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'Grow up Chamisa' - Independent hits back!
Nelson Chamisa, the spokesman for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai's faction has plunged his party into a media war by attacking the privately owned Zimbabwe Independent newspaper for writing stories about new political parties formed within Zimbabwe, claiming the paper was pursuing a "tribal" agenda. Vincent Kahiya, the Independent's editor was quick off the blocks, telling the youthful MDC MP for Kuwadzana to "grow up!". This is his response to Chamisa:
By Vincent Kahiya
TWO months ago I wrote in this column about the unfortunate thinking by opposition politicians who feel that our role is to support their cause without raising questions about the way they conduct themselves.
There is no better illustration of that romp into deception than Nelson Chamisa's juvenile response to our editorial comment last week.
Chamisa called us a "gutter press" because we were critical of his boss, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and because we write about other nascent opposition political parties.
The gratuitous attacks in his statement exposes the paucity of Chamisa's comprehension of the role of the media and his role as "party spokesman".
I feel that he is a greater danger to the MDC than the Zimbabwe Independent which he accuses of harbouring tribal agendas. But there is no doubt that he is learning quickly from Jonathan Moyo's scriptures.
To young brother Nelson, indeed "the people's struggle is unstoppable" but firstly you should understand that your faction of the MDC has no monopoly over that struggle, and secondly you should realise that the same struggle has suffered a major setback due to the leadership wrangles in the MDC which we started to detect well before the ill-fated October 12 2005 meeting.
Let's recap.
In an interview with our news editor, Dumisani Muleya, last August, Tsvangirai said there was no leadership struggles in the MDC.
"There is no infighting. There is no leadership or power struggle in the party," he said. "When parties go for events like congresses there is always a contest for positions.
"But it's not like in Zanu PF where you have a (Emmerson) Mnangagwa faction and a (Solomon) Mujuru camp. We have processes for leadership and organisational renewal in the MDC and if there are incompetent leaders, people will say so."
It is difficult to believe the current infighting, which is not the creation of the Independent, can be viewed as a deliberate "process for leadership and organisational renewal".
I am surprised that Nelson raises the tribal card when Tsvangirai told us in the interview that there was nothing like that in the party.
"There's no tribalism in the MDC," said Tsvangirai. "We know Zanu PF is trying to foment tribalism in the MDC. Zanu PF has a lot of regional tendencies and tribalism.
"But let me say this clearly, tribal politics and ethnic barbarism have no future in this country. There are leaders who want to defend their positions and power through tribalism. The politics of tribalism is primitive and we must all of us as a nation destroy ethnic mindsets and get on with modern politics," he said.
Chamisa accuses members of the rival MDC group of consorting with a dictator by having secret talks with President Mugabe. But at what stage did Tsvangirai or the MDC decide it would never engage Mugabe in dialogue?
Has Tsvangirai not sought negotiations for the best past of four years? Did he not demonstrate disappointment at the failure of the African Union initiative when Mugabe rejected mediation by Joachim Chissano of Mozambique as late as August last year?
I again want to draw Nelson's attention to what Tsvangirai said in the same interview: "There will be no way forward with regards to talks between the MDC and Zanu PF, but a continued stalemate is not sustainable," Tsvangirai said. So all this talks-about-talks and the disappointment of their failure thereof was an attempt to consort with the devil?
I would like to urge Nelson to read that story in full as it provides useful disclosures on Tsvangirai's feelings about talks with Zanu PF, perceived tribalism in the party and the way forward.
"There is need for new strategies and tactics but we won't take people to the streets so that they are killed by the military," Tsvangirai told us. We are still waiting for his "democratic resistance" alternative.
I would like to believe that Tsvangirai as leader of an opposition party realises that he must take credit for positive developments in the MDC and also the flak for aberrations. The same goes for President Mugabe.
A party spokesperson does not only speak on behalf of the party, but also its leadership. Tsvangirai's spokesman William Bango this week said the party leader had not seen Chamisa's statement prior to it being sent to us.
"Mr Chamisa has the authority of the party to disseminate information on the party's activities, views and programmes; and to react to cases or instances he may think require correction, clarification and explanation in the public interest," said Bango in a written note.
"He (Chamisa) does not necessarily have to refer to Tsvangirai each time he does so. As I write, Mr Tsvangirai has not yet seen that letter. His personal views on the matter are unknown at this stage," said Bango. Let's hope Tsvangirai does not subscribe to Chamisa's puerile claims.
This means they trust you Nelson to comment sensibly on issues on behalf of the party but in future you should not defend your leader's position by making unsubstantiated accusations against unnamed persons. Come on deep throat. Show a bit of bravery. Climb atop the nearest soapbox and name and shame party officials whose houses are being guarded by the army and green bombers. Tell the nation more about this lucky farmer and the author of Aippa.
Above all, tell us why it was OK for the MDC to contest local government elections but not those for the senate.
People who want
to lead the struggle do not pick fights with the media. Nelson evidently
has a great deal of growing up to do in the field of public relations.
As George Bernard Shaw said: "We learn from experience that men
never learn anything from experience."
Kahiya is editor of the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper.
This article was originally published in the Zimbabwe Independent
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