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I will operationalise them before I delve into the crux of the matter of today — how MDC-T leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai deliberately misleads Zimbabweans.
To begin with, some readers asked me to define the terms “information,” “misinformation” and to elaborate on the difference between “misinformation” and “disinformation,” and doing that is my pleasure.
“Information,” simply put, is the message (utterance or expression) being conveyed and “misinformation,” is false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally. The concept of “misinformation” should not be misconstrued as “disinformation” in that the two aspects can be distinguished by motive. Misinformation is unintentional and erroneous while disinformation, in contrast, is deliberate and intended to mislead. In other words, disinformation is tantamount to counter-knowledge, according to British journalist and author, Damian Thompson.
Counter-knowledge, to be frank, is not knowledge but falsehoods targeted at eliminating basic conscience, which, in essence, is functional knowledge.
In this light, disinformation could be regarded as falsehoods packaged to appear factual to dysfunction the brain of its victim.
MDC-T is the product of the package of falsehoods created by the West’s intelligence mechanisms at the dawn of the millennium to create confusion in Zimbabwe.
In much the same way Western leaders are the leading salespersons of the West’s new imperial doctrine, Mr Tsvangirai is their top messenger to Zimbabwe. Since the turn of the millennium, Mr Tsvangirai stirred political havoc in this country to try and benefit from the shock, the shock he hoped to use to gain political mileage, the shock, born of the lies he unashamedly spread across the country and the world at large.
As Zimbabweans there is a need for radical collectivism, if we entertain any thoughts of defeating the new imperial push, which is more subtle than aggressive although its ultimate goal is to be more aggressive than subtle. Failure to be resilient creates nightmares for the coming generations. We may not be able to witness it, but our children may, only if we let Mr Tsvangirai rise to the throne. He must be stopped.
One might find it very difficult to decipher how the trade unionist-cum-politician stirred and continues to try to stir political havoc in Zimbabwe. And for this reason, I feel I am compelled to demystify the aspect.
First, he was used by the West to misrepresent the Zimbabwean people’s perspectives on the land reform programme, thereby unnecessarily raising eyebrows concerning the legality of the move. And the West responded as planned.
Secondly, he was used by the West to force-feed the workers he “misrepresented” at Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) with lies about the reliability (or lack of it) of President Mugabe’s policies.
Mr Tsvangirai fumes at the thought of the ongoing black economic empowerment programme. He believes that what should only be “indigenised” are marriage protocols, I am bound to think.
These, among other things, were enough for him to create confusion among the citizens of this country.
In a way, the concept of disinformation, among a host of other strategic deception methods, Mr Tsvangirai used against us, fundamentally (for the wrong reasons) instilled into our Zimbabwean consciousness, the idea that Zimbabwe cannot solve its problems alone and therefore needs the West, pseudonymed international intervention, which is not and can never be.
The impact of disinformation on the consciousness of the disinformed, has critical consequences, to such an extent that its victim may not be able to understand, let alone suspect, that they were being duped. The victim may not be able to face the fact that somebody somewhere did the thinking for them and they just followed.
Through disinformation, one’s cognitive ability is disrupted, the rightful conscience deleted, and all they can do is to ask for more.
Victims of strategic deception suffer from an alternation of feelings of innocence, guilty and anger. One believes they are innocent because they did not realise that they were being duped, at the same time feeling guilty at the thought of having done nothing to avoid it, leading to a sudden burst of anger to such an extent that they wish they could beat themselves for that. Please do not!
However, the most fundamental step to understanding and reabsorbing the rightful conscience is bravery. One should not be afraid of the truth, you should face it. Take yourself on a journey to the city of discovery through the gates of knowledge.
Mr Tsvangirai represents the West’s interests in Zimbabwe, and seeks to misrepresent our perspectives.
* Tinovonga Vunganai is a freelance writer. He can be contacted on 0776323796
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