeping Mnangagwa awake at night, then, it is the dangers now associated with his desire to hold on to power.
All the resultant scheming and plotting has now possibly led to these suspected attempts on the president's life.
We can base this conclusion not only on sound speculation but also organizations as ZYAP, which are pro-Mnangagwa.
Now, the president is unable to attend an important global event as the UN General Assembly.
He is stuck and has effectively become a prisoner in his own country!
All this because of the love for power!
Can we then not declare, with a measure of confidence, that Mnangagwa is a prisoner of his own making?
We hardly witness such disturbing scenes in more democratic states as Botswana, Namibia, or South Africa - where leaders enter and leave office in a relatively peaceful way.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
This is the first time the Zimbabwe head of state has missed the event ever since assuming power through a military coup d'état (that toppled his long-time mentor, Robert Gabriel Mugabe) in November 2017.
Of course, he, as every other national leader, did not physically attend the 75th UN General Assembly in 2020 on account of the global COVID-19 lockdown.
Nonetheless, he participated virtually.
What then makes this year different?
Why - based on his spokesperson, George Charamba's statement - is he suddenly not attending this very important event that brings together heads of state and government from all across the world?
Let us remember that this is a man who appears all too eager never to miss an opportunity to attend an international gathering to which he would have been invited.
At times, there are even accusations of him flying to functions that some of us believe should have been attended by one of his cabinet ministers instead.
In the past, we have heard nicknames as 'Tongombeya' being thrown around, which speak to his penchant for international travel.
Again, I ask: So, what happened this time around?
As a matter of fact, as the new chairman of SADC (Southern African Development Community), should this year's UN General Assembly not been a 'must attend', in order for him to also speak on behalf of the regional grouping?
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Group on: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CBQVPGODBPQG969OBVLyeT
Yet, for some strange reason, Charamba claims his boss has too tight a schedule such that he can not attend!
What 'dense programme in the last quarter of 2024', according to Charamba, can force someone like Mnangagwa to pass up an opportunity to attend a global event of this magnitude?
It just does not make any sense.
I can not wait to see what the president will be up to during the 'last quarter of 2024' that is so super important that it prevented him from attending the UN General Assembly.
Something is just not adding up.
In such a perplexing situation, there is never a shortage of speculation and hypotheses thrown out there from all directions.
We need to remember that, reportedly, Mnangagwa's advance team had already been dispatched to New York, including his security team.
This means that, until only a few days ago, the president was scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly.
It can, therefore, be safely assumed that there was no 'dense programme' for Mnangagwa before only two or so days ago!
From where did this 'dense programme' suddenly emanate?
Could the 'real reason' be security fears by the president and his team after the presidential helicopter crashed during his (Mnangagwa's) birthday celebrations in Masvingo on 15th September?
Already, some of those believed to be aligned to the president, such as the ZYAP (Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform), are making noise over 'traitors' who supposedly sabotaged the helicopter.
The organization has called for an 'independent panel' to investigate what they termed a 'treasonous attack' on the president.
This is more revealing than the flimsy statement by the information minister, Jenfan Muswere, only to the effect that 'the accident was being investigated '.
If these utterances by ZYAP are anything to go by, then those around Mnangagwa actually believe that the presidential helicopter crash was no accident but a carefully crafted assassination attempt.
We can, therefore, not be faulted for working around this theory.
The first question we need to ask ourselves is why anyone would want to kill the head of state?
The statement by the clearly excitable ZYAP was deafeningly silent on the usual detractors.
There were no threats and vitriol targeted at 'the West' and their local 'regime change agents and puppets'.
As such, we can safely eliminate these from the equation.
This leaves us with those within the ruling ZANU PF party itself.
It is a well-known fact that there has been a lot of bad blood between different factions.
It is widely understood that the rivalry has now descended into bitter animosity.
There are those pushing for Mnangagwa to remain in office well after his legal tenure ends, to the extent of calling for constitutional term limit amendments.
On the other hand, there is a camp that wants the ZANU PF leader to respect both the party and national constitutions by stepping down in 2028.
This faction is believed to back vice president Constantino Chiwenga - the former commander of the ZDF (Zimbabwe Defence Forces), who was behind the coup d'état against Mugabe.
With this knowledge in mind, one can only assume that these ties to the military are why some quarters may suspect an assassination attempt.
Let us not forget that the presidential helicopter is under the AFZ (Air Force of Zimbabwe).
I will not dwell on conjecture but move on to facts that can be backed with substance.
It is said, 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely'.
All these shenanigans to enable Mnangagwa to remain in office beyond his constitutional term limit point to an individual now corrupted by power.
Why not simply respect a sacred document that was accepted and voted for by 94.5 percent of voters in the 2013 constitutional referendum?
Why seek to amend it merely for the sake of one man's insatiable desires?
What bigger sign can there be of a leader now intoxicated by power?
I have no interest at all with ZANU PF power struggles since I do not believe, not even for a moment, that anyone who replaces Mnangagwa will be any better and lift ordinary Zimbabweans out of poverty.
These people are fighting for power and a chance to be at the helm of the gravy train and nothing else.
If anything, a man with a military background and ruthlessness as Chiwenga may actually prove to be even more brutal and repressive than Mnangagwa.
My concern is simple and straightforward.
We need a country ruled on constitutionalism.
As such, the president has to lead by example by respecting the sanctity of the supreme law.
This will not only be good for democracy in the country but also central to economic development.
Therefore, Mnangagwa has to do the right thing and step down in 2028.
I will never condone or justify the assassination of any leader (or any individual, for that matter) for whatever reason.
However, those in authority should always know that greed for power is what causes most of their headaches.
I am quite sure that, if there is one thing that is keeping Mnangagwa awake at night, then, it is the dangers now associated with his desire to hold on to power.
All the resultant scheming and plotting has now possibly led to these suspected attempts on the president's life.
We can base this conclusion not only on sound speculation but also organizations as ZYAP, which are pro-Mnangagwa.
Now, the president is unable to attend an important global event as the UN General Assembly.
He is stuck and has effectively become a prisoner in his own country!
All this because of the love for power!
Can we then not declare, with a measure of confidence, that Mnangagwa is a prisoner of his own making?
We hardly witness such disturbing scenes in more democratic states as Botswana, Namibia, or South Africa - where leaders enter and leave office in a relatively peaceful way.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
All articles and letters published on Bulawayo24 have been independently written by members of Bulawayo24's community. The views of users published on Bulawayo24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Bulawayo24. Bulawayo24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.
