De-campaigning Zimbabwe through falsehoods

By Bernard Bwoni

 

To say that opposition politics in Zimbabwe is unimaginative and wholly uninspiring is an epic show of restraint with words out of respect. There is this very restricted and rigid view of the role of the opposition, what they intend to achieve and how they are going to achieve those outcomes. The opposition has this ‘whatever-it-takes’ attitude when it comes to fulfilling their barren ambitions of dislodging the ruling party as the next government. The opposition parties in Zimbabwe are very limited when it comes to policy and punch, they offer no shadow strategy for the country and their primary objective is a feeling of entitlement to get into ‘power simply because the ruling party has been in power for too long’. There is a disastrous and destructive overreliance on disinformation deliberately intended to mislead and deceive the electorate. There is a high level of desperation to tarnish, misinform and create the impression of utter ruination about the country even in cases that do not warrant such depiction. It is unfortunate that some within the opposition will go to extraordinary length to present the country to the world with such bleak outlook for their singular yet infertile ambitions to get to be the next government.

It is a shameless charade to tarnish the name of Zimbabwe through outrageous invention and having to import images from other countries to dishonourably illustrate perceived failures of the ruling party.  There recently was a picture of a road with many potholes which was being circulated on social media and being deviously portrayed as being in Harare. It is offensive to say the least and a disservice to the nation. The picture is clearly not from Harare or any part of Zimbabwe. The cars are driving on the right hand side and that car number plates have white backgrounds and black font. In Zimbabwe cars drive on the left hand side and number plates are yellow. This distorted depiction of Zimbabwe is clearly and carelessly presented to fool the electorate into exchanging their vote for such blatant half-truth. What person in their right mind would want to represent their own country with such an incorrect and damaging impression? The picture is clearly not from Zimbabwe and those who are circulating this picture and claiming this is Harare are intending on appealing to a particular funding circle to help prop up their very slim chances of convincing the electorate that they are made of real governing stuff.

 

Instead of a heartfelt and genuine connection with the electorate at grassroots level and seriously challenging what they perceive to be the ruling party’s policy flaws they are busy trying to outdo each other in de-campaigning and denigrating Zimbabwe through fictitious images rented from somewhere else other than Zimbabwe. No one is denying that there are potholes in the country or the fact that the country is facing economic challenges, but to import and fabricate images and pass them on as Harare is pitiful. Those who have circulated and shared this image are deliberately destructive and reckless. The country is going through many challenges as we speak, there are real problems to content and any opposition worth noting should be focusing on policy alternatives not rented images.

 

The Zimbabwe electorate is highly sophisticated and can easily sift through to distinguish facts from fabrications. This deliberate deception and disinformation is not going to win over the electorate. Those in the opposition who are fuelling this misleading narrative lack foresight. They present the country with such negativity and forget that even if by some miracle they get to become the next government that negative perception about the country will stick for a very long time. You cannot delete social media posts once shared and that is it. The opposition accuse the government of scaring away investors and if the truth be told they themselves are doing the real job of misrepresenting Zimbabwe to potential investors. The picture they are circulating on social media and all the never-ending portrayal of Zimbabwe goes a long way in discouraging investors into the country. Again no one is suggesting for one second that we should camouflage problems and paint a rosy picture, but to fake images for effect is just dishonest and dishonourable.  The perception this creates is that of absolute ruin and gloom and very few countries, if any molest themselves in this manner. Yes Zimbabwe does have potholes on some roads but not to the extent as presented in that fake image doing rounds on social media.

 

This disinformation campaign against Zimbabwe is a concerted effort by the local opposition who are desperate to get into power. There is nothing patriotic about continually trying to put your country down. In fact that is substandard patriotism. There are social, political and economic implications associated with persistently and publicly disgracing your own country and they are indeed disastrous.

