GOOD day, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Your Excellency, verily, your presidency is no longer tenable.
It is devoid of the requisite essence of veritable statesmanship.
As I see it, it is altogether irredeemable. It is thoroughly constrained.
I reckon it has probably reached a dead-end, and is practically defunct for want of credibility and dignity.
Methinks your presidency has suffered severe defilement.
It is averse to accountability. It was rendered the proverbial stroke that ultimately broke the camel’s back.
As if the claims attributed to Wicknell Chivayo that you are firmly in his hands and that he is untouchable are not sufficiently disdainful, your allegations that the West has just begun consolidating power in Zambia are, indeed, below the dignity of the presidency.
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Your narrative during your meeting with your Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Americans are consolidating their power in Zambia, both in terms of security and financial support to our northern neighbour, was whimsical and unguarded.
Responding to your utterances, Zambian Foreign and International Co-operation minister Mulambo Haimbe said they were an unwarranted attack on the sovereignty of Zambia.
He called for immediate and decisive action from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and the African Union (AU).
“The statements made by President Mnangagwa are not only baseless, but also damaging to the spirit of unity and mutual respect that underpins our regional co-operation,” Haimbe said.
Methinks the honourable minister’s statement borders on imploring you that verily, your presidency is no longer tenable.
Granted, relations between Harare and Lusaka are at their lowest as a result of the disparaging allegations you made against Zambia.
Described as an unwarranted attack on the sovereignty of Zambia, the accusations were altogether malicious.
As Haimbe explained in Parliament, it was far-fetched for you to posit that the co-operation between Zambia and US posed a regional threat.
Actually, Zambia’s alliance with US is transparent and must not be misconstrued as an act of regional destabilisation.
Your Excellency, you could not have elected to lower your guard on an engagement as high profile as your meeting with Putin.
Given the dynamics of global rivalries for influence between him and the West, the accusations were destined to set in motion far-reaching spillovers.
I believe that the diplomatic concoction you recently brewed was not consistent with the mindset and deportment of a recipient of three honorary doctorate degrees in a record quick succession from the University of Zimbabwe and two other State universities.
I contend that it was weird and below the dignity ordinarily ascribed to the presidency that you stooped so low.
All things being equal, a self-respecting president would have hit the ground running to offer to resign on the grounds of principles without further ado. Yet, expediency prevailed over principle.
I reckon Putin, given his adept critical thinking, must have noticed that the marbles of his guest had taken a momentary flight of absence.
Considering his attention to detail on all the intricacies of the West’s foreign relations engagements, he must have taken your narrative with a well-blended combination of caution and scepticism.
Your Excellency, it strikes me as strange, if not intentional sabotage that of all the clerics who surround you, none has been inspired to acquaint you with scriptural wisdom.
Amid the ensuing diplomatic furore, 2 Timothy 2 verse 23 springs to mind.
“Avoid foolish and thoughtless discussions which merely stir up arguments and lead to no profit or spiritual growth,” wrote Apostle Paul to his youthful protege, Timothy.
Here, the encouragement was given to steer clear of unproductive and indivisive utterances.
Instead, he was encouraged to dwell on engaging in propitious discourses that motivate and inspire, thereby building each other and promoting harmonious coexistence and wisdom.
With such enlightenment, the diplomatic row with Zambia was avoidable.
As I see it, it was an unprecedented moment of madness in diplomatic circles that a sitting president could unleash unsubstantiated allegations against a neighbouring country.
It never ceases to confound me that you dropped the guard recklessly.
Your Excellency, my conscience has it that if the bungling had been committed by a minister or any other government official, they could have been summarily dismissed upon their return.
It is not a big ask for me to implore you to do unto thyself what you could have done to others.
Meanwhile, the audio recording that is generally attributed to Chivayo is a death knell of your presidency.
His claims that you are firmly in his pocket and that he is within your circle renders your presidency untenable.
Despite Chivayo not being a government official, his proximity to you staggers my mind.
He has been attending State functions, including being introduced to a visiting president, notwithstanding his conviction for theft and the three years custodial sentence he served in 2004.
Yet, he wins government tenders at will.
If you ask me, it was lamely that Zanu PF director for information Farai Marapira claimed that his party would soon put an end to Chivayo’s antics.
“As Zanu PF, we take notice of any snide insinuations against our first secretary and president. We take seriously any and all attempts to reduce his standing and goodwill,” declared Marapira.
With Chivayo featuring prominently in the ongoing presidential goats underhand deal, the US$40 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission tender corruption, on the backdrop of his unfettered proximity to you, the declaration by Marapira, “Our President is incapable of being captured,” is suspect. It is overzealous for him to dare immortalise you.
Your Excellency, your governance priorities expediency at the expense of principle.
Hence, the hearty cry by James Manyika, “I will not go around the world saying Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe, yet Zimbabwe embarrasses me”.
Verily, your presidency is no longer tenable.
- Cyprian Muketiwa Ndawana is a public-speaking coach, motivational speaker, speechwriter and newspaper columnist.
