By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo in his personal capacity
” he is not shaken by social media and Twitter rants”
In 2017, in Gwanda during Livestream star rallies masterminded by G40 kingpins, Grace Mugabe, Jonathan Moyo, Patrick Zhuwao and others, ED nicknamed Ngwena remained calm , whilst G40 heckled him , he kept on clapping hands, and smiling, he never uttered a word, which is sign of danger warnings ahead.
When he was relieved off his duties as the Vice President of Zimbabwe, he never said anything, instead he left the country, with some claiming he walked into the jungle of Mozambique, whilst some alleged that he was picked by a plane from Mutare to South Africa.
Few days after the sad departure from the Vice Presidency, Larry Mavhima, one of his strategist, claimed through Newsday that ED will be back in three week’s time, and this eventually came to pass.
Three weeks later, tankers started rolling on the ground, the then Zanu PF strongman was surprised to see himself in such a mud situation. He was forced to preside on graduations under house arrest, and strict conditions, stripping him off his manhood in the public.
Nobody knows where ED was hiding, what he was up to, and what he was planning. This is the man who managed to convince the whole SADC regional body, that this was not a military coup, it was a soft landing, and he managed to convince at least the AU Chairperson, Paul Kagame, to attend the inauguration at the gigantic 50 000 seater stadium, with many others like Edgar Lungu of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda, the first Republican President of Zambia, fourth Republican President of Zambia, Namibian President, Ian Khama and many others, and finally the event was endorsed.
Now that the former Defence Minister, Security Minister, Legal and Justice Minister, Rural and Social Amenities Minister and personal aide to the late President Robert Mugabe is now at the helm of the country, with full arms on all state security apparatus, he needs a strong contender, and opposition must go back to the drawing board.
The events leading to January 2019, 31 July, 2020, you can easily conclude that he is not a cheap man, you need to be a real strategist to remove such a man on the throne of power.
Whilst insults were heaped on him, he remained calm, and clapping his hands , and everyone concluded that ED, popularly known as ” Ngwena” , was finished and he was out of the game .
Opposition, should learn one or two games from the time ED took over the supreme reigns of this country, that he is totally a different man from Mugabe, this is a different game.
The way Harvest House was taken over, the way MDC Alliance Mps lost their Parliamentary seats, the way Hopewell Chin’ono s case is being handled, and the way Beatrice Mtetwa was barred from court proceedings should open your eyes that ED is not a Pastor , we are not in a church where you expect smooth running of things.
We have a lightweight opposition which is expecting smart politics to be tabled, let me remind you, ED is totally different from Mugabe and you may have to go back to the drawing board.
Opposition is slowly disintegrating, scattered alover, and we are fast approaching 2023, and if you are not careful, you will get 35%. ED is not shaken by Twitter rants, he is not moved by social media rants, he needs a strong man to match him in the game.
Remember, this is the same man who occupied Security cluster ministries since independence, and you know what it means. If you remain quiet, by the time we get to 2023, you will be scattered alover, and some may not even bounce back in politics .
The Mtetwa fiasco is a clear indication that ED does not fear anything, he can do anything, Mugabe was a bit different in approach, sometimes he would be smarter in approach, unlike what we are witnessing.
Opposition is alover, today you have Zimbabwelivesmatter, tomorrow let’s unlike ED’ s page, another day, let’s take to the streets, tomorrow hashtag, let me remind you, this is the man who slept in the bush under abnormal circumstances, he has gone through thick and thin, and he is ready for anything, he has a different approach with Mugabe, this one will wipe you all in the game, and life goes on. Whilst Twitter rants are important, the game is not social media, but on strategic Thinking and intelligence on dealing with a regime like Zanu PF.
Remember Zanu PF does not loose twice consecutively.
Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo is the Head of Zimbabwe Institute of Strategic Thinking – ZIST, and he can be contacted at tinamuzala@gmail.com
More Stories
When Love Turns To Legacy, The Secret Pacts Between Spouses
SADC SUMMIT DONE & DUSTED
Heal Zimbabwe Trust Statement Remembering the August 1 shootings