Opinion / Letters
Clandestine dealings with Mnangagwa! Thokozani, you stripped your dignity
03 Feb 2022 at 11:24hrs | Views
Drear Dr Thokozani Khuphe,
Much as activists would like to assist women against gender discrimination in public spaces, we find your case too complex to intervene. We do not have the loci standi in the scheme of things. Your case may have tribal connotations here and there: it may also have gender insensitivity; however, we cannot to be bamboozled by your relationship with Mnangagwa dear Khuphe. Your relationship with the president leaves a lot in you to be desired. How many times have we advised, please leave politics so that you have a legacy to fall on to, but because politics in Zimbabwe is a personal survival, we cannot irrationally start attacking Speaker Mudenda and president Mwonzorwa on your behalf, it is just not possible. We have no appetite to interfere into your convoluted private life with these Zanu politicians.
Just to remind you Thoko, you had a genuine leadership case against Chamisa immediately after Tsvangirai died. You were victimized by Chamisa who grabbed MDC-T leadership curiously assisted by none either than Tsvangirai who realized that he was to die, he put in place two deputy presidents to make sure there is no Ndebele to assume MDC-T leadership after his demise. A mature politician should have realized the tribal aspect of MDC-T long back. Thoko, you were in the MDC-T deputy presidency for the sake of getting Matabeleland vote. That was the moment you should have let go of MDC-T politics and start to pave abundant opportunities beyond toxic and tribal Zimbabwean politics.
How I wish you should have acted maturely after the death of Tsvangirai by calling an extra ordinary congress to facilitate genuine transfer of leadership; Chamisa was going to win the presidency, you will then have gracefully let go and start a new trajectory beyond Zimbabwe politics, a personal ceiling climbing in numerous international bodies and organisations given the vast experience you have accumulated in the past as GNU Deputy Prime Minister in 2009 to 2013. Before that, you were actively in opposition politics, a terrain challenging to most women in the country. Both Chamisa and yourself Thoko, squandered golden opportunities by your inability to adhere to democratic principles.
You have been in the trenches for decades: this means vast diverse experiences that could be of use in international bodies: your doctoral qualifications could have opened several opportunities internationally. (Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a perfect example: when Thabo Mbeki lost the presidency together with his deputy, Phumzile did not waste time. She found herself top jobs in international organisation) Another good example is Advocate Jessy Majome who did not waste time with MDC-Alliance: she was called all sorts of names by uncouth youth sent by Chamisa to remove her from the constituency and put people who hero-worship him. She realized early that she needed to move on, and she left politics: looking back to what MDC has become, she does not regret it to this day.
It is obvious that your fight with president Mwonzorwa is not about the interest of the general populace but about the crumbles that Zanu PF has thrown down from their tables full of "food" like no other. You are fighting in their gallery and to the pleasure and advantage of Zanu PF. This is how they want it to be, to cause chaos in opposition parties and it augurs well just before the March 2022 by-elections and the general elections of 2023. Your bitter fight with rival Mwonzorwa is about the money: 1,30 million US$ that does not even belong to you both, but to MDC-Alliance and his MPs, if the truth must be told.
You never saw this coming Ma'am Khuphe to revenge Chamisa so sarcastically by recalling his MPs genuinely elected by voters. It was painful, how Chamisa stole leadership from you yes; however, you do not revenge in that magnitude, with bitterness, ruthlessness of politics as the trade is generally known. To recall Chamisa's MPs was tasteless, cruel unimagined by common sense. It could be that politics is dirty but as global feminists, our politics should be different from men-chauvinistic approach to politics and leadership struggles. We should be the ones setting standards of civilization and good practice especially in public spaces.
You remain one of the faces of female politics in Zimbabwe. To consult international bodies: UN, AU etc. to assist you in your fight against gender discrimination is out of the realms of good advice. Your clandestine dealings with Mnangagwa is a stain in Matabeleland region. Remember, not even three weeks ago, the region of Matabeleland supported your expulsion from the party MDC-T. Again, the international bodies you have approached to assist you in fight against "gender discrimination" you purport to be subjected to; they all have diplomatic representations in Harare. I am sure they will be consulted for more evidence of claims of gender discrimination against you. Not to pre-empt their assessments, this story is worth following closely as it will be a text-book case for future references relating to gender issues in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.
