The Power Truth

By Nick Mangwana

Mr Dangote the richest man in Africa came and went back. He did all the right things and now he will hopefully start operationalising  his projects and bring the much needed investment and employment to our beloved Zimbabwe.  Every patriot is celebrating the good prospect.  But remember we have said "every patriot".

Because there are others who are groaning with despair at this good news for Zimbabwe. Strangely these are Zimbabweans too. One such a person is Obert Gutu. He has taken it upon himself to take to the social media with all his mighty to pour cold water on the feel good factor the country has at the moment. He has gone in a panic frenzy to demonise the country and in his wishful thinking discourage other Dangotes out there.  The opposition is panicking, but why? Their struggling law firms would pick up when the economy picks up. For right now legal representation is luxury. Can't they see that those trucking companies they have would have a lot of inputs and products to ferry when the economy is on a boom? So where is this foolishness coming from?

All is secondary to power. They want power. Even if their mother would suffer for them to gain it. Even if their brothers would go to hospital and find no medication and eventually die in pain and abject misery. To them that is a small price to pay for power. No, comrades this is opposing Zanu PF for its own sake. It is never for the greater good.

Zimbabwe is saddled with an opposition party that is bankrupt of ideas whose mode of opposing is just heckling of the Head of State.  They have one ideology and on that they want to hoodwink Zimbabwe. It is a mantra of extinction called "Mugabe must go". Since when did " Mugabe must go" become a fresh set of ideas? Zimbabwe's economy would not turn around because varidza ngoma (they beat drums) asking for the President to go. Zimbabwe will only turn around because of ideas.

When will they put whatever brains they have into gear. So trying to humiliate the President is the only reason for being in parliament? This is an insult to Zimbabwe's educational system. For if in all that literacy we produced such mediocrity then we  should be panicking.

There is a lesson there for Zanu PF and a clarion call to man-up and turn the economy. If out of protest the people give us a government of these losers then our dear country is doomed.  The only way to avoid the protest vote is to take away the reason for that protest itself.  Let every man and woman in Zanu PF be honesty and focus on turning the economy.  We cannot afford to be complacent. For it is that complacence that turn us into mediocrity too.  Sometimes the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment is simply enthusiasm.

If as a party we lose our enthusiasm for bringing a difference to the lives of our people then we have become irrelevant.  For what reason are we there for if like the opposition we want power for the sake of power?  We say we are "pro-people", we need to prove it. The "people" does not mean our families and ourselves. One does not need to be a member of political party to be the that way. One just needs to have been raised right. But when a group of people come together and be part of a political party they should have an agenda. And that agenda should surely not simply attain and retain power for its own sake. There was a definition I learnt in Form One Science decades ago. It said , "Power is the ability to do something".  I have never forgotten that definition as I have always found it poignant. What do you want power for? What are you in a powerful position for? To enrich yourself? To access opportunities for yourself to the detriment and negation of all others?

Power that is used correctly if given by the people is power that is used to further the agenda of those that gave it to you; the people. If used for anything other than that purpose the people have a right to withdraw that power from you and give it to someone else.

Now we know that the opposition should not be given power for they would not further anyone else's agenda but that of those who fund them.  But there are some in Zanu PF would should never be near power because they abuse it.  When the people take back their power we will support them, because that power is not enabling the advancement  of the Zimbabwean people. 

Those who got embroiled in the "land barons" scandals and such abuses should not be near power.  For so many have suffered when these people were given the ability to do something, they did something bad.

We have power to uplift the lives of our people. We have power to make them hold their heads high and chin up. We do have this power to make Zimbabweans proud of who they are. If that power is not translated to the achievement of this dignity, that power has become a vanity train. Zanu PF should not only have power. It should have moral authority and it should use it for the people.

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