At large with John Makumbe( 07-12-06)

trongly resisted and rejected the meaningless speculation because it has not yielded any realistic outcomes in the past. There is no reason why it should do so this time around. State institutions have been taking considerable space to congratulate VP Joice Teurairopa Mujuru for surviving two years of co-presiding over one of the world’s fastest declining economy. I do not remember anyone showering Joseph Msika with similar accolades two or three years since his ascension to the VP position. What is so special about Spill Blood?
But this contribution is not just about VPs and their bootlickers. Instead, I think it may be more useful to focus our attention on those national concerns that the Goromonzi Circus is unlikely to discuss. The reason why the delegates at the conference are unlikely to discuss the succession issue is that no one in Zanu(PF) will have the courage to place that item on the agenda. Fear of Mugabe rules and overrules all of his minions to the extent that placing the succession issue will be viewed as treasonous. Another issue that will not be discussed is the rampant looting that is going on in government, in parastatals and even in the private sector. The major perpetrators of corruption in Zimbabwe are none other than senior Zanu(PF) and government officials, including both VPs who have been fingered in the Ziscosteel-gate. We have recently learnt that several top heavies in the rotten political party have been spared the name and shame process in regard to the importation of white sand from South Africa.
The Zanu(PF) conference will not dare discuss the reasons for the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy. To do so would be to point an accusing finger at the old man who once said that no one could have run the Zimbabwe economy better than himself. That would be hazardous to one’s health, indeed. The delegates are very likely to be actively celebrating the awarding of the worthless 99-year lease agreements to a few farmers regardless of their performance in agricultural productivity. The agreements are worthless in that they have not been accepted as collateral by financial institutions in Zimbabwe. Perhaps the Goromonzi gala will pass a resolution asking the dictator to legislate for the acceptance of the leases as collateral. Let’s wait and see.
Will the feeding frenzy have the courage to discuss the irrelevance and impotence of Mugabe’s look east policy? Will they be able to openly state the various ways in which the Chinese have ruined our textile industry, and how they threaten to literally shut down our manufacturing industry? Very unlikely. The IMF team is currently in town, but they are not likely to receive any mention at the circus since they are viewed with almost naked hatred for simply having money. It is also very unlikely that the rulers will have time to discuss some of the serious problems pertaining to the escalation of the cost of living vis-à-vis levels of incomes in this country. They are unlikely to ask why more than 90% of Zimbabweans are now living below the poverty datum line. To do so would be to criticise the dear leader on whose generosity they all depend for survival. The Goromonzi circus is not worth even a quarter of the media attention it gets. I wish they would discuss regime change.