This week, I want to present my readers and detractors alike, with another curve ball and say that Grace Mugabe could be the saving grace of ZANU (PF) after all (no pun intended). She may be just what they need; a person with the guts to clean up the party and say what has to be said. I did call her a side show recently, but when facts change on the ground, I have a dreadful habit of reconsidering my views. She is now clearly the only ZANU (PF) political show in town regardless of how we may feel about her chutzpa.
I always remind my colleagues that St. Paul was a murderer of Christians and look how God used him to spread His word. God's ways are not our ways, especially when it comes to using us to achieve his will. Let me hurry to say that I am not at all judging whether God is using Grace or not, especially when she says that she will spill blood; that is contemptible and uncouth. I am just saying that our expectations, at most times, are really never close to what God intends and he uses the simplest things or the people we least expect, to confound our human limitations. We therefore can never predict the future particularly in Zimbabwe in these times.
What has been the problem with ZANU (PF)?
It has been the lack of decisive leadership to address the socio-economic problems we face. For obvious reasons, we also have not seen anyone from the ranks claiming leadership or coming out in the clear with their aspirations to lead the party after Mugabe. We all know how ZANU (PF) leaders are so disempowered through fear. They have been impotent to make the painful decisions that need to be made lest they upset Mugabe. Because of that, government has been in paralysis.
I am actually quite astounded that ZANU (PF) and ZAPU stalwarts are watching as Grace pulls the rug from under their feet. These men have been weaklings to challenge Mugabe for the last thirty four years, so I feel no pity for them at all; they are sheep in sheep's clothing. No doubt they are all now bootlicking Grace, hoping to secure their future. What a disgrace they are.
Well, Grace the arriviste is now here, and she has already warned the police not to harass street vendors. Soon, she will stop the police from harassing kombi drivers too. She will no doubt, order house demolitions to stop and will also hopefully force indigenisation to be repealed, farm invasions to stop and order city councils to deliver services to the people for a change. I wish she could also order Chihuri to arrest all those who have stolen our minerals. That would be awesome. She must also order that all who possess multiple farms and are not utilising them must vacate them with immediate effect. She might actually fire some ministers at this rate! I am sure they are all trembling and visiting sangomas as we speak.
It's obvious that whatever Grace is doing, is being permitted by her husband who is well renowned for his ability to scheme and plot from behind the scenes. She has direct access 24/7 to the master himself and whatever intelligence he has access to, she has too, which puts the ministers in a quandary.
The movie is just beginning so, brace up and fasten your seat belts for a political roller coaster as the ZANU (PF) elective congress approaches. You aint seen nothing yet!
Unfortunately, or fortunately, she can't order the Reserve Bank to print US dollars that the economy needs so much. That will need more than political rallies. It will need a political settlement first.
Imagine if Grace wakes up one day, and invites all opposition parties to a conference to come up with a political settlement for the Zimbabwe problem. That would certainly take the wind out of the sails of opposition parties.
Anyway, since she is on a roll, here is my advice to her;
Please whisper lovingly into the ears of your husband that perhaps he should retire and enjoy a peaceful retirement. While you are about it, please tell him that a political settlement with democratic formations would benefit his legacy tremendously. Tell him this would lead to immediate economic recovery and much respect might return to him after all. It would also lead to political stability and attract investors back into the country. Ask him if this could be put in place early next year after all the party congresses are over.
I would also advise her to tell him the reality on the ground because he has been lied to by his ministers and CIO's. Tell him young Zimbabweans are sick and tired of being jobless and hopeless. We are all tired of the "Big Man" mentality and the corruption of his ministers who have stolen so much from our country's resources. This must stop.
Please also tell him that it is true that there are potholes everywhere and that most people are unemployed, hopeless and dejected. Tell him truthfully that this country is actually worse off compared to 1980 when he took over.
Of course whether Grace cleans up ZANU (PF) or not, I doubt this will help at all. The party is past redemption and I wager that, sooner rather than later, it will implode; everything comes to an end-hapana chisingapere.
I pray that God through his boundless grace gives us patience and afford us the ultimate triumph of good over evil. (Pun intended).
The temperature is indeed rising, as my dear friend Eddie Cross put it.
Vince Musewe is an economist and author based in Harare. You may contact him on [email protected]
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