The Sunday Mail
Retired Major Action Mandingo
There is something about President Mnangagwa that some people, especially those in the opposition and their sponsors, have not yet realised.
He sometimes speaks so casually and enjoys throwing jokes here and there when talking, but never be fooled by his somewhat casual approach to issues — the man is very calculative, emphatic and assertive when he has taken a position.
The way President Mnangagwa has handled issues after the August 23 elections clearly show that he is a veteran politician who understands how to handle intricate situations brought about by political opportunists, sellouts and their masters.
He is not fazed or moved by situations that many people would consider as tricky or even precarious.
Those who have worked close with President Mnangagwa for a long time attribute his composure to the many years he was in charge of the country’s security ministry, while others think his background as a lawyer gives him the calmness to weather any storm.
When the head of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission to the August 23 elections, Dr Nevers Mumba, went into bed with the country’s enemies and produced that discredited report, some people thought that ZANU PF, in general, and President Mnangagwa, in particular, were in serious trouble.
The prophets of doom saw an Armageddon in Zimbabwe while the Western puppets in our midst thought that finally they had gotten some piece of paper to lynch ZANU PF.
Well, it looks like people don’t really understand what we mean exactly when we say “ZANU PF ndeye ropa” and that “ZANU PF chiwororo”.
When we say “ZANU PF ndeye ropa”, we mean that in the party, our bond is steeped in blood.
Blood that fellow comrades — both dead and alive — shed as they were liberating this country.
There are no friends in ZANU PF — there are comrades.
And the word comrade means “shamwari yeropa”. What this means is that in ZANU PF, we are prepared to die for each other and more importantly, die for this country. While we respect democracy — defined from a Zimbabwean perspective — we are of the firm belief that what we brought through the gun cannot be taken away by some Western-sponsored report.
On the other hand, when we say “ZANU PF chiwororo” what we mean is that the party has different layers that have the capacity to deal decisively with anyone or anything that threatens the country’s independence.
And when it comes to dealing with threats to the country’s independence, the party is unapologetic, unwavering and thorough. As the different layers deal with issues threatening the country, they take a cue from the party’s First Secretary, President Mnangagwa, who, like I indicated earlier on, has this calming and assuring effect.
The country’s enemies thought they had thrown a cat among the pigeons when they helped Dr Mumba to craft his reckless report, but they were shocked because the report failed to rock the boat.
President Mnangagwa conducted his duties as if Dr Mumba and his report never existed.
The way he handled the issue has seen SADC disowning Dr Mumba’s report as evidenced by the congratulatory messages that keep coming from the region.
The latest congratulatory message came from the SADC Council of Ministers. Speaking during an Extraordinary Council of Ministers meeting held virtually last week, Angola’s Minister of External Relations, who is the chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, congratulated Zimbabwe “on holding free and fair elections in a climate of peace and tranquility, in accordance with the regional body’s principles and guidelines”.
Earlier on, the SADC Secretariat, had thrown Dr Mumba and his report under the bus.
The Secretariat wrote a statement saying: “SADC Electoral Observation Missions ONLY observes elections. SADC DOES NOT conduct elections in its Member States, but observes them. We then make recommendations. Understand the role of SADC when it comes to observing elections. Our mandate is only to observe and issue a report.”
The European Union fooled Dr Mumba into thinking that his report could kill ZANU PF, but he is fast realising that the report has killed his political career and has tarnished his reputation. His name now stinks to the high heavens and it’s going to be very difficult for Dr Mumba to survive this expose. While SADC has disowned Dr Mumba, somehow Chamisa keeps lying to his gullible supporters.
He keeps lying that the dead report can save him and his dying party.
Has anyone noticed that even though Chamisa continues lying — hoping and praying that some miracle will happen to revive his political career — he is now doing so with his tail between the legs?
All the fake bravado is gone.
As they say, “When reality hits you!”
Apart from lying, Chamisa has resorted to quoting Bible verses whenever he thinks of consoling himself.
Unfortunately, sometimes he is abusing the Bible verses by trying to give the impression that something, to save his political career, is brewing somewhere.
But we shouldn’t be surprised.
This is the same Chamisa who throughout the election campaign period was quoting Bible verses and vowing that he was going to win because “God is in it”.
We laughed then, just as we continue laughing now.
Last Thursday, President Mnangagwa gave Chamisa a few words of advice.
Speaking during the 372 session of the ZANU PF Politburo meeting, the President said: “Now that the elections are behind us, we should not be distracted by the leader of the main opposition who remains stuck in the past, while both Zimbabwe and the region are moving into the future. His call for an election re-run is a pipe dream, the earlier he realises that, the better for himself and his opposition party.”
During the elections campaigns, President Mnangagwa repeatedly said he was going to defeat Chamisa, who remained thick-headed.
Elections came and he was trounced, just as the President had been telling him.
Now the President is saying thinking about an election re-run is a pipedream. He actually means it and just as he said “the earlier he (Chamisa) realises that, the better for him and his opposition party”.
Chamisa is continuing to cling to the discredited and disowned Mumba report — but developments on the ground show that there are no chances for another election in Zimbabwe.
The whole of SADC knows the machinations behind the report and is fully behind President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF.
The few people in CCC that Chamisa still listens to should sit down with the young man and help him to sober up.
Just as Zimbabwe is moving forward with the illegal sanctions in place, Zimbabwe will move forward with or without Chamisa.
He can’t hold this country to ransom because to be honest, he is a nonentity when it comes to real politics.
There are those who continue fooling Chamisa that he got 44 percent of the vote.
No, Chamisa didn’t get all those votes.
The illegal sanctions got the 44 percent.
If the West thinks Chamisa is popular, they should remove the illegal sanctions and see how unpopular he is.
Chamisa’s handlers should tell him to take the chill pill; and he should swallow the pill fast.
President Mnangagwa has shown, by embracing former First Lady Grace Mugabe, that he is a forgiving leader.
In his 2017 inaugural speech, President Mnangagwa said he has let bygones be bygones.
The President can still extend the same forgiveness to Chamisa.
I know some people will say: “forgiveness for what?”
It is forgiveness for the untold suffering he has caused to many Zimbabweans by being a front for Western countries.
The West has poisoned the country’s politics and this has tilted the balance in favour of the opposition.
It is not too late for Chamisa to redeem himself, but he should also know that the window of opportunity can be closed anytime.
And when that window closes, he will live to regret ever entering into the political ring.
President Mnangagwa has a very big heart, but never mistake his niceness for a weakness.
As they say, “Being forewarned is being forearmed!”
Need I say more?
