adminIF there is one life-changing lesson the Matabeleland region learned from the First Lady Umama Dr Grace Mugabe’s speech during her rally at AmaZulu Sports Club in Bulawayo last Thursday, it’s that no province in the country is a “special child” to Zanu-PF.
At home, special children require more sacrifice, patience and unconditional love from their parents compared to other children.
At school, special children require specialised learning strategies to meet their potential and avoid self-esteem problems and behavioural difficulties. In politics, “special children” require a resounding victory for the party in other parts of the country to meet their appointment into Government and avoid monetary problems as well as going into political oblivion.
Since the year 2000 when Zanu-PF lost all constituencies in Bulawayo for the first time, the picture that has been painted is that of a difficult province whose electorate is gullible to opposition politics. As a result of this assertion, political leaders in the province have been treated with kid gloves as they are supposedly operating in a difficult environment which is hostile to the revolutionary party.
A number of reasons have been attributed to Zanu-PF’s rejection in the province, chief among them being the allegation that the people of Bulawayo are not happy with the Unity Accord of 1987 which brought together PF-Zapu and Zanu (PF) to form Zanu-PF.
Some have, in the past, even claimed that they were rejected for wearing the Zanu-PF “jacket”, with one former party cadre declaring in June 2000 that: “Even if you had put a donkey and labelled it ‘MDC’, the people would have voted for it.”
For the past 13 years, Zanu-PF politicians in the province have pointed a finger in all directions except where they are standing.
But now they have been exposed.
Addressing the party’s embarrassing defeat to MDC-T in Bulawayo in last year’s elections, Umama Dr Grace Mugabe said it is actually the imposition of leaders in the province that has led to the electorate rejecting the party.
“Because leaders continue being imposed, the people are vowing not to vote for those people. I’m saying the leadership of Bulawayo, if we were to be truthful you know what needs to be done in Bulawayo.
“We can’t go on with dissenting voices saying: ‘I want Zanu-PF’, ‘I want Zapu’ and doing factionalism. Down with you! Down with you! Those doing that, down with you!” she said.
The First Lady also took a swipe at some party leaders in the Matabeleland region whose greed for elevation as second Vice-President has led to factionalism in the party.
“Money is changing hands, lots of money. They are not sleeping. I’m asking that you go sit and agree. I can’t say an ill person will die tomorrow. Death, that knowledge of when one is going to die, is the prerogative of the Maker, He’s the one who knows. But if you see that you’re ill; you see that your brains are not in order, why do you put your name forward?
“You! We know you’re educated, but don’t have wisdom. You act like an abnormal person, you act like a donkey at a grinding mill. You put yourself forward, we know you have money but when you stand in front of people, you look down upon them. Start by introspecting, whether you have leadership qualities,” said Dr Mugabe, who hit the nail on the head when she said the true test for vice-presidential aspirants is that of delivering Bulawayo Province to the party.
“In Bulawayo, there are many problems that should be solved. Show us that you can actually put this province together first before you can think of ruling this country. You’re failing to solve problems, you’re used to standing in front of people and lying to them,” she said.
“Unite Bulawayo and show us that you’re a capable leader, a magnanimous leader, and then we’ll agree that you’re a deserving person for that position. Now in Bulawayo, there are problems and you’re the ones who start them. The people know that the problems come from the top.”
The thunderous applause from party supporters who came in their thousands to listen to the First Lady, said it all. The party must demand results from senior party members who have been riding on President Mugabe’s back.
Now that the position of second Vice-President is expected to be filled at the party’s December congress, aspirants and their supporters are using the same Unity Accord to which they attribute their political woes, as a bible that should dictate to the party who fits where. Some have even started jostling for the position of National Chair which is not even vacant.
According to these aspirants and their supporters, only former PF-Zapu members can fill these two posts as per a gentleman’s agreement which is not spelt out in the Unity Accord.
In fact, the Unity Accord states: “That Zanu-PF shall have two Second Secretaries and Vice-Presidents who shall be appointed by the First Secretary and President of the Party.”
It is also silent on the issue of the party’s National Chair.
And even if the document clearly stated that one Vice-President and the party’s National Chair must be from PF-Zapu, the million dollar question is: “What if the people who qualify under this criteria are not the best candidates?”
Clearly, suitable candidates must not only be acceptable to Matabeleland but the rest of the country as these two posts are national.
Recent calls for President Mugabe to appoint national leaders — as per the Unity Accord — are justified. Dr Mugabe has set the tone and Matabeleland is not a “special child” — politicians must prove their worth. They must have sleepless nights strategising how they can improve the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans and not campaigning in the still of the night.
Those who have tried and failed must now make way for new brooms.
Online Reporter