Chronicle Editor
There are real dangers in studying a political creature called Temba Mliswa, the former zanu-pf member and independent legislator for Norton Constituency. The biggest though is either dismissing him as a nuisance or taking him too seriously. Temba is a mad man. One way to view his madness is to put it down to his maverick character, which is underlined by his inconsistencies and outbursts.
He is one person that psychologists will most probably find to be suffering from some mental instability.
Experts may also point to his perpetual anger with anyone and everyone as something emanating from deep psychological and self-esteem issues.
Temba is in a nasty habit of picking fights wherever he is.
He calls himself a bull.
That is his moniker, Bhuru Remusha (The Family Bull).
Such bulls, which, especially in the Shona culture, are known to be troublesome: they usually carry a patriarchal family name and are subject to rituals.
These beasts are treated with utmost respect like the patriarch-ancestor or forebear.
They are deified.
So, in a family descending from a great ancestor called Chasura, this bull will be addressed as such.
And usually it responds to such obeisance in the positive or negative depending on the mood.
It can be gentle. It can also be violent and ungovernable.
All the while the family has to indulge the troublesome bull, whose behaviour may range from breaking the pen and eating crops in the fields to chasing people. Women, especially, can be particular victims.
The patriarch in the bull, it appears, would be horny and the bovine kind will not be able to cool the beast’s hot blood usually manifest in irreverent baring of a keen phallus.
When the bull’s behaviour becomes irretrievably troublesome, the family knows that time for some ritual is nigh.
A sacrifice marks the end of the particular bull and rites are performed anointing its heir and successor all to the baptism of beer.
A new “bhuru remusha” takes over, following the well-worn path and heritage.
And it goes on and on.
This is the model, one could guess that Temba fancies himself in. Delightedly.
You cannot tell a more maverick politician in this country than Temba.
When Norton indulged
As is now common knowledge, Temba won the Norton by-election beating one Ronald Chindedza last month.
The result sent a lot of signals in the political arena and a particular fallout in the ruling zanu-pf party that gave us Chindedza.
Temba found himself deified in Norton.
They happily sang “Bhuru” to him.
The people who indulged him were a mixed multitude: former zanu-pf members, disaffected members, war veterans, Morgan Tsvangirai’s supporters and other varied elements.
They cheered him on, and led him on. They gave him the mandate on that day, October 22, 2016.
And Mliswa revelled in it.
“I’m the real bull in the kraal. President Mugabe sent his small bulls (Vice-President Emmerson) Mnangagwa, (Vice-President Phelekezela) Mphoko and (zanu-pf national commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere and I defeated them.
“Now I’m going for the biggest bull in their kraal, President Mugabe, because there must be one bull in Zimbabwe.”
And at his victory celebrations on November 21, Mliswa declared that he would stand as a presidential candidate and win.
“Please record this, people may think that it’s impossible the same way some Americans thought of (Donald) Trump . . . I will be the Trump of Zimbabwe in 2018 elections,” bellowed Mliswa.
This bellowing quote is not ours. It’s how the Standard weekly captured the moment.
The trajectory is clear.
He is a maverick, narcissistic character who, facing a real and possible danger of being mentally unstable, appears to get what he wants, like some overindulged bhuru rediramhamba.
Method to madness
But there seems to be a method to Temba’s madness.
If you look so carefully at the trend and streak of Temba’s behaviour you will find some interesting consistency.
No, he cannot be mad. Here, let us break down it for you.
In 2014 /15 he got into trouble in zanu-pf for being part of a cabal around former vice President Joice Mujuru, which was charged with plotting to overthrow President Mugabe unconstitutionally.
Temba was one of the chairmen of provinces that were sacked for belonging to that cabal and rumours were that he was, going to the congress of 2014, supposed to read a resolution calling for the stepping down of President Mugabe, which would then be seconded and effect a palace coup on President Mugabe.
Temba was cast into political wilderness.
He surprisingly cut ties with Mujuru.
He went solo and his attempt to reclaim his Hurungwe West seat ended in grief.
He started warming up to Morgan Tsvangirai and would attend functions of, and along the opposition leader.
He began telling the world that he respected Tsvangirai and that Tsvangirai should lead Zimbabwe — that is as he tipped him to beat President Mugabe alone or in concert with others.
He said Tsvangirai should lead a coalition of opposition forces instead of Mujuru, contempt for whom he is hardly masking.
Temba got the MDC-T support in Norton — and until recently, was effusive in his praise of Tsvangirai.
Just after the election he told Daily News that, “To be honest and truthful, I wouldn’t have won this seat had it not been for Morgan Tsvangirai.
He promised to support me to make sure that I win the election and true to his word, he came to the party.”
He then reasoned: “It’s a fact of life that Tsvangirai has the people . . . That is why it is important for Tsvangirai to lead the planned opposition grand coalition in 2018, which will involve everyone, including war veterans.
“If Tsvangirai decides to accommodate Mai Mujuru, then so be it, but that man is not only popular and genuine, he is also a natural leader and a father figure. The people of Zimbabwe like him and we can’t take that away from him.”
He has been uncharitable with Mujuru whom he says does not have a tested constituency, yet “Tsvangirai has his own massive constituency. So let’s all back Tsvangirai for 2018.”
That was last month.
Previously, in September he had said:
“If you are looking for a coalition outside zanu-pf, you have no choice because Morgan is the leader, because he has more seats in Parliament than you guys who are coming on stage. So don’t hate me for saying that,” he said.
“You, equally, have to respect him for that . . . the issue is, what are you bringing to the table? It’s about institutions, it’s not about names.”
Digging at Mujuru he said: ” . . . I looked into the People First policy document where they say all political parties must be under her. Well! As who! And for what reason! And what are you (Mujuru) bringing to the table?”
. . . to Mnangagwa
Then something intervened.
Last weekend, Tsvangirai failed to show up at Mliswa’s victory celebrations, something which impetuous Temba didn’t take lightly.
He was angry.
He said Tsvangirai could go to hell.
Full article on www.herald.co.zw
“I thought of him as the last man standing and now I believe there is no man standing. All I want is a new Zimbabwe,” he fumed.
And immediately, he had a solution, someone to back.
He convened a Press conference and announced that he backed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to take over from President Mugabe.
He said: “zanu-pf’s solution to the economic problem is for the President to step down and Mnangagwa, who is the most senior, to take over.
“Don’t call me a Mnangagwa person; unless there is someone more senior in zanu-pf than Mnangagwa, then you tell me.
“If Mnangagwa does take over, he is going to stop the bleeding in terms of people suffering. We must be cognisant that the people are suffering.”
He gushed on: “Mnangagwa is the central man. He is the strongman of zanu-pf. He has the military supporting him. He has the war veterans supporting him. As we know, the military is the last line of defence, not the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation) and not the police.”
This is the same man he previously said was like Mujuru, by having been hand picked by President Mugabe.
But then that’s a vintage Temba madness.
Only it has a fine streak: he is ready to support anyone other than President Mugabe.
He may shift goalposts and players but his ultimate goal is the same.
Not that he matters much, if at all, in national politics.
But just as well he provides some interesting study in political behaviour.
Online Reporter