Analyst decries Mash Central political conspiracies

                                   By Daniel Chigunwe

Mashonaland Central province is currently going through a lacerating period of political upheaval, political conspiracies, back biting and it is rumoured some power hungry wolves are crouching in wait and busy scheming the so called party purging targeted at Kazembe Kazembe.
 Analysts have described ongoing events as the coordinated work of the G40 cabal who are working tirelessly, day and night to disturb peace in the Zanu Pf party stronghold.
For the Mash Centralians there is a mixed feeling towards the current state of things however many have called for an end towards a high sense of political polarization in province which has a tendency of undermining the economics ahead of politics mantra from the New Dispensation.
The resemblance in the political fashion of the same events in Mash West has made political analysts to conclude that these are the mere acts of the G40 cabal meant at destabilizing the status qou.
Recently, following the poor attendance of Zanu PF party supporters at the Mt Darwin Thank You rally, the province’s war veterans association has been reported to have went on to pen a petition to recall the Kazembe Kazembe led provincial structure.
However, the matrix seems to point out that the vitriol has nothing much to do with the Mt Didi Rally but that there is a crouching lion somewhere in the affairs of the liberation war fighters eyeing the party provincial chair.
“If one follows the ongoing battles surrounding the provincial structure in Mash Central he will detect a hidden agenda that is not constructive but rather targeted at satisfying some personal interests from whoever is pushing these agendas.
“ Kazembe Kazembe has fought many battles during the primary elections to have the party intact which probably explains why the province has managed to retain all the 18 constituencies and leading in number of presidential votes, that is clearly a success given that the province was actually the home ground of the G40,” said an analyst.
This is not the first time that the province has been threatened with faction battles especially if one revisits the era of the Gamatox and the G40 which had their roots in Mash Central and left the province politically divided.
“The political volatility of Mash Central explains why it is still lagging behind development because of its high political bickering.
“yes we have the land, minerals and we are the bread basket of the nation, however excessive political polarization will only serve to relegate us down the national development chart, no investor will come to us when he senses the state of polarization in the affairs of the province,”.
More to follow…

The Zimbabwe Matrix

Youth blasts confrontational politics

By Daniel Chigunwe
Mashonaland central based Unemployed Youth Organisation (UYO) members have called for young people to refrain from confrontational politics which is associated with activism and protests saying there is need to pin hopes on dialogue and national healing to attain vision 2030.
In an interview, the organization’s secretary Austin Nyakupinda who was a former member of Tajamuka/ Sesijikelele and among the seven arrested for protesting against the implementation Statutory Instrument 64 of 2016 in Beitbridge said there is need to adopt a new approach to politics which is rallying behind the New Dispensation efforts.
“As a youth organisation which is in existence to lobby and push for government to create jobs as well as implement practical policies that can see young people getting employment we feel obliged to partner with the Second Republic.
“We have to move away from a confrontational approach to a politics, we are a learned people and hence we have to understand the importance of dialogue which translates to peace, there has to be no place for violence led by the youth again in Zimbabwe,”.
Nyakupinda has been at the forefront of youth activism and has been a former member of the Elton Mangoma led Coalition for Democrats however but now laments how young people are being used for the political gains of selfish opposition leaders.
“By refraining from confrontational politics it means young people can no longer be susceptible from manipulation. We are being used as pawns in a game of chess. Even if you check the recent protests that rocked our country young people were on the forefront,” he added.

