Andrew
Retired Major Action Mandingo
THOSE who know me very well, know that I am not a very big fan of former ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Cde Didymus Mutasa. The vacillating tendencies he exhibited when he was expelled from ZANU PF at the beginning of 2015 showed me that he is not a principled revolutionary.
However, after years of hibernating, Cde Mutasa, who prefers to be called Nyati, seems to be slowly finding his political bearings. In recent weeks, he has been speaking like an old wise man who has a few lessons to impart to the younger generation.
The Chinese were spot on when they said:
“An elderly person at home (is like) a living golden treasure.”
Nyati is beginning to sound like a living golden treasure. Of course, he has not yet won me over, but he is oozing some wisdom.
Even the Holy Book encourages us to value the wisdom and experience of old-timers like Nyati. Proverbs 20 vs 23, the New Living Translation version says: “… the grey hair of experience is the splendour of the old.”
I know some are already wondering: “What exactly has Nyati done to deserve this attention?”
Well, tapping into his years of experience in politics, Nyati has been saying some hard truths over the past few weeks. The former ZANU PF stalwart, who has developed a sudden interest in using Twitter recently wrote:
“One thing the povo doesn’t realise is that President ED Mnangagwa is a deft strategist of unparalleled brilliance. He essentially handled (former President) Mugabe and everything around him from the late 1970s up until Grace (Mugabe) came along, then everything went haywire.
“The brilliance in Mugabe’s heyday was partially influenced by Ngwena’s hand. He was the untiring and ever-reliable hand behind the scenes. Even Mugabe acknowledged Ngwena’s brilliance and hard work after just before the 2018 elections.
“I’m sharing this information to contextualise Chamisa’s chances in 2023. I have observed the young man for a number of years and frankly speaking he can never match Ngwena even if Ngwena decides to sleep until after the election. They’re just incomparable.”
Very frank and piecing talk!
Of course, some of Chamisa’s blind followers are dismissing Nyati’s assertion saying it’s all about bootlicking the President. Whatever they call it, the truth is that Chamisa is losing too many friends, sympathisers and supporters at an alarming rate.
The 2023 election will be a rude awakening for Chamisa. The wise words of old timers like Nyati will come to pass. Chamisa, his blind supporters and his dwindling sponsors will be silenced.
By the way, it’s not only Nyati who has come out in the open to expose Chamisa. Even Professor Jonathan Moyo, who for almost four years stood in Chamisa’s corner, has turned into one of his most vocal critics.
Prof Moyo recently hit out at Chamisa saying:
“He (Chamisa) always gave the impression that he and I were not working together at all; yet we interacted many times a day, 24/7, between 2018 and early 2022…
“When I challenged Chamisa about (the) duplicitous stance in November 2021, he said no formidable tree makes public its roots. I told him that his analogy was inappropriate, undemocratic, unprofessional, wrong, and satanic; he mumbled some mumbo jumbo, and I bade him farewell, which later turned out to be for good…
“Our public, and thus open support, for NC (Nelson Chamisa) did not rise to the broad based coalition we expected and, worse, it was not reciprocated but attracted intolerable demonisation which even dragged in family members who were gratuitously maligned, including my late daughter.
“As far as we were concerned, the relevant, substantive and meaningful debate on Zimbabwe’s national question and economic prosperity – based on the inclusive values and principles of the country’s liberation struggle and national independence – has remained among and between ZANU PF members. The rest is mahumbwe (child’s play).
“NC (Nelson Chamisa) and his base publicly proved to be unworthy of the kind of support we gave them.
“We now know first-hand that they’re immature, ideologically bankrupt and anti the nationalist project. They want power just for its own sake, on behalf of their handlers and funders.”
The Professor was clearly on the rampage!
Still Chamisa’s hoodlums think this is all about bootlicking the President? Really?
There was also a scathing attack by Dr Pedzisai Ruhanya, Chamisa’s long-time ally.
A visibly angry Dr Ruhanya wrote:
“Decisions in politics make sense when they are collective and reflect the will of the people that politicians represent. When you find yourself thinking you know everything, you can dribble and hurt everyone and that only your ideas matter, then you are precipitating into dictatorship.
“Machiavellian politics don’t work in the modern age because they are contradictory to democratic principles. You can’t be Machiavelli and a democrat at the same time, its contradictory, its oxymoronic, it’s an aberration. Differences are not bad for democracy; they nourish democratic practices. In politics, don’t expect to be surrounded by friends.
“Even in church, differences occur but what makes the church an enduring institution is the capacity of the leaders to manage differences institutionally.
“I represent myself and myself only. I don’t speak on behalf of anyone but Pedzisai.
“Don’t associate myself with things I don’t know. I love my independence. I can’t survive an hour in any political party because I am allergic to stupid things. I can never say Fanta is Coke because a particular leadership says so.”
If veteran politicians, renowned academics and former allies continue tearing Chamisa to smithereens like this, why should sober-minded people not listen? Ngatisiye mapenzi atambe jakwara rawo ega (Let’s leave mad people to dance to their madness).
The 2023 elections may be a bridge too far for Chamisa!
Online Reporter