 

It is a never-ending onslaught against Zimbabwe. There was a very dodgy ‘survey’ entitled ‘3^rd Annual Africa Wealth Report’ published by the equally dodgy New World Wealth publication which claimed that Zimbabwe was the poorest country in the world based on inaccurate data. The disheartening thing is that it was Zimbabwean nationals who picked up on such a meaningless survey and shared that online as a matter of fact. Even online publications printed such shallow data. The so-called survey uses per capita rankings and claimed that Zimbabwe’s wealth per capita was US$200 per person. The report surveyed 20 countries and from those 20 countries concluded that Zimbabwe was the poorest country in the world! One is left wondering where they obtained the data for such a dubious survey. A quick look on the data sets from Zimbabwe Government ZNSA, RBZ, ADB, IMF, Credit Suisse or World Bank will give you a Zimbabwe wealth per capita of over US$2000 per person. That figure could be even higher given that Zimbabwe’s economy is still incorrectly measured and still to be rebased. These rankings of poorest and richest country are just pointless and misleading. It is inaccurate to rank world economies because some countries measure economic activity that others do not factor in. Some countries measure informal activities whereas others do not, some countries have rebased their economies and others are still to rebase theirs. Thus when the size of the different countries’ economies is inconsistently measured then the rankings among countries are inconsistent and mostly inaccurate.

 

The tragedy is that as erroneous and destructive such disinformation is, the Zimbabwe opposition clutch onto such ridiculous surveys and run off with these as facts to further their faint hopes of becoming the next government. The rent-a-fake photo of potholes brings the desperation to new heights. Even the newly formed People First has been desperately ‘renting’ pictures of crowds to present a picture of bumper crowds at their poorly-attended gatherings. The opposition is and has always focused on faulty step ladders towards power hence the preoccupation with trying to dishonestly undermine government. The electorate will not be easily swayed by blatant lies as fake pothole pictures and fraudulent surveys. With such opposition, ZANU-PF is on course to register another landslide in the 2018 elections.

 

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Dr Grace Mugabe's unique bond with the grassroots

By Bernard Bwoni

The unhealthy jostling for political positions at the expense of a direct focus on the real issues that are affecting the ordinary man, woman and child on the street is what appears to have irked the First Lady. It is easy to understand where she is coming from, for the extent of the economic challenges the country is facing one would expect all  those in positions of influence to be right on the ground with the people. Mai Mugabe does not mince her words and many have translated her words to create a desired effect. However underneath all the negativity and the inaccurate portrayal of Mai Mugabe there is more to her than all this. She is genuinely committed to addressing the plight of the grassroots and in her addresses, she has been uniquely blunt to the point of being lightyears away from all correctness. She does not seem to seek to protect reputations nor does she seek to garner a reputation but rather displays a rare commitment to ‘serve the people’ and ‘do the work’ to get Zimbabwe moving. In all her addresses her key words have been ‘work’ and ‘the people’. Her grassroots connections with the people are laid bare for all to see and not mere gimmicks to garner votes. The First Lady has a special bond with the grassroots there is no doubt about that and hence the mixed reactions her rallies provoke. She talks the talk yes, but she strides the walk as opposed to just merely walking it.

This is what she said on her recent Chiweshe address, “Saka ini ndakapiwa basa, saka ndicharishanda” which translate to ‘there is work to be done and I am going to get it done and shamed on those who have a problem with her work-orientated approach’. Many on social media took offence to that and some translated that to suit. She challenged the usual politician tactic of only connecting with the grassroots when it comes to election time. Electoral outcomes do not achieve themselves; politics is about politicians who are in sync with the electorate all year round and get the work done. She made it clear that it is about “working for the people, working for the party and working for the country”.

Here is a First Lady who gets things done and has got things done. She has the grassroots at her heart and the same grassroots buys into her practical vision. This is not about flamboyance and unnecessary sophistication but simple and practical things that matter to the people. Mai Mugabe has that unique ability to sell to the grassroots that idea and take the people in the unchartered territories of the candid politics of pragmatism. To give the First Lady her dues, she has been quite clear that the ruling party does not exist in a vacuum hence why she has persistently emphasised the cultivation of a national focus that encourages people to work for a shared vision, have shared goals and a shared Zimbabwe. These are the hallmarks of nation builders and when she speaks, the message and vision is the Robert Mugabe grand vision. You cannot be in a position of influence and then not have the grassroots at heart.

From her addresses, it is quite easy to pick up that Mai Mugabe is more of a pragmatist as opposed to an idealist. Her focus is on practical things, on how to get things done and working. She has a linear and practical way of thinking and doing things. If you read newspapers articles without listening fully to her addresses you would be convinced that it is primarily about divisive politics. However her focus and main points have been on processes behind the task of getting Zimbabwe moving and the end outcomes that uplift the grassroots.