Local News

Council in Kuruneri stands scandal

By Daniel Chigunwe

Residents protesting at council office

Mvurwi residents on Friday stormed council premises demanding answers over the allocation of about 100 stands to the former constituency’s legislator Chris Kuruneri beneficiaries in a suspected land scam involving Housing and Welfare Officer.
Scores of protesters holding placards danced and sang at the Mvurwi Town Council and threatened not to disperse unless their petition was answered by the management which was reportedly said to have taken leave holidays forcing council chairperson Charles Hodobo to convene a firefighting meeting with leaders of the protest.
Speaking during interview the protestors’ spokesperson Gift Chikuse said their issues were specifically directed to the Housing and Welfare Officer, Mrs Letwin Watambwa.
“Our main issue is with Mai Watambwa and we accuse her of trying to hijack our own self developed Kurai Housing Scheme which we serviced alone, we also realized later that council had allocated unscrupulously about 100 stands to beneficiaries of Chris Kuruneri.
“When Kuruneri got into office in 2002 he bought his Zanu Pf supporters about 100 stands as a token of appreciation for voting him, unfortunately when Kuruneri was fired from Zanu PF the council management somehow misused the money he had paid for which we understand was a cheque of about $ 2 million.
“Thereafter, when we started our scheme in 2011, Kuruneri beficiaries started pushing council demanding for their stands, instead council forced these people on our scheme but we demanded that they give us the money we used to develop these stands as we were a self -developing scheme,” said Chikuse.
Kuruneri stands beneficiary Mrs Irene Kantunda said the former MP bought the serviced stands in full though the council took it about more than 10 years to allocate them these stands, “the stands were bought after we were arrested for defending Kuruneri against opposition party in 2002, it was a form of a token of appreciation for the role we had played for his win as MP and since then the council dilly dallied to allocate us the stands.
“Eventually they settled us at Kurai Housing Scheme which was a self-developing scheme without remitting the service fee to the scheme members hence we want the council to clear the air on this issue,”
In an address to the protestors delegation Hodobo said council was going to revisit the Kuruneri issue before giving feedback.
“We need to revisit this issue of Kuruneri, it is unfortunate that you met us for the first time as a committee, we need to look at how the stands were bought, how they have been applied by Kuruneri and why they were missed in the first register. If we come up with a tangible and good position to the Kuruneri issue we have got a date which we have promised to give feedback which is 24 January 2019,” he said

2018 ...the suffering matrix

2018, A reminiscent of Mugabe era...the suffering matrix

By Isaac Mupinyuri

I have been quiet all along trying to work things for my family. I have reduced my family meals to one when luck in the morning we have a very light breakfast not because we are on diet but we cannot manage. The unavailable of bread and many basic commodities pains and when it is there it is been priced out of my family reach $2,sugar $4.50.For a scant lunch our stomachs are now green as every time it is vegetables on the table and soya chunks replaces the expensive meat that is costing not less than $ 12 per Kg

Why did we remove Robert Mugabe if what Mnangagwa promised turns out to be Austerity measures which are said to be steps towards fixing the economy? Surely did we remove Mugabe to get this suffering? Did we cause the change of leadership to get reduced like this? Really if what we are attaining is what Zimbabweans are to get in the Mnangagwa 5 year tenure then another revolution is needed.

The Mnangagwa leadership is the worst Zimbabwe has ever had. .Even those who collapsed the banks like Mthuli Ncube, Mponda and many worst leaders you may know even if it is a Dip tank, or village borehole chairperson who exhibit failure according to your expectations is what Mnangagwa is. Every right to life has been taken away! .No decent meals, no access to standard health care, children are being priced out, school uniforms, books and the tuition fees are just unreachable.

The rising price of basic needs is not being complimented by salary increases. Any constitutional right to demonstrate against the employer is met with utmost force, suspensions or firing. The working class has been reduced, their salaries no long sustainable as commodities have gone up times three and the pay is frozen no chance of increment but continued introduction of reductive taxes to make sure they live as paupers. This is a loud shame.

The 2% percent tax introduced by Mthuli Ncube is heartless, eyeless descriptive of the Hitler era where the life of a person was easy to end like a chicken. The 2% rock even the chronically ill 95 year old in rural area who survive on sugar diabetes, BP and other life serving tablets which are unavailable in clinics and hospitals but alive in brutal Pharmacies owned by these  rich Zanu Pf chefs. To buy those tablets 2% is subtracted to the corrupt government of Mnangagwa which is withdrawing all social responsibilities which can benefit the disadvantaged.

The Mnangagwa government has since stopped sponsoring Command Agriculture which was a bone of contention at the peak of Zanu Pf factional politics with Grace Mugabe claiming to be the brainchild behind the program. If Mnangagwa was really the brains behind Command Agriculture why has he decided to abandon it? The few inputs the farmers got are leftovers from the Mugabe government.

The leadership of ED is non-people, hostile representative of cyclone Tsunami in Indonesia. People in this country are traumatized.