Lastly dear Thoko, refrain from politics of clandestine dealings with Mnangagwa and Zanu PF. Considering the acts of genocide Mnangagwa and Zanu perpetrated in the regions of Matabeleland and Midlands, it is to disregard history and going against the grain to continue to make secret dealings with a president you know his hands are oozing with the blood of innocent people who perished during the Gukurahundi era, inadvertently making Chamisa a saint in Zimbabwean politics. What is so "his excellency" about a murderous Mnangagwa? Chamisa has problems of tribalism, however, he has made his case clear about dealing with Mnangagwa government that stole elections broad day light, we respect the fact that he has refused to accept Mnangagwa's government that he terms illegal.
It is not gender discrimination that should be robed-in to justify an unjustifiable case. In your case, you made serious mistakes Thoko. Do you realize that today Matabeleland is silent about your case because they know that you stopped representing them; you stooped low long back by associating with Mnangagwa and Zanu. The recent case with Mwonzorwa is about money in millions that you want to be shared between yourselves and never about the electorate? Is that what the UN is to come to your assistance to give you the one million US dollars and never about the state of the nation under a repressive Zanu PF regime.
We shall eagerly wait for the response from the UN and other mentioned bodies in Thoko's letter; bodies apparently reticent in dealing with despotic Mnangagwa government that has driven the entire nation into poverty and destitution but will dispatch an envoy to assist just one citizen of Zimbabwe: Dr. Thokozani Khuphe from gender-based discrimination meted by the Zimbabwe's executive and the legislation bodies! I hope and pray they come so that they investigate Merry Mubayiwa Chiwenga's case in the same sitting. In a million of cases of gender-based discrimination, two cases will be solved at international level.
We shall lose respect when we are confronted with complex cases such as yours today to irrationally use our female self to argument gender-based discrimination, that's below the pale. In some cases we women are to blame. You made a series of political mistakes since the death of Gibson Sibanda. For some obvious reasons or unbeknown, you wanted to fix him: purely personal scores played in political playgrounds. It has become a habit to grab gender-based discrimination to fight cases that may not necessarily have gender aspect in the first place. We have enough gender-based-issues at our hands dear Thoko.
Did it assist you long term to accept deputyship in Tsvangirai party? You allowed yourself to be used to accept deputyship knowing that you were tribally colouring the MDC-T party that desperately needed a tribal balance and to get the Matabele vote. In a Shona Zimbabwe, no Ndebele will be pedestalized to a President, that happens in South Africa and Zambia only; God bless these two exemplary neighbouring nations.
It could be a political endgame for you Thoko: but politics being politics and its ruthlessness and dirt, to rule you out of this political dilemma could be a misnomer.
Much as activists would like to assist women against gender discrimination in public spaces, we find your case too complex to intervene. We do not have the loci standi in the scheme of things. Your case may have tribal connotations here and there: it may also have gender insensitivity; however, we cannot to be bamboozled by your relationship with Mnangagwa dear Khuphe. Your relationship with the president leaves a lot in you to be desired. How many times have we advised, please leave politics so that you have a legacy to fall on to, but because politics in Zimbabwe is a personal survival, we cannot irrationally start attacking Speaker Mudenda and president Mwonzorwa on your behalf, it is just not possible. We have no appetite to interfere into your convoluted private life with these Zanu politicians.
Just to remind you Thoko, you had a genuine leadership case against Chamisa immediately after Tsvangirai died. You were victimized by Chamisa who grabbed MDC-T leadership curiously assisted by none either than Tsvangirai who realized that he was to die, he put in place two deputy presidents to make sure there is no Ndebele to assume MDC-T leadership after his demise. A mature politician should have realized the tribal aspect of MDC-T long back. Thoko, you were in the MDC-T deputy presidency for the sake of getting Matabeleland vote. That was the moment you should have let go of MDC-T politics and start to pave abundant opportunities beyond toxic and tribal Zimbabwean politics.
How I wish you should have acted maturely after the death of Tsvangirai by calling an extra ordinary congress to facilitate genuine transfer of leadership; Chamisa was going to win the presidency, you will then have gracefully let go and start a new trajectory beyond Zimbabwe politics, a personal ceiling climbing in numerous international bodies and organisations given the vast experience you have accumulated in the past as GNU Deputy Prime Minister in 2009 to 2013. Before that, you were actively in opposition politics, a terrain challenging to most women in the country. Both Chamisa and yourself Thoko, squandered golden opportunities by your inability to adhere to democratic principles.
You have been in the trenches for decades: this means vast diverse experiences that could be of use in international bodies: your doctoral qualifications could have opened several opportunities internationally. (Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is a perfect example: when Thabo Mbeki lost the presidency together with his deputy, Phumzile did not waste time. She found herself top jobs in international organisation) Another good example is Advocate Jessy Majome who did not waste time with MDC-Alliance: she was called all sorts of names by uncouth youth sent by Chamisa to remove her from the constituency and put people who hero-worship him. She realized early that she needed to move on, and she left politics: looking back to what MDC has become, she does not regret it to this day.