Mai Mugabe may not be as glossy as most idealists, but she gets the work done. She is an effective organiser and the number of times she mentions the word ‘work’ when she speaks clearly demonstrates that pragmatic approach. She influences and her starting point has always been to the grassroots. She is dynamic, responsive and resilient with a strong repertoire of community work badges. She articulates a vision of passionate confidence and to some that may come across as brassy and hence why most media sources, internal and external publish fiction and mere fabrications. Mai Mugabe addresses the grassroots from the heart and it is easy to see the passion she has. Her addresses and unrestricted honesty enchants friends and foes alike because they focus on practical and immediate needs that matter to people on a daily basis. She has been focusing on issues that people hold dear to their hearts and they respond well to those. Those are the issues that affect people in their day-to-day lives, the people who are on the ground and these are the realities on the ground. She clearly has a practical attachment with the grassroots and she connects with the ordinary people on a basic and practical level. Mai Mugabe is not restrained by the pretentions that restrict most politicians in Zimbabwe hence why she is not afraid to be herself and people find that endearing. She is real. She has something to say and she says it. You might not like her approach but her direct approach is quite refreshing and resonates with the ordinary grassroots populations.

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Factionalism: A lesser evil than disintegration

By Bernard Bwoni

Intra-party conflicts happen and they are not exclusive to the Zimbabwean political playing field. People in any grouping may share the same ideology but have some variations in some aspects. That is normal and often such variations are easily covered by group rules and regulations. However the internal party politics can lead to full blown factionalism and the negative outcome is that of party officials camping and campaigning to be within the ranks of the leading faction or that faction that has the upper-hand.  At the end of it all the electorate will always come worse off.

Factionalism is a fact of life in political groups. Group members hold different preferences and conflicting views. Political parties are driven by the spirit of faction and factions by their very nature are universal. The end outcome is that factionalism creates that incentive for the political party to align and re-align their political interests. Social groups exist and thrive through conflict and cooperation and this is because they are formed and informed by association of individuals with divergent interests who agree to forego or merge their interests in the common interest for the sake of the party. Factionalism is about power play competing for control of the decision-making machinery of the grouping to their favour. This competitive relationship sometimes creates a communication dilemma which manifests in the intra-party squabbles as being witnessed in all political parties in Zimbabwe. Factionalism occurs when individuals in a political grouping are interlocked in the chase of incompatible goals or outcomes.

 

 

Stop it! Just respect the party and country!

By Bernard Bwoni

Whilst it is true that social media can be a great asset if managed appropriately and effectively, it is also true that it has the potential to turn into a political disaster if not managed. The ruling party has recently been afflicted by the absence of restraint and control on the conduct and behaviour of some of its members and this has seen indiscipline rooting itself. The violation of deep-rooted core values, ideals, directives and regulations governing the behaviour of all party members is the indiscipline that comes with it. The ruling party has a constitution and it is this constitution that guides the behavior and conduct of any of its members. Any departure from these core values, beliefs, principles, rules and regulations must be dealt with decisively and this must be across the board. The rules and regulations must be followed accordingly and in line with the ZANU-PF constitution and members who overstep the line as set by the constitution must be directed and redirected so as to bring them under the authority and premises of the constitution of the party. This will enable all party members to work within their individual and collective remits as set out within the party constitution. Any party constitution has a very specific purpose, to regulate, to keep all party members in check and under control so that party objectives, goals and ideology are fulfilled. There must be no exceptions; each and every member of ZANU-PF must stick to rules and regulations as set out by the Constitution. No sacred cows.

President Mugabe is a man of principle and he has stuck to his principles from a very young age since the inception of the ruling party, so what is wrong with some of the party youth who brazenly present an image of disrespect and indiscipline in public forums? President Mugabe recently made it very clear for them when he had this to say, “Let us also respect decisions and procedures of the party. We have witnessed lower organs of the party or cadres heading them challenging superior organs appointed to lead them. Such actions amount to insubordination and indeed a challenge to authority. That is indiscipline at its worst. That has to stop.” The message must have been very loud and clear for those who have been devising their own party constitutions and running wild in media sources and social media.

