adminMugabe has addressed five oversubscribed star rallies in Harare, Chiweshe, Marange, Marondera and Chitungwiza while Tsvangirai has also crisscrossed the country trying to spread his gospel according to the West and his so-called “friends” who will magically open their fat wallets for him as soon as or if ever he were to win the elections.
The telling point of the two leaders campaign trails is that President Mugabe’s message at the huge gatherings he has addressed thus far is clear, consistent and decisive, highlighting the sanctity of unlimited political sovereignty, the economic freedom imperative being driven by the indigenisation and economic empowerment, infrastructural development, expansion of social service provision, and restoration of human dignity.
On the other hand, Tsvangirai’s message is fraught with politics of fear and threats of negative things he can think of: poverty, sanctions, unemployment, instability, violence, and vote rigging. In between the message is coloured by uncouth language of hurt and insults where the outgoing Prime Minister has spat venom on all and sundry from ordinary poor citizens in Mashonaland Central who were accused of not wearing underwear, civil servants, childless couples (when he asked why you need another night when you have failed to bear children for five years) and members of the security services who he referred to by the derogatory term “vana ndini ndamubata”.
Thus, while President Mugabe, the older of the two, is preaching a futuristic gospel of people empowerment anchored on the successes of the Zanu-PF government over the past 33 years, the supposedly younger Tsvangirai is promoting backwards and reversal politics that will take Zimbabwe 33 years back to the times of black poverty, illiteracy and degradation.
For, when he is not threatening to boycott elections or to report Zimbabwe to Sadc or the African Union, Tsvangirai will be preaching the gospel of reversal threatening to turn back all the positive programmes implemented by President Mugabe starting from political independence itself, land reform and now the indigenisation and economic empowerment programme. If it were possible Tsvangirai would have reversed the knowledge acquired by his colleagues in the MDC like Tendai Biti, Eric Matinenga and Nelson Chamisa on the basis of sound educational policies initiated by Zanu-PF.
It is a pity that Tsvangirai himself failed to take advantage of this investment and engage in academic inquiry in a way that could have facilitated his development as an aspiring leader of a nation with the highest literacy rate in Africa.
While President Mugabe’s credentials are firmly embedded in the struggle for political independence and Pan Africanism he has also proved himself over time as a consistent, fearless, upright and solid leader not afraid to take big decisions.
From the moment he left this country to lead the war for independence in Mozambique in 1975, through to Geneva and Lancaster House conferences, the 1980 historic election and win, massive investments in education and infrastructural development soon after independence, the historic land reform programme, intervention to save the DR Congo, withdrawal from the Commonwealth and the current indigenisation and economic empowerment programme, President Mugabe has demonstrated time and again that he is a solid leader not afraid to take big decisions on behalf of the people.
Conversely, from the moment he turned his back on the armed struggle, through to the violent job stayaways and demonstrations, the ill-advised “No vote” in the 2000 constitutional referendum, the externally directed formation of the MDC, invitation of economic sanctions on the people of Zimbabwe, dictatorial tendencies that led to the break-up of the original MDC, sponsoring and harbouring violent thugs at Harvest House, legendary love scandals and degradation of women, monumental blunders as Prime Minister to the current insults being hurled at the people of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai has demonstrated time and again that he is a weak, indecisive, inconsistent and shaky leader who cannot be trusted to lead a nation like Zimbabwe.
His own close colleagues like Chamisa and Obert Gutu lambasted him for being weak, and indecisive with a tendency of taking the advice of the last man he listens to instead of weighing options and taking the best decision. In the final analysis, Zimbabweans have to make an informed and solid decision between Zanu-PF and President Robert Mugabe who is selling a message of hope firmly anchored on sound delivery of independence, education, jobs, land, infrastructure and now indigenisation and empowerment, and Morgan Tsvangirai’s retrogressive politics of fear, threats, betrayal, reversal and insults.
By now it is clear before all and sundry that while Kisnot Mukwazhi dreams to win, Welshman Ncube wishes to win, Morgan Richard Tsvangirai hopes to win, Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe will win this election hands down. Come July 31 the people will certainly speak, the people will make a statement and indeed the people shall govern through Zanu-PF. Siyanqoba, Tinokunda, We will win!
Kurai Prosper Masenyama is the Zanu-PF Director for Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
Online Reporter