The Agricultural seasons has gone but farmers have no farming inputs as they were and still priced high by Agri dealers who are charging astronomic prices on inputs. The Command Agriculture is the only source of hope but this government is prevaricating on people’s lives.

Anyone close to any progress, development or anything Mnangagwa government is doing to uplift the people’s lives can you come and show me so I can feel a relief as around my community there is misery,despair and falsehoods. There are multiple potholes on the roads, no bond paper in government institutions. There is no confidence in employees as threats of being relieved of their unpaying employment are the order of the day.

The austerity measures Mnangagwa and Mthuli Ncube are pursuing are in reality a method to amass millions if not billions using government sources and for sure all that revenue will be abused and the program collapses just like that. It is like millions given to Chivayo who bought few metal sheets or ransacked the abandoned former white bans of the metal and elected the iron sheets cabin at the site of the project as the start and end on the project. Who cares as that will die away with the court giving a stamp of freedom to corruption?

Mnangagwa administration is really a big failure which is surviving on intimidation and deception. Zimbabweans are wasting their time even those soldiers who are vanguard of this regime. This regime have nothing new in their brains, they are drained and drenched, very hopeless. Mugabe is better. Mugabe could stand for the people when the business became careless increasing the prices of basic commodities. Mnangagwa keeps quite when leadership is wanted.

I think Mnangagwa has failed. Who can rescue us please? There are criminals surrounding Mnangagwa.

Karoro and the Mbire rise matrix

Karoro and the Mbire rise matrix

By Daniel Chigunwe

One would agree with me that in Mashonaland Central province there is the emergency of a new tiger village which has gained the attention of the media, business investors and basically every week  all roads leads to this shining gem of the province-Mbire District.
Going back two decades ago, Mbire was the backhand of the province, a jungle reminiscent of Africa before the voyages of discovery. Home to the minority tribe group of the Doma, the district has been the hub of Non -Governmental Organizations offering all forms of aid ranging from food, health facilities and education.
Located in the Dande Valley, Mbire has always experienced low erratic rainfall patterns, saline soils, and high levels of siltation and simply never been the best place for commercial farming. Climatically, the area has very hot temperatures and been infested by the Tsetse flies with many lives claimed as a result of the Malarai epidemic.
Human and wildlife conflict stories dominated the media news stories of Mbire, depicting the place as a life threatened area due to the marauding wild animal attacks from lions, hyenas, elephants and hippos which have destroyed both humans and livestock alike.
That is how a writer, journalist or any scribe would have said about Mbire a few years back.  The public jury will convict me for writing the Mbire story in the above description as it is vehemently disagreeable today to narrate the developments, empowerment and beauty that has visited the place in the just few months after the emergency of the new bolt in the personality of Douglas Karoro.
Karoro of Mbire is the constituency’s Member of the House of Assembly and appointed Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Lands Agriculture and Rural Resettlement.
Having entered the political scene in 2015 after garnering 11 635 votes in a by election when the constituency fell vacant after David Butau was expelled from Parliament and the Zanu Pf party on allegations of being a Mujuru loyalists, Karoro has positively identified with the people of Mbire and today numerous development project has accompanied the name Mbire.
It is quite a beautiful matrix to see how Mbire has even become the destination of investment conferences. The place is fast transforming embracing the 21st Century business of the day and a number of business owners, recreational giants and cash moguls are sitting at the table of Mbire deliberating on harnessing the beautiful nature into a profitable something.
Karoro at the helm of the development has instilled a spirit of unity among the villagers, folks and brethren of Mbire. The community is one solidarity, speaking with one voice, working with one commitment and thinking with one mind.
Recently, during the commissioning of the Hambe Bridge by the Minister of State, Senator Monica Mavhunga hailed the commitment of the Mbire folks after they partnered with the District Development Fund (DDF) to achieve one of the milestone developments in the area.
Let me point out that the people of Mbire unlike the massive populations in the cities, are undiluted, and unpolluted by the numerous social media speculations. It is a blessing in disguise that the folks have little exposure to the social media revolution which has increased speculations, (jecha) and further divided communities.
Karoro has managed to fuse his personality to identify with the humour-filled community by giving them an ear to their challenges and knowing how to articulate his words in turn, which has also lured some of the Mbire folks in towns to plough back to the community.
Samuel Mutukudzi is one example of the Mbire children who has embraced development by partnering with the community. Though based in Harare where he runs a number of business the man says he always identify with every development project in the area where he is envisaging to bring recreational business.
The Karoro Mbire rise matrix is inadequate without visiting the immense contribution of the First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa.
Hailing from Mash Central part of Chiweshe, the First Lady has also shown a passion for development in the Mbire area where she started by visiting the Doma people and spend a lot of time listening to their challenges.
She has further made numerous contributions to the health, education, farming and social development of Mbire.
After everything has been said, the conclusion is that Mbire is a force to reckon with the now and with the unstoppable Karoro of Mbire there is no doubt Mash Central is being transformed into gem.