There is everything wrong with deviating from the core values, rules and regulations as set out by the constitution that directs the ruling party. There is everything wrong with party officials and members posting videos and interviews saying demeaning things about other party officials. The private media in Zimbabwe is indeed having a field day from such indiscipline. This just reflects very badly on the party rather than that individual. As President Mugabe stated,  “…But we were not born yesterday and so we know how to take these jibes, allegations and lies that are manufactured every night and published every morning. We take them for what they are- rubbish for the dustbin”. If the party directive is that legislators, party leadership and party members must not publicly engage is media spats, then any departure from such is nothing short of indiscipline and amounts to fermenting instability within the party.  The cases of senior officials running amok on social media and news sources and some youth leadership cadres running their mouth with no restraint has brought a lot of negativity to the party.

These errant individuals must be reined in and refocused on the party direction and agenda. The Party Constitution is not just a display document, it is there to guide and those who ignore constitutional and party direction must face the same fate as those who did not heed the same call in the past. The ruling party is not a celebrity entourage where people throw tantrums and post them as video ‘selfies’ on Facebook. The integrity of the ruling party must never be sacrificed for the egocentric wants of some unstable and reckless individuals at the expense of the majority.  All party members and party officials must be made to account for their own respective responsibilities or recklessness. Each individual is responsible for his or her own doings and must never be allowed to drag the name of the revolutionary party into the mud. Cool heads are often an embodiment of real power focusing on action instead of words, and having the ability to present maturity and develop loyalty in unique ways. These childish social media pranks and associated tantrums are just unacceptable in an ideologically rich and composite structure like the revolutionary ZANU-PF party.

It is that fundamental belief in a cause that separates the real bona-fide heroes in the Robert Mugabe mold from the chaff and debris of the mudslinging youth on social media. Zimbabwe is a country that was founded on the backdrop of the sacrifices of the heroes and heroines who gallantly fought on the side of justice and triumphed. These are the men and women who have shaped Zimbabwe and will forever have the country at heart. They derive satisfaction of their sacrifice not from the achieved victory and glory, but from their totally selfless commitment to the people for the greater good of the country. They only serve to remind us of the higher purpose of self and society. President Mugabe reminded party members this when he told them “We all know from the days of the struggle that when challenges mount, when people face hurdles, this is the time to be with them. That is the ZANU-PF way and the party must go to the village to be at one with the hungry, to be at one with the farmers. We are here to serve our people and we are doing our best despite our limited capacity”. These are such profound and meaningful words from the man of principle who should be emulated.

President Mugabe is the glue that binds the nation and the history that will inspire future generations. All youth and all party members must take cue from this great son of Africa. It is unfortunate that there has been this self-seeking shift towards jostling for positions and power at the expense of real purpose of policy. Zimbabwe is currently facing economic challenges of a magnitude that requires those entrusted into positions of influence to have sleepless nights yet for some the main preoccupation seems to be on personalities rather than real policy. As President Mugabe has articulately put it, this is the time for all party leadership to be ‘at one with the hungry’!

It is a telling sign of misplaced priorities that under the current disabling economic conditions in Zimbabwe that one’s preoccupation is about posting video ‘selfie’ online rather than addressing the immediate challenges facing the ordinary man and woman. When you have youth leadership aspirants mocking each other on public forums about who is gay and who is not, then you know the party is facing genuine challenges of indiscipline. There is an urgent requirement to reorient the youth of the party to rules and guidelines that govern the party. The indiscipline that party youth presents on public forums and social media directly and negatively reflects on the party name. There is an urgent need to redefine the construct of politics in Zimbabwe from being a trade (where young people feel overly important and indispensible) to that tireless readiness to serve the people as President Mugabe has done throughout. This cannot be emphasized enough that public office positions are a public duty and with this duty comes responsibilities, accountability and caretaker opportunity to serve those who voted the politicians into power. Your importance is measured on the outcomes the electorate derive from your service as a public official.

Politics is not just a gateway to celebrity status on Facebook or other social media sites, but requires those who enter into this service for the people to have that simple respectful and genuine acknowledgement for the electorate. Public spats between officials and the recent demeaning statements from some youth cadres are not only disrespectful to the party but also the electorate. As President Mugabe said, we have a duty and responsibility to the citizens of this country and must address those pressing issues that affect the ordinary person on the street daily. It is that simple and that is why people vote. President Mugabe has led by example, our heroes led by example and all these new youth aspirants must learn from them. Now is not the time to seek more followers on Facebook, but the time to hit the ground running and tackle the basics that drive up the nation. Just stop it and respect the party! That simple.

