adminPanganai Kahuni Correspondent
The theory of common sense tells us we know a great too many things. An example is where we believe that a calculator will give us the correct sum of numbers and that depressing the brake pedal will cause a car to stop. However, even though we have confidence that such things happen, do we really know for sure that such actions will occur? Is it not theoretically possible that the calculator will make an error and that depressing the brake pedal may not stop the car?
The question is if knowledge requires that we know for certain how something actually is, do we know anything about the world at all? Perhaps all we know is how the world appears to us, and not how the world really is. What appears to us to be true may not be actually true.
Fellow Zimbabweans, what is transpiring in the revolutionary party Zanu-PF deceives many in the manner the sun appears to be deceivingly moving across the sky. How many of us are aware that the sun is stationary relative to the rotating earth? Many people who joined the revolutionary party appear to some of us as ethical, incorruptible, loyal and patriotic Zimbabweans. The majority of us have been deceived by many of our comrades who appear to be brake pedals that have the force to stop a car when in fact they sometimes fail. The revolutionary party has been deceived by some of its leaders who appear to be loyal and patriotic when in fact they are self-centred. Some use their positions in leadership to appear like the sun rotating around the earth when in fact they dine and wine with the enemy.
The thinking that everyone in leadership position understands and upholds the party’s principles, values and ethos is slowly being disproved by the Shenanigans that are occurring in our revolutionary party Zanu-PF. Let it be made clear here that the arrogance, disrespect and dishonouring of the party’s code of conduct has become a habit mostly practiced by those who claim lineages to senior party officials. In some cases, some because of praises showered on them, become a disobedient lot.
More often than not, the public is bombarded with negative pronouncement made by Zanu-PF officials in Cabinet. An example is where Cde Mzembi believes his Cabinet portfolio is holier than Zanu-PF. He was quoted in The Herald of Monday September 29, 2014 stating that ‘‘there is nothing wrong in getting money from the US government as it constitutes part of the loot which was taken from us”. What the honourable Minister should know is that the issue on debate and what is being discouraged by the party is not receiving the money from the US government but the methods and structures used to receive the money.
It is not procedural for any Zanu-PF official to receive any money from any foreign government or any donor for any purpose without the party’s knowing or having approved it. The question is: if the money is not meant for any subversive intentions why should a party official be numb about it? Why not inform the party of what the foreign government or donor wants to do in one’s constituency? The US Ambassador, though he refuses meddling in Zanu-PF internal governance affairs, he is aware of the channels that must be followed when his government wants to fund developmental projects in an ethical manner.
The utterance by Cde Mzembi, therefore, smells a high degree of arrogance and disrespectful of the party code of conduct which seems to have become a strong DNA in his thinking that his ministerial portfolio is senior to the party rules and regulations. Such a dinosaurian practice should be nabbed in the bud.
It is sickening to note that some party leaders have developed a tendency of claiming that certain leaders are more corrupt, disloyal, unpatriotic and worse sell-outs than them. What is saddening is that such claims are made as a defence to allegations of such corrupt activities having been published by the media, alleging such unethical practices to have been committed by such individuals in position of authority.
A typical example is that of Cde Temba Mliswa, the provincial chairman of Mashonaland West Province, who after having been fingered as a CIA agent arrogantly went wild naming others as worse CIA agents than him. Whenever Cde Mliswa is published in the negative, he always finds a defence hole in accusing others. People will remember the allegations levelled against him on the ethanol project.
He brazenly claimed lineage to senior party officials whom he said were part of the corrupt activities. As if it was not enough, after being fingered of receiving money from the American embassy and inviting Mr Eric Little, a US embassy staffer, he was quick to smear Professor Jonathan Moyo and Cde Saviour Kasukuwere as worse CIA agents than him.
The question now is not about whether the alleged two senior officials are CIA agents or not. The question is on the loyalty and patriotism of Cde Mliswa. Why, if he is not a CIA agent was he keeping quiet; and not reporting these two officials to the party? Was the nation ever going to know about the involvement of these two senior party officials in subversive activities, if it is true, had Cde Mliswa not been fingered as a CIA agent? Does Zanu-PF need people of such character in its leadership structures?
Fellow citizens, is it not time that the revolutionary party weeded out such unprincipled dinosaurian leaders who openly demonstrate a high degree of indiscipline, disrespectfulness, disloyalty and unpatriotic arrogant DNA that seek to destroy the party from within? Cde Mliswa stops at nothing as he displays his emotional, immature and brazenly attacks anyone in his arc in the guise that he is brave to say out corrupt practices that are done by others regardless. Honestly, one cannot be corrupt or subversive in order to be a loose cannon when cornered. Such characters should never be trusted with leadership positions for their behaviour is a recipe for leadership disaster.
It must be noted here that Cde Mliswa was at the forefront of suspending the Mashonaland West provincial youth chairman for frivolous charges. Now that a legion of corrupt allegations have been levelled against him what makes him think he is still best suited for leading the party in the province? Some freedom fighters joked that even Satan would not like leaders of Mliswa’s character for they are capable of deceiving everyone regardless. Information at hand alleges that some ministers in Cabinet openly tell party senior officials that they sit in Cabinet and talk to the Head of State more often than some of them. In that regard, they seem to disrespect party leadership in the guise of holding cabinet posts.
This is clear egocentric behaviour, arrogance, disrespectful and a new dimension of liberalism that is emerging. It must be noted that whatever those ministers in cabinet do must add value to Zanu-PF. It must be clear in people’s minds that youthful age and youthful leadership without wisdom is as good as nothing. Regardless of one’s education, one’s work rate, if one is not disciplined and loyal to his/her organisation and does not safeguard the party’s principles, culture, ethos and national interests, that person is just as good as garbage.
People must remember President Mugabe’s words as he gave his closing remarks at the 6th National Youth Conference where he said, “ If you were given money and you voted in a certain manner influenced by the money you received then you were just as good as rubbish as the person who gave you the money”. Therefore, these words of wisdom from the President must be the guiding mirror that must be reflected in the discipline, behaviour and character which should be exhibited by all party cadres.
Panganai Kahuni is a political socio-economic commentator.
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