Mazowe North Matrix

Mazowe North matrix…a tip of an iceberg

By Daniel Chigunwe

The reality of a matter is always understood when the matrix is dissected.
Mash Central state of political affairs will not be fully understood without making reference to what I shall call the Mazowe North Matrix, which is an attempt to bring to light the different forces under the discourse of power currently shaping the political waters of this constituency.
It is common political knowledge that Mazowe North is the stronghold of Zanu PF supporters when compared with the other three constituencies in Mazowe District that is to say, Mazowe West, Central and South. The North is where the ruling party sun rises in the district and that cannot be debated.
Mazowe North, a farming dominated constituency finds itself with a population highly drawn from the Kore-Kore people who hails from Guruve district and the Zezuru people of Chiweshe, which forms the huge political districts of the constituency with places like, Goteka, Bare, Jengamvura and Chaona.
 Let me quickly point out that the tribal line is not strong in determining political discourses in the constituency or rather it is less significant. There is a harmonious co-existence of the Zezuru and Kore Kore people in the constituency at least enough not to cause political discord.
Why as a writer am I perturbed with the matrix? One might ask.
The 2018 Harmonized Elections, the first to be held in the Post Mugabe era have left cracks and crevices among party cadres who after having been extremely pitied in the events shaping the Lacoste-G40 feud also proceeded to be further divided by the aftermath of the primary election.
In Mazowe North one Advocate Martin Tafara Dinha was the incumbent one. However, some of the so called hardliners had their own choice who according to sources was the one whom they wanted to poise for the seat. However, none ever imagined that the current sitting MP Campion Mugweni would go with the baton stick.
Nevertheless, having sailed through the primary elections and enjoyed a deafening victory against the MDC Alliance double candidatures, Mugweni unfortunatleyfinds himself at the vortex of certain forces whom he describes as people who see him as a money bag or rather parasitic cash lovers.
The party cracks and crevices which emerged during the primary elections are widening with the alleged conspiracy to pass a vote of no confidence against Mugweni recently exposed. The conspiracy is allegedly the work of a few war vets cabals who were closer to Mugweni during the election campaign.
Just a few months in the office Mugweni finds himself of not identifying with the supporters, not giving back to the constituency, no development. I mean just mere five months in office.
The sowers of these seeds of acrimony might be missing a link to the matrix which is the underlying discourse of power in the New Dispensation and for the sake of my story focus I shall use the term Second Republic which I feel is an apt political definition of the ED led government.
It is not fair neither is it sensible nor logical for supporters to single out Mugweni and crucify him on the cross of incompetence or to put it straight accuse him of not delivering the electoral promises. Every politician operates in a system and the system is the matrix! In other words these sowers of discord are simply attacking their own regime, system, ideology. Throwing sand on their own dinner meal.
The party has not been without its troubles, with Chamisa delaying the inauguration of ED after having challenged the electoral results, the hectic task of appointing the new cabinet, the economy steering is stuck in the wrong direction, the so called jecha mantra and almost everything is not right in the country.
The good part is that one can choose who to blame for this whole nemesis. In short, five months is not at all enough to reverse the 38 years of the Mugabe misrule, corruption and patronage system.
Zimbabweans are however calling for peace, unity, economic development and job creation hence it will not be sensible for one to keep dwelling on the factional battles of the primary elections.
Will we be a Second Republic if we entertain votes of no confidence? Impeachment?