Nyambala
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- Oct 10, 2007
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WikiLeaks Revelations and the Zim Politics
06/09/2011 10:42:00 By Nkosana Dlamini,
THE latest release of the US diplomatic cables from the whistle-blower
WikiLeaks is the material that would leave script writers of soaps licking
their lower lips.
But even in the creative world of soap operas, the critical viewer would
chide the author for being rather too wild with their imaginations.
Details of very senior Zanu (PF) officials, more-so, those purportedly close
to President Robert Mugabe, clandestinely meeting a sworn enemy to the party
like the American ambassador to Zimbabwe and pouring out on the party's top
secrets are mouth watering and just too good to be true.
While the authenticity of these meetings and details can be debate for
another day, what would be more worrisome to President Mugabe especially,
are the mention of names of his deputies, one of them Joice Mujuru, revered
as a heroin and child of unquestionable loyalty to the revolutionary party.
Mugabe's would also not have sleep to hear that his most trusted banker
Gideon Gono supped with the devil, even going to the extent of gloating over
prospects of his "impending" death after revealing his medical status to an
enemy that longs for all the misfortunes to befall him.
Mugabe's failing health has been jealously guarded by Zanu (PF).
Mugabe would also wonder how his younger wife Grace went to the extent of
telling central bank governor that he was now old and senile, and how blue
eyed boy, Youth and Indigenisation Saviour Kasukuwere would tell an enemy
that he (Kasukuwere) wished him to step down.
Perhaps after taking a good laugh about the evidently waning fortunes of his
political nemesis, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on the other hand, would
also cool down to some deep, meditative thinking over his own circumstances.
Just how could some of his most trusted buddies like Nelson Chamisa and
Obert Gutu see through him, casting aspersions on his leadership qualities?
It is now apparent that Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the two most powerful players
on the country's political scene and the main focus from the latest batch of
cables, now walk a tight rope.
They do not know whether to immediately purge their masked allies or allow
political expediency to prevail at least up to next year's make or break
elections, which they are both contesting.
Also going to the next polls with people who have literally sold them out is
another hard choice for them.
But should they flex their muscles and purge "sell outs" from their parties,
what guarantees are there that those who shall remain close to them would
not find themselves in the next batch of cable releases?
Observers say the revelations are more likely to dent internal party
politics as opposed to affecting the inter-party relationship of the
inclusive government where parties have been working on a premise of
mistrust and mutual contempt for each other.
Brian Sibanda, a Harare businessman, says a party facing electoral defeat
like Zanu (PF) requires a coherent system where all individuals connected to
its survival are speaking with one voice.
"The divisive voices coming from within the intra-party politics of Zanu
(PF) are not only unprecedented but very, very dangerous as they tend to
alienate the President from his predictable constituency," he says.
"They also tend to create deep seated divisions to the point that the
President is now so confused. He can no longer make a distinction between
his friends and foes."
Timothy Mbaimbai, another Harare resident says the anguish is not limited to
Mugabe and Tsvangirai but also to those implicated in the cables who do not
know whether they should seek audiences with their leaders and absolve
themselves from the "lies" or simply keep quiet and observe where the wind
blows.
"It is most worrying when you even hear some powerful voices from the
(military) Generals shouting down their commander," says Mbaimbai, referring
to the two serving army Generals who allegedly labelled incumbent army chief
Constantine Chiwenga as "a political General".
"A coherent military setup does not have dissenting voices. In military
language, a dissenting voice is mutiny at best especially if you are talking
to a sworn enemy under the cover of darkness denigrating your commander."
Some say the revelations would poison relationships and fan more suspicions
within the parties. They view this as more damaging to Zanu (PF) than MDC-T
because Zanu (PF) has lot of internal fissures.
"For Tsvangirai, they only expose his leadership weaknesses something that
has already been in the public domain and not the scheming around him," says
a political analysts who did not want to be named.
"It's rather too dangerous with Mugabe who does not know anymore what the
right hand is thinking."
Charles Mangongera, a political analyst, sees a worse off scenario after
these revelations.
"There would be a huge fallout," he says, "Trust has definitely been broken
and it will have long term political implications for both parties. It will
change a lot of relationships.
"People who were considered for certain positions within the political
parties would no longer get them. Moreover, Mugabe does not countenance any
kind of contempt or criticism. All those who are seen as being critical of
his leadership and status would face the consequences."
Trevor Maisiri , another political analyst, says while Mugabe and Tsvangirai
may be itching to punish their treacherous allies, this may not happen now
but in the medium to long term because both are still trying to grapple with
other pressures.
"A leader like President Mugabe is still facing pressure from both in and
outside and may not want to make far reaching decisions immediately," he
says.
"The revelations also render moribund, the Zanu (PF) trump card strategy of
casting the MDC is a western sponsored party because his own inner circle
has been unmasked. Mugabe is shocked and feels betrayed. He is wondering how
his party has been so infiltrated by the Americans because it seems everyone
in the party has sold out."
For MDC, says Maisiri, the revelations seem to impound the fact that
Tsvangirai's leadership is being questioned and this may lead to
factionalism.
But all said and done, it is American diplomacy that would be the biggest
loser in this situation, some say.
"No one would want to be scene hobnobbing with the American ambassadors
again because people don't trust this would be in confidence anymore," says
Sibanda. - Radio VOP
My Take:
Haya kwa wale spin masters wanaouliza kwamba hizo cables why now?????????? Just to let u know that kila mahali kwa cables zao na worries zao.