Zimbabwe: nowhere near the poorest country in the world

By Bernard Bwoni

On the 13^th July 2015, news website Newzimbabwe.com posted an article entitled “Zimbabwe now poorest country in the world, Survey, http://www.newzimbabwe.com/news-23697-Zim+now+poorest+country+in+the+world/news.aspx “ The article claimed that a ‘Global business magazine had ranked Zimbabwe one of the two poorest countries in the world in a damning verdict of President Robert Mugabe’s 35 year rule”. The report claimed to have used a “Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) analysis, which takes into account the living cost and inflation rates in order to compare living standards between different countries”. The report made some spurious claims that on average people in Zimbabwe earned US$589.25 per year, which is roughly US$49.10 per month on average. Any right thinking Zimbabwean will tell you those are ridiculous claims. Zimbabwe is nowhere near the poorest country in the world.  It makes you wonder why a Zimbabwean would even think of publishing such nonsense from an online Global business magazine probably being run and edited by a young internet hacker in his bedroom and probably still living at home with mum and dad somewhere in suburbia.

PPP is used to compare income levels in different countries and it aims to determine the adjustments needed to be made in the exchange rates of two currencies to make them at par with the purchasing power of each other. What this means is that the expenditure on a similar commodity in Zimbabwe and Botswana for example must be the same in both currencies, for example a bag of fertiliser in Zimbabwe cost roughly US$32 and then it should cost BWP327.93 when the exchange rate is 10.25 between the US$ and the Botswana Pula. It means equalising the purchasing power of the two currencies taking into account the cost of living and inflation differences between Zimbabwe and Botswana in this instance.

The 2014 data from IMF indicate that Zimbabwe’s income per person per year is in fact US$2046 and that is nowhere near the poorest country in Africa claim as indicated by Global business magazine in his mum’s basement. The use of wealth per capita calculations can be misleading and do not necessarily reflect the general state of wealth of the ordinary person. ‘Per capita wealth, which is the means of the people in any economic unit is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income on the aggregate such as GDP and dividing that by the total population’ Archer, 2008. In Zimbabwe there is a thriving informal economy coexisting alongside a formal economy yet not contributing towards national fiscus and GDP figures. The reason why we have such flawed analyses as this ridiculous Global Business claim rating Zimbabwe as the poorest in the world is that the country has billions in the country but not circulating in the economy. It is either some people have buried their money (Narcos comes into mind) or shipped it out. There is no precise set of economic data indicative of present realities on the ground and an accurate estimate of the size and structure of the Zimbabwe economy. The size of the Zimbabwe economy is not currently correctly measured and hence these inaccurate and mischievous rankings we end up having.

Brand Zimbabwe versus the self-loathing Zimbabwean

By Bernard Bwoni

Brand Zimbabwe is phenomenal and needs patriotic and the right ambassadors to fly that flag all over the world. Every Zimbabwean is a foot soldier with a very important and birth right responsibility to enhance the overall image of brand Zimbabwe and help change the distorted perception the world has been presented with about this extraordinary country. The REAL Zimbabwe is a peaceful, an intriguing, a friendly and an inviting place. It is a country with values and roots that go deeper than the ocean. The warmth and welcoming nature of Zimbabwe, the place and Zimbabweans, the people, has always been admired worldwide. It is the responsibility of every Zimbabwean to take the country’s brand image and culture across our borders and present it in a manner that does not demean, disparage or destroy. Every Zimbabwean has a responsibility to market this beautiful country for the benefits of doing so are immense and country defining. We have a gem of a country, God-given and our only responsibility is to respect it, to honour that name Zimbabwe and sell it and sell it good. There are many takers out there and every Zimbabwean should be brand ambassador with an embodiment of the country’s identity, the values, the culture and the ethics of this brand called Zimbabwe. There is value and relevance in selling and presenting Zimbabwe in a positive light. It cannot be emphasised enough that the responsibility lies with every Zimbabwean citizen wherever they are, be it in Zimbabwe or outside the borders.

