The Sunday Mail
No one can doubt Dr Dumiso Dabengwa’s liberation war credentials.
He joined the UNDP in 1962, was jailed for six months by the Ian Smith regime, headed Zapu’s youth wing, was well-trained in Russia, set up an admirable reconnaissance unit on his return in 1965, and rose to command Zipra.
After Independence, he held important briefs in Government and was considered by many to be quite a solid politician.
But we were to discover that the man has feet of clay, undoing all his good work for the nation by deciding, circa 2008, to fight on the diametrically opposite side of the divide and seeking to rubbish all those ideals of the liberation struggle that he fought for.
After the woeful experiment with Dr Simba Makoni, Dr Dabengwa is now trying to bring himself to the limelight by condemning the appointment of Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko.
Perhaps there is a twinge of bitterness and regret in his attempts to fit the national VP into a regionalist and tribal frame that is both morally reprehensible and politically immature.
After all, had Dr Dabengwa stuck around in Zanu-PF, he very well may have risen much higher than the level he reached before his clay feet crumbled beneath him and his ego got the better of his judgment.
But that is a side issue.
What really concerns us is that Dr Dabengwa is trying to lead the nation down the slippery slope of looking at things through a tribal lens that has no place in a modern Zimbabwe, especially at a time that we are celebrating the historic 1987 Unity Accord.
In fact, what Dr Dabengwa is doing is trying to deflect attention from the more important issue of what he stands – or does not stand – for.
This is a liberation fighter who has decided to align himself with regime change conspirators whose ultimate motive is to serve the anti-Zimbabwe interests of foreigners who cannot stomach President Mugabe’s empowerment and sovereignty agendas.
After selling out his soul in such a base manner, he turns around and has the nerve to question a patriotic man’s credentials.
Sir, you have an almighty big log in your eye and you are busy looking for imaginary specks in other people’s eyes.
But this is not just about Dr Dabengwa and his decidedly usavoury politics.
It is more about how he is trying to influence the peace-loving and united people of Zimbabwe to think in parochial ways that are quite simply unacceptable anywhere in the world.
Yes, he has freedom of speech and freedom of association and we cannot and will not stop him from speaking his mind or frolicking with whom he pleases.
And it is within the context of those same rights that we also enjoy that we should tell him to take a long hard look at himself and what he stands for and honestly tell us if what he is propagating is in the best interests of the country that he once fought for.
Does he think that Zimbabweans still think in terms of tribe and Zanu and Zapu all these many years after the signing of the Unity Accord?
Does he believe that his agitations will result in a better, more united Zimbabwe?
Before Dr Dabengwa tries to diminish the stature of the Office of the Vice President and consign it to a primitive regional and tribal design, he must search his soul and ask himself how he ended up working for the very same agents of regression that opposed Zimbabwe’s liberation.
Surely, Zimbabwe deserves better from people who try and project themselves as national politicians.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Sir, you have a big log in your eye
The Sunday Mail
No one can doubt Dr Dumiso Dabengwa’s liberation war credentials.
He joined the UNDP in 1962, was jailed for six months by the Ian Smith regime, headed Zapu’s youth wing, was well-trained in Russia, set up an admirable reconnaissance unit on his return in 1965, and rose to command Zipra.
After Independence, he held important briefs in Government and was considered by many to be quite a solid politician.
But we were to discover that the man has feet of clay, undoing all his good work for the nation by deciding, circa 2008, to fight on the diametrically opposite side of the divide and seeking to rubbish all those ideals of the liberation struggle that he fought for.
After the woeful experiment with Dr Simba Makoni, Dr Dabengwa is now trying to bring himself to the limelight by condemning the appointment of Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko.
Perhaps there is a twinge of bitterness and regret in his attempts to fit the national VP into a regionalist and tribal frame that is both morally reprehensible and politically immature.
After all, had Dr Dabengwa stuck around in Zanu-PF, he very well may have risen much higher than the level he reached before his clay feet crumbled beneath him and his ego got the better of his judgment.
But that is a side issue.
What really concerns us is that Dr Dabengwa is trying to lead the nation down the slippery slope of looking at things through a tribal lens that has no place in a modern Zimbabwe, especially at a time that we are celebrating the historic 1987 Unity Accord.
In fact, what Dr Dabengwa is doing is trying to deflect attention from the more important issue of what he stands – or does not stand – for.
This is a liberation fighter who has decided to align himself with regime change conspirators whose ultimate motive is to serve the anti-Zimbabwe interests of foreigners who cannot stomach President Mugabe’s empowerment and sovereignty agendas.
After selling out his soul in such a base manner, he turns around and has the nerve to question a patriotic man’s credentials.
Sir, you have an almighty big log in your eye and you are busy looking for imaginary specks in other people’s eyes.
But this is not just about Dr Dabengwa and his decidedly usavoury politics.
It is more about how he is trying to influence the peace-loving and united people of Zimbabwe to think in parochial ways that are quite simply unacceptable anywhere in the world.
Yes, he has freedom of speech and freedom of association and we cannot and will not stop him from speaking his mind or frolicking with whom he pleases.
And it is within the context of those same rights that we also enjoy that we should tell him to take a long hard look at himself and what he stands for and honestly tell us if what he is propagating is in the best interests of the country that he once fought for.
Does he think that Zimbabweans still think in terms of tribe and Zanu and Zapu all these many years after the signing of the Unity Accord?
Does he believe that his agitations will result in a better, more united Zimbabwe?
Before Dr Dabengwa tries to diminish the stature of the Office of the Vice President and consign it to a primitive regional and tribal design, he must search his soul and ask himself how he ended up working for the very same agents of regression that opposed Zimbabwe’s liberation.
Surely, Zimbabwe deserves better from people who try and project themselves as national politicians.
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