In the case of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe’s government was democratic, economically savvy and politically astute, until one day, overnight, it became oppressive and intolerable.
The sudden change came about in the wake of the appropriation of white farmers' properties.
Simultaneously, the Zimbabwe dollar never recovered (2000-2007).
Having overthrown Mugabe (2017) Emmerson Mnangagwa became the world’s darling: there was a new dispensation and the Zimbabwe dollar recovered somewhat, until the World Bank discovered that (ED as he is lovingly called) was no different from Mugabe.
My quarrel with the US diplomatic service is that they came to this realisation, almost a year ahead of me. In July 2018, the US State Department Southern Africa Corps issued a memo that ED’s so called new dispensation “was a charade.” (their phrase).
The more things change
The British, under ambassador Katriona Lang were taken for a ride.
Thus, the two powers that could have chocked the Zimbabwe political machine were in disagreement.
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The narrative, therefore, was left to self-employed entrepreneurs like Gambakwe Media, Chatufa, Dr Amai of The Standard, Point 5 Studios and a host of fellow travelers.
Gambakwe Media with a following of 1.3 million and a daily listener platform of 80 000 and above leads the pack.
According to Gambakwe, ED and Zanu-PF cannot do anything right. The party is the instrument of oppression, economic mismanagement and outright wickedness.
Gambakwe says that there is a vicious internecine infighting among Zanu PF factions. He further alleges, and hopes that the faction associated with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is likely to win the day and bring about needed change.
Gambakwe’s perspective and prognostic is commonly adumbrated and broadcast by diaspora media entities.
Me thinks that while their presentation of the facts is almost always correct, their interpretation of those facts is far from the truth.
When I examined the US Democratic Party’s grip on black women for the last 70 years, and compared it to Zanu PF strategy, I was awed by their brilliant strategy.
The US Democrats promised black women that if they “put out” their men from their matrimonial homes, they will receive full housing and financial assistance.
The choice is simple, a guaranteed check from the federal government or a sorry bouncing check from your “stupid husband.” (their terminology).
Rueben Mbofana has described Zanu PF strategy brilliantly.
“Every day we are bombarded with reports of communities receiving handouts from government officials and their allies.”
Mbofana himself missed the significance of his discovery. These donations are presented as “presidential inputs” and, therefore, coming from the person of the president.
American black women are told that Republicans will take away “their rights” and leave them to starve.
In the last election, while the majority of the American communities migrated to Donald Trump — in the belief that a boisterous economy was better than welfare gifts, 90% of black women (not men) remained in the plantation.
The brilliancy of the strategy lies in the fact that headmen (black pastors in the US) receive and distribute presidential inputs.
Any villager who shows ingratitude can be dispossessed of his “shamba.” Chiefs (black pastors) are given 10 times more than the village heads, adding Toyota pick-up trucks as well.
In the US Bishop Patrick Wooden who refused to comply was audited by Internal Revenue.
There is no one who is outside the reach of Zanu PF. The so called bigwigs can be dispossessed, sent to prison, or worse can be permitted to die mysteriously. General Solomon Mujuru died from a cigarette fire.
There are all sorts of humiliations.
Governor Dzikamai Mavhaire was always on the right side of history. But he had to learn by humiliation that no one can prosper outside Zanu PF.
Mbofana brings this home. “Officials celebrate the distribution of mealie-meal, cooking oil, and agricultural inputs as if it were a mark of success.”
My dear brother, US Democrats, for 90 years, did not bother to campaign in black neighbourhoods. Once in four years, they will come to a black church, are hailed by the pastor (who by the way receives hurricane supplies to distribute to congregants).
Magandanga, Chiwenga factions, and the 2030 movement are cut from the same cloth from which ED came from.
The idea, broadcast by Gambakwe, that these entities can bring about a different dispensation in governance is what professors call “not a serious argument”.
The indigenous churches
The role of the indigenous churches in Zimbabwe has been ignored. These make up one third of the population.
The late great master Alex Magaisa compiled a list of indigenous bishops who received large favours from government, including land and material gifts.
To explain the bishop’s relationship with government as entirely due to greed is not a serious argument.
During my tutelage with the late Lutheran Bishop Bengt Sundkler, I became convinced that the indigenous bishops came away from the colonial missionary churches because of the missionaries’ superior and colonial attitude towards blacks.
They are, therefore, intuitively suspicious of European ideologies and propensity to be masters in a house that is not their own.
Zanu PF is, therefore, a natural ally.
In a paper published in 2019, US diplomats argued, rightly as it turned out that Zanu PF was likely to overcome all political obstacles placed in their way.
The infiltration of the opposition, through Sengezo Tshabangu was wickedly brilliant and thorough that one wonders if there is anybody left in the opposition who has not received Judas’ 30 silver coins.
The issue, therefore, lies in the fact that despite all their genius, Zanu PF cannot cheat the economy.
I have seen the same drama play out in the US. Democrats cheated at every turn, had the print and television media spread lies about Trump, and even had Judases within the Republican Party itself undermine Trump’s policies.
In a short space of four years, Democrats mismanagement of the economy far outweighed their big words, smoke and stuff (black English).
In summary, me thinks that Zanu PF real opposition lies in its inability to cheat the economy. Stupid!
*Ken Mufuka is a Zimbabwean patriot. He writes from the US. He can be reached at mufukaken@gmail.com