It is obvious that your fight with president Mwonzorwa is not about the interest of the general populace but about the crumbles that Zanu PF has thrown down from their tables full of "food" like no other. You are fighting in their gallery and to the pleasure and advantage of Zanu PF. This is how they want it to be, to cause chaos in opposition parties and it augurs well just before the March 2022 by-elections and the general elections of 2023. Your bitter fight with rival Mwonzorwa is about the money: 1,30 million US$ that does not even belong to you both, but to MDC-Alliance and his MPs, if the truth must be told.
You never saw this coming Ma'am Khuphe to revenge Chamisa so sarcastically by recalling his MPs genuinely elected by voters. It was painful, how Chamisa stole leadership from you yes; however, you do not revenge in that magnitude, with bitterness, ruthlessness of politics as the trade is generally known. To recall Chamisa's MPs was tasteless, cruel unimagined by common sense. It could be that politics is dirty but as global feminists, our politics should be different from men-chauvinistic approach to politics and leadership struggles. We should be the ones setting standards of civilization and good practice especially in public spaces.
You remain one of the faces of female politics in Zimbabwe. To consult international bodies: UN, AU etc. to assist you in your fight against gender discrimination is out of the realms of good advice. Your clandestine dealings with Mnangagwa is a stain in Matabeleland region. Remember, not even three weeks ago, the region of Matabeleland supported your expulsion from the party MDC-T. Again, the international bodies you have approached to assist you in fight against "gender discrimination" you purport to be subjected to; they all have diplomatic representations in Harare. I am sure they will be consulted for more evidence of claims of gender discrimination against you. Not to pre-empt their assessments, this story is worth following closely as it will be a text-book case for future references relating to gender issues in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.
Lastly dear Thoko, refrain from politics of clandestine dealings with Mnangagwa and Zanu PF. Considering the acts of genocide Mnangagwa and Zanu perpetrated in the regions of Matabeleland and Midlands, it is to disregard history and going against the grain to continue to make secret dealings with a president you know his hands are oozing with the blood of innocent people who perished during the Gukurahundi era, inadvertently making Chamisa a saint in Zimbabwean politics. What is so "his excellency" about a murderous Mnangagwa? Chamisa has problems of tribalism, however, he has made his case clear about dealing with Mnangagwa government that stole elections broad day light, we respect the fact that he has refused to accept Mnangagwa's government that he terms illegal.
It is not gender discrimination that should be robed-in to justify an unjustifiable case. In your case, you made serious mistakes Thoko. Do you realize that today Matabeleland is silent about your case because they know that you stopped representing them; you stooped low long back by associating with Mnangagwa and Zanu. The recent case with Mwonzorwa is about money in millions that you want to be shared between yourselves and never about the electorate? Is that what the UN is to come to your assistance to give you the one million US dollars and never about the state of the nation under a repressive Zanu PF regime.
We shall eagerly wait for the response from the UN and other mentioned bodies in Thoko's letter; bodies apparently reticent in dealing with despotic Mnangagwa government that has driven the entire nation into poverty and destitution but will dispatch an envoy to assist just one citizen of Zimbabwe: Dr. Thokozani Khuphe from gender-based discrimination meted by the Zimbabwe's executive and the legislation bodies! I hope and pray they come so that they investigate Merry Mubayiwa Chiwenga's case in the same sitting. In a million of cases of gender-based discrimination, two cases will be solved at international level.
We shall lose respect when we are confronted with complex cases such as yours today to irrationally use our female self to argument gender-based discrimination, that's below the pale. In some cases we women are to blame. You made a series of political mistakes since the death of Gibson Sibanda. For some obvious reasons or unbeknown, you wanted to fix him: purely personal scores played in political playgrounds. It has become a habit to grab gender-based discrimination to fight cases that may not necessarily have gender aspect in the first place. We have enough gender-based-issues at our hands dear Thoko.
Did it assist you long term to accept deputyship in Tsvangirai party? You allowed yourself to be used to accept deputyship knowing that you were tribally colouring the MDC-T party that desperately needed a tribal balance and to get the Matabele vote. In a Shona Zimbabwe, no Ndebele will be pedestalized to a President, that happens in South Africa and Zambia only; God bless these two exemplary neighbouring nations.
It could be a political endgame for you Thoko: but politics being politics and its ruthlessness and dirt, to rule you out of this political dilemma could be a misnomer.
Source - Nomazulu Thata
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