National News

Of the economy and ‘Chinhu Chedu’ matrix

Lovejoy Gumbochuma 

By Daniel Chigunwe-
Economist and political analyst Lovejoy Mawoza Gumbochuma says the New Dispensation must revisit and make amends on the current constitution centre of power which he claims was founded on the basis of the then power hungry leaders and is a stumbling block towards he achievement of economic prosperity
Whilst the majority of Zimbabweans are now looking on to God as the ultimate answer to their poverty, misery and suffering, economists feel that the constitution must also make provision for the office of the Prime Minister which must be solely mandated with the economic welfare of the country shifting from the current political polarized economy which is frustrating economic emancipation trajectories.
The 2013 Copac drawn constitution was founded at the height of power struggle between the late opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and power protectionist Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
Coupled with the errors of the constitution is the Zanu Pf mantra, “chinhu chedu” which is a bitter evidence that the country’s ruling scepter is a preserve of those who fought the liberation struggle and non but freedom fighters who share the history of the war are allowed to rule.
In a recent interview with the Zimbabwe Matrix, Gumbochuma said there is urgent need for government to create the office of the Prime Minister which will deal with the social and economic welfare whilst the Presidency deals with the values of the country and security issues.
“ During the time when the constitution was drafted it is unfortunate that RG was greedy for power and Tsvangirai was also power hungry meaning that both the two took the constitution on one centre of power which is not ideal for a post -colonial country like Zimbabwe which is still developing and democratizing.
“So we have to template what happened in Europe where there were dictators who had done so much for the country and remained clinging to power, which is the current situation we are in. We have senior military people who says we liberated this country by blood and whoever wants it too must be prepared to go to war.
“There is actually no war for this generation to fight so as to earn qualifications for the so called ‘chinhu chedu’ however we have to change things without the need to spill blood which brings us to the issue of the office of the prime minister.
“ Most European countries its either a monarch they have a Prime Minister and the Queen who is silently powerful behind the scenes same as other countries like Italy which do have a President and a prime minister for the full attainment of  balance of power.
“This should be ideally the way of things must be in our country thus I propose that the first thing for this country to move is to amend the constitution and create a gap for the Prime Minister who will be responsible for running the economy and the President only running the values of the country including the security party of it.
“This will entail that the Prime Minister will have to oversee ministries which looks after the economic and social welfare of the country a situation more similar with what prevailed during the Government of National Unity (GNU).
“That way then means we will never have another war with Zanu Pf which does not want to leave power because they have certain values which it wants to maintain which the MDC cannot fulfill and they are very correct on that, “said Gumbochuma

News

Zooming the lenses, Dinha’s matrix

VP Mohadi along Advocate Martin T Dinha 

By Daniel Chigunwe/ The Matrix
In his 48 laws of power Robert Greene also warns successors of any form of power to “avoid stepping into great man’s shoes,” for the ghost of the predecessors will always bring uneasy in the head that wears the crown.
This is true if one is to check through the looming and unfolding events in Mazowe North where previous successors like former Finance Minister Chris Kuruneri, Cairo Mhandu, Edgar Chidavenzi and Martin Dinha have come, straughted and left the constituency’s political stage handing over the baton stick to the youthful Campion Mugweni.
Non- of these predecessors strike me more than the Advocate who has for the past decades been at the centre of the political matrixes of Mashonaland Central as the minister of state for provincial affairs and MP of Mazowe North after the sudden death of Chidavaenzi.
After the death of Chidaz at the height of the G40-Lacoste grueling fight Dinha was imposed to run the constituency but he was quickly haunted by the big shoes of Chidavaenzi who was a darling of the Northerners of Mazowe, within no time he was edged out.
However, the new unfolding twists in both the political events of Mazowe North and the subsequent fall and rise of Martin Dinha has brought new levels of instability in the district that seems to still have a nostalgia for the Advocate.
Unconfirmed though reliable rumours are that the Advocate has recently been appointed Chairperson of the National Railways of Zimbabwe board (NRZ) which several analysts have viewed as the rise from the fall.
It is not surprising that a man of his caliber who is known to be an evasive, subtle and cunning schemer could find his way from the dark tunnels and gain political leverage to restore the trampled glory in the 2018 primary elections where he received a thrash of defeat.
Truth be told, though having lost the race in Mazowe North, Dinha had cunningly cultivated a number of loyalists in the constituency who still had undoubted allegiance to him despite the fact that he is not in the limelight. He has loyalists!
At the same time it is also a known fact that he also made a number of enemies during his tenure as Governor fighting the Kasukuweres and G40 cabals at the same time also being suspected of playing double standards as he was accused by perceived enemies to be a darling of the Former First Family as well as their protector and defender of the Mazowe legacy after being sacked out of power in 2017.
Though he has remained quiet and out of limelight many believe that Dinha has not rested from seeking vengeance in Mazowe North and is still covertly working with his loyalists who are leading the battle to change the balance of power in the district.
Its quiet paradoxical that it is perceived that his loyalists are the ones leading the show as they beckon him to make a theatrical comeback and the smoke evidencing the fire is the alleged zeal by these so called loyalist pushing for a petition to oust Mugweni which reportedly saw members of the province recently lashing at some of the party cadres accused of dining and wining with Dinha at the Holland thank you rally.
In a stunning show of events, it is rumored that Dinha has donated lavishly to the recent Thank You rally celebrations that were held on Saturday in Madombwe where councilor Michael Mutopa a perceived friend of the Advocate was feasting with the people in his ward celebrating the 2018 victory.
For him, Dinha, the thank you rally donations was just extending a hand of mercy and answer to the call for support from his former councilors as he put in black and white saying,  “yes my brother, kana takumbirwa tinobatsira”
A few months after elections, Mazowe North which is a Zanu Pf stronghold has since found itself divided internally with serious issues of legitimacy, misplaced loyalty and backbiting haunting the new MP.
The Zimbabwe Matrix has zoomed the lenses.