However, it is very disappointing that there are some Zimbabweans who find it okay to portray their own country negatively. There is no denying the fact that there are many challenges in Zimbabwe, there are many things that could be better and there is a lot of work that needs to be done to revive the country’s economy and battered image. However consistently painting a negative picture about the country is only going to repel business into the country. It is going to send the wrong message to those who want to come into the country. Zimbabwe has always been one of the top tourist destinations in Africa and still remains so. There are many people who make informal enquiries about travelling to Zimbabwe and the expectation is that they should be presented with the true picture about the warmth and beauty of the place. There are tourists, backpackers, business people or just wanderers who have money to spend making such enquiries. It is unfortunate that there are many who will just not find anything positive to say about this intriguing country. There are those who have become persistent and perennial whingers and many seem to derive pleasure from dishonestly painting Zimbabwe in a negative light. That is just disappointing and will never make things right for the country. That is just substandard patriotism if at all.

To degrade and demonise your own country is to degrade yourself.  Those who publicly and persistently discredit Zimbabwe clearly have no awareness of the profound implications of the negative speculation they constantly present to the world. The world has become way too interconnected and with the advent of the Internet and social media, anything and everything is now available online for immediate perusal. It does not matter whether it is the truth or not, but that is exactly what the world would read about Zimbabwe. The negativity that is being presented about Zimbabwe has far-reaching and damaging effects on the country as a whole. It just boggles the mind why anyone would have such deep-rooted negative views about their own country to the point national defamation.

There is this failure to separate party politics from the politics of national development among some people in Zimbabwe. Whatever some perceive to be the shortcomings of the ruling party must not be used to defame Zimbabwe the country. The problem many is that they have no idea when to draw the line and separate country from party politics.

Zimbabwe has both victors and victims of the trauma triggered by colonialism. The same can be said of many if not all African countries. There are those who have managed to deal with the physical trauma and shackles of colonialism and there are those who have failed to do so. In Zimbabwe there are those who took up arms against the unyielding colonial establishment and dismantled the hurdles the system created. They physically and psychologically deconstructed the colonial construct and enabled all Zimbabweans to be counted as first class citizens in their own country.

However many among us have struggled with pulling down the veil and the psychological scars inflicted by the trauma of colonization and imperialism. These are the victims who still express sympathy and empathy with the Rhodesian system, have publicly expressed positive feelings towards the architects of the system to the point of defending it and identifying with it while putting down the system that liberated them. There are many Zimbabweans, especially in the diaspora who present such negative traits. Some victims have called for the ‘escalation of the economic crisis’ to further that very system which subjugated Zimbabwe and many other African countries.

It is defeatist and unpatriotic to consistently put your own country down. Every citizen has a duty to defend their own country, their own nationhood and their pride as a people instead of devoting energies to trampling on the name of Zimbabwe and its people. Why is it that other nationalities do not always air their dirty laundry in the public and never present their countries in a negative light? There are many countries worldwide that have it much worse than Zimbabwe but you rarely hear their nationals parading it to the world that their country is the definition of disaster. There is no denying that things could be better in Zimbabwe but perennially naysaying your own country is not going to make things any better.

Those who denounce Zimbabwe claim that President Robert Mugabe forced them out and that they did not have a choice in the matter and hence the bitterness. Choice is a very big word that should be used carefully for we all make our choices and we have to live with them. People have migrated and moved around the world since time immemorial and for anyone to blame President Mugabe for their nomadic ways is nothing short of comical and preposterous. People are all over the world for various reasons and Zimbabweans are no exception. Most people had a choice to either leave or stay. Some chose to leave and others chose to stay.

There are many Zimbabweans who decided not to leave the country and they are carrying on with their lives. Many chose to stay and are doing better things than the majority who diced with the diaspora. Nobody is saying that things are easy but life goes on in Zimbabwe. Whatever each individual’s circumstances are, the choice is often theirs to make unless of course if they are children.

It is easy to try and abdicate responsibilities for the consequences of the choices we make to try and blame it all on President Mugabe. In Zimbabwe there is there is land to farm, there are opportunities if you exert yourself, and most importantly there is peace. Most if not all of us have a choice to either stay in our peaceful land called Zimbabwe or move to other parts of the world to face the unknown.

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