The recent hullabaloo over the loss of a cell phone by a ZANU PF politician purportedly to an MDC politician would make good comedy. Instead it makes worrying reading that politicians can engage in such a frivolous spat, over a mere cell phone, when they are supposed to be applying their minds to the important issues of drafting Zimbabwe’s constitution.

The spat also highlights a number of facts about Zimbabwe’s political situation. Fact number one is that ZANU PF is still in control. This should be clear from the continued detentions of MDC activists, continued inability to bring ZANU PF perpetrators of violence to book, that the MDC are nothing but window dressers. They are the beautiful curtains hiding the ugly fact of continued ZANU PF dominance in Zimbabwean politics.

Mahlangu’s plight also disturbingly illustrates the continued selective application of justice. Hundreds of militants, who pummelled, thrashed and pounded MDC activists to pulp, are walking scot-free in Zimbabwe. The police seem paralysed, unable to take even any rudimentary action such as laying charges against some who are quite well known and can easily be identified by their victims.

Zimbabwe police are known to be ruthlessly efficient. For example they quickly traced and fished out escaped convict Masendeke from Mozambique about a decade ago. The same ruthless efficiency was demonstrated in the way they quickly tracked down the whereabouts of Chinotimba’s SIM card. One is left wondering what happens to this effectiveness when they are called upon to deal with cases involving political violence.

MDC officials should by now be aware that ZANU PF is like a crocodile. The party can lie patiently and quietly waiting for a victim to make the wrong move. When the victim slips up they pounce with unbelievable ferocity and ruthless efficiency.

MDC officials should thus know that it is incumbent upon them to be extra careful in their dealings. These dealings should also be based on principle not the kind of mendacious opportunism that landed Mahlangu in trouble.

In the past I have often lamented the lack of solid principled ground upon which the MDC stands. I have complained that they are a bunch of opportunists hunting for personal gain more than they are hunting for freedom for ordinary Zimbabweans. Mahlangu’s actions are clearly the actions of an opportunist.

That the MDC being opportunists does not mean that ZANU PF is free of opportunism either. The actions of Chinotimba also reek of opportunism, albeit impractical opportunism. Chinotimba is claiming US$19 million for loss of business. That amount is enough to pay the salaries of all of Zimbabwe’s teachers for six months. One wonders why Zimbabwe is struggling with poverty and sending officials all over the world begging for money if Chinotimba can make enough money to pay the entire civil service in a few fortnights.

Instead of travelling all over the world to beg for money, the Prime Minister should just pop over to Chinotimba’s home.

Humour aside, it is clear that Chinotimba’s claim lacks any practical and logical basis. It epitomizes the shallowness and lack of analytical power that plagues most Zimbabwean politicians. They are shy to apply their minds to situations and are very quick to make outrageous and poorly thought out demands.

Neither Mahlangu nor Chinotimba emerges from this saga with flying colours. Unfortunately, the Zimbabwean political establishment is littered with people of Mahlangu and Chinotimba’s calibre.

(Source)