06/09/2011 10:42:00 By Nkosana Dlamini,
THE latest release of the US diplomatic cables from the whistle-blower
WikiLeaks is the material that would leave script writers of soaps licking
their lower lips.
But even in the creative world of soap operas, the critical viewer would
chide the author for being rather too wild with their imaginations.
Details of very senior Zanu (PF) officials, more-so, those purportedly close
to President Robert Mugabe, clandestinely meeting a sworn enemy to the party
like the American ambassador to Zimbabwe and pouring out on the party's top
secrets are mouth watering and just too good to be true.
While the authenticity of these meetings and details can be debate for
another day, what would be more worrisome to President Mugabe especially,
are the mention of names of his deputies, one of them Joice Mujuru, revered
as a heroin and child of unquestionable loyalty to the revolutionary party.
Mugabe's would also not have sleep to hear that his most trusted banker
Gideon Gono supped with the devil, even going to the extent of gloating over
prospects of his "impending" death after revealing his medical status to an
enemy that longs for all the misfortunes to befall him.
Mugabe's failing health has been jealously guarded by Zanu (PF).
Mugabe would also wonder how his younger wife Grace went to the extent of
telling central bank governor that he was now old and senile, and how blue
eyed boy, Youth and Indigenisation Saviour Kasukuwere would tell an enemy
that he (Kasukuwere) wished him to step down.
Perhaps after taking a good laugh about the evidently waning fortunes of his
political nemesis, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on the other hand, would
also cool down to some deep, meditative thinking over his own circumstances.
Just how could some of his most trusted buddies like Nelson Chamisa and
Obert Gutu see through him, casting aspersions on his leadership qualities?
It is now apparent that Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the two most powerful players
on the country's political scene and the main focus from the latest batch of
cables, now walk a tight rope.
They do not know whether to immediately purge their masked allies or allow
political expediency to prevail at least up to next year's make or break
elections, which they are both contesting.
Also going to the next polls with people who have literally sold them out is
another hard choice for them.
But should they flex their muscles and purge "sell outs" from their parties,
what guarantees are there that those who shall remain close to them would
not find themselves in the next batch of cable releases?
Observers say the revelations are more likely to dent internal party
politics as opposed to affecting the inter-party relationship of the
inclusive government where parties have been working on a premise of
mistrust and mutual contempt for each other.
Brian Sibanda, a Harare businessman, says a party facing electoral defeat
like Zanu (PF) requires a coherent system where all individuals connected to
its survival are speaking with one voice.
"The divisive voices coming from within the intra-party politics of Zanu
(PF) are not only unprecedented but very, very dangerous as they tend to
alienate the President from his predictable constituency," he says.
"They also tend to create deep seated divisions to the point that the
President is now so confused. He can no longer make a distinction between
his friends and foes."
Timothy Mbaimbai, another Harare resident says the anguish is not limited to
Mugabe and Tsvangirai but also to those implicated in the cables who do not
know whether they should seek audiences with their leaders and absolve
themselves from the "lies" or simply keep quiet and observe where the wind
blows.
"It is most worrying when you even hear some powerful voices from the
(military) Generals shouting down their commander," says Mbaimbai, referring
to the two serving army Generals who allegedly labelled incumbent army chief
Constantine Chiwenga as "a political General".
"A coherent military setup does not have dissenting voices. In military
language, a dissenting voice is mutiny at best especially if you are talking
to a sworn enemy under the cover of darkness denigrating your commander."
Some say the revelations would poison relationships and fan more suspicions
within the parties. They view this as more damaging to Zanu (PF) than MDC-T
because Zanu (PF) has lot of internal fissures.
"For Tsvangirai, they only expose his leadership weaknesses something that
has already been in the public domain and not the scheming around him," says
a political analysts who did not want to be named.
"It's rather too dangerous with Mugabe who does not know anymore what the
right hand is thinking."
Charles Mangongera, a political analyst, sees a worse off scenario after
these revelations.
"There would be a huge fallout," he says, "Trust has definitely been broken
and it will have long term political implications for both parties. It will
change a lot of relationships.
"People who were considered for certain positions within the political
parties would no longer get them. Moreover, Mugabe does not countenance any
kind of contempt or criticism. All those who are seen as being critical of
his leadership and status would face the consequences."
Trevor Maisiri , another political analyst, says while Mugabe and Tsvangirai
may be itching to punish their treacherous allies, this may not happen now
but in the medium to long term because both are still trying to grapple with
other pressures.
"A leader like President Mugabe is still facing pressure from both in and
outside and may not want to make far reaching decisions immediately," he
says.
"The revelations also render moribund, the Zanu (PF) trump card strategy of
casting the MDC is a western sponsored party because his own inner circle
has been unmasked. Mugabe is shocked and feels betrayed. He is wondering how
his party has been so infiltrated by the Americans because it seems everyone
in the party has sold out."
For MDC, says Maisiri, the revelations seem to impound the fact that
Tsvangirai's leadership is being questioned and this may lead to
factionalism.
But all said and done, it is American diplomacy that would be the biggest
loser in this situation, some say.
"No one would want to be scene hobnobbing with the American ambassadors
again because people don't trust this would be in confidence anymore," says
Sibanda. - Radio VOP
My Take:
Haya kwa wale spin masters wanaouliza kwamba hizo cables why now?????????? Just to let u know that kila mahali kwa cables zao na worries zao.
