adminJohn Sigauke
MANICALAND, which happens to be this writer’s home province, is known for its diverse contributions into the political matrix of this nation. Manicaland lies along the border with Mozambique, a country that harboured the liberation fighters of Zimbabwe. Because of its geographical position and its proximity to Mozambique, the province was a gateway for valiant sons and daughters of this country who were joining the liberation struggle.
Manicaland also accounted for the majority of the fighters who fought in the liberation struggle. Because of its geographical position, the province is one of the provinces that took the most strain of the liberation struggle.
However, the province has not been without its fair share of negative contributions. The noble contributions during the liberation struggle risk being blighted by numerous political blunders that has become synonymous with the province.
The province produced the highest number of opposition political leaders and rebels. Ndabaningi Sithole, Edgar Tekere, Abel Muzorewa, Margaret Dongo, Simba Makoni, Arthur Mutambara, Lovemore Madhuku, Morgan Tsvangirai and Didymus Mutasa are some of them.
Manicaland is the mother of factionalism, which dates back to the eighties and early nineties when the late national hero, Cde Kumbirai Kangai, was the provincial chairman.
The sacked former Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Mr Didymus Mutasa, led a faction that fought battles with Cde Kangai. It was the first case of internal strife in Zanu-PF, which we read mostly in the defunct Moto and Parade magazines.
Hitherto, the spirit of internal dissension has been sweeping across the successive provincial administrations.
It is this province that the First Lady, Dr Amai Grace Mugabe, descended on last week. Among other critical issues she raised was factionalism. She spoke plainly on the vice that is not only threatening the cohesion of the revolutionary party, but crippling the economy.
“We say no to factionalism. Whoever is engaging in factionalism must stop it,” said Dr Mugabe. It was a stern warning to those fanning factionalism. Indeed, instigators and protagonists of factionalism, if they really exist, must put a stop to the divisive practice.
As for Manicaland, the top women at the centre of the petty wars only serve to perpetuate and give credence to the chauvinistic belief that women do not perform any better than men. It is, of course, a wrong assumption which women in leadership must help to dispel through their professional performance in whatever position they hold.
In most cases, women are their own worst enemies. President Mugabe appointed a female to the powerful position of provincial state minister. Politically, the most senior member in that province is a woman.
Ideally, this was a perfect arrangement that would have provided these women with an opportunity to prove that the fairer sex can perform wonders against all odds. Unfortunately, they have chosen to work at cross-purposes.
Hopefully, the visit by the First Lady last week spelt the end to factionalism in Manicaland. The continuance of the divisive petty wars would certainly signify disrespect for and utter contempt of the First Lady.
Optimistically, the eradication of internal squabbles in the mother of factionalism will have ripple effects in other provinces.
It is not only Manicaland that is being ravaged by the vice.
Although the detractor media exaggerate the magnitude of the infighting in Zanu-PF, indeed some individuals at the party echelons are working at cross-purposes.
It is not totally the figment of the media’s imagination. We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand and pretend as if everything is ok.
This is how it started with the Mujuru cabal. It was left unchecked until the cabal created a parallel centre of power. The cabal had almost achieved its mission because the party had buried its head in the sand and left factionalism to take root.
Mujuru denied that she led a faction despite glaring evidence to the contrary. Nobody will ever agree. We should stop hiding behind a finger and face the reality that factionalism is with us. We must call a spade a spade and tell those fanning factionalism to stop it.
The unceremonious ending of the Mujuru cabal’s political lives in Zanu-PF must ever ring in the ears of the comrades who are taking the same destructive path.
One good thing about Zanu-PF is that there are no sacred cows. Mutasa, who behaved as if he owned the revolutionary party, is now a political nonentity and so is Rugare Gumbo.
Of course, people, even Siamese twins, can never agree on everything. Such disagreements are not evil per se but the way that they are handled or what they disagree on makes them appear evil.
If the comrades are fighting over the presidency, then it is a misplaced cause to fight for. President Mugabe’s term of office expires in 2023. It is, therefore, too early to dream about succeeding him.
Online Reporter