The ManicaPost
Chenai Mutasa Post Correspondent
I GREW up in Mafararikwa Village in Marange, Manicaland.
I was a neighbour to one Mr Handini Ndadaro. I always wondered how this man got to have such a name until the day my grandmother told me the story behind the moniker.
The name Handini Ndadaro was given to this man when he was still a toddler because he had a tendency of stealing peanut butter and then denying it, even though his mouth would be plastered with the stolen goody.
When confronted, even with incriminating evidence, he would vehemently deny saying “handini ndadaro”.
From his childhood, the man would always shift the blame of his wrongdoings to others.
But as it turns out, he is not the only one with such tendencies. We have many Handini Ndadaros in our midst.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is full of these Handini Ndadaros. That political party is full of members who don’t want to take responsibility for their mess and wrongdoings. They are quick to shift the blame to others in order to conceal their blundering.
I am sure most readers have heard the news that Mr Charlton Hwende, Mr Prosper Mutseyami, Ms Thabitha Khumalo and Ms Lilian Timveous are no longer Members of the National Assembly.
The quartet are no longer honourable members, they are now just members of the society.
On Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, informed the four that their party, MDC-T, had recalled them from Parliament. The reason was that the quartet no longer represents the interests of MDC in Parliament.
However, as usual and as expected, Mr Nelson Chamisa’s MDC-Alliance issued a statement blaming Zanu PF and President Mnangagwa for the opposition’s squabbles!
One then wonders why Zanu PF is being implicated in the MDC’s power struggles. How can Zanu PF be immersed in the internal fights of the MDC?
Zanu PF is an independent party that has nothing to do with MDC. To think that it can then influence what happens in the MDC is absurd.
The letter that was read by Advocate Mudenda in Parliament was written by MDC secretary-general, Mr Douglas Mwonzora, on behalf of his party.
The letter had no Zanu PF stamp on it or anything to suggest that it had been influenced by the ruling party. That means neither Zanu PF nor President Mnangagwa recalled the MDC legislators. They were recalled by their party, the MDC. The Speaker of Parliament was only conveying the message from MDC to its affected members. Yet Mr Chamisa’s faction is seeing Zanu PF shadows everywhere and failing to see that Mr Chamisa’s penchant for power brought confusion and chaos into the MDC.
Mr Chamisa and his loyalists need to sober up and accept the reality that Ms Thokozani Khupe is now the leader of that party and that she has the powers to recall any member of MDC from Parliament.
Remaining in denial is dangerous for these MDC guys as that will cloud their thinking, more so when such people like the trigger happy Mr Tendai Biti are declaring imaginary wars, pushing for their supporters to fight for their ill-gained positions.
If the recalled MDC members need to blame someone for their recall, the person to blame is Mr Chamisa. Mr Chamisa grabbed power in the MDC before the remains of the late Mr Morgan Tsvangirai had been taken to Buhera for burial. Furthermore, Mr Chamisa, with the aid of his praise singers such as Mr Hwende, twisted the MDC constitution to suit his selfish agenda of illegally grabbing the MDC presidency. He failed to follow protocol.
Deep down in their hearts, Messers Chamisa, Biti and Hwende all know that the recall of the aforementioned quartet from Parliament was procedural and above board. However, as they don’t want to take the blame, they are going around blaming everyone else but themselves.
As a generous person, I have some free advice for Mr Chamisa’s faction.
Mr Chamisa and his loyalists need to know that the blame game is a child’s play. Those who engage in it are either immature or at their wits end on how to solve the murky situation in their house.
The first sign of maturity is taking responsibility for all your actions. Immature and dependent people are always going to blame others for their plight. That is because they are paranoid and always think that whatever happens to them is as a result of someone’s actions, not their own.
Mr Chamisa and his team should also be reminded that by blaming others for their own faults and failures, they are only going to get a temporary respite and satisfaction. In the long run, they will lose more because the ignored issue still exists and still needs lasting solutions.
Moreover, finding solace in blaming others speaks volumes of one’s own shortcomings, that they have lost all their initiative and the power to act on their own volition.
Mr Chamisa and his loyalists are even blaming Covid-19 for their dwindling political fortunes. If they don’t get back to their senses soon, they may even blame God for their political misfortunes.
While I am not a prophet or a soothsayer, I am certain that the MDC’s blame game is going to weaken it further.
By not recognising that they are responsible for their own faults, the Mr Chamisa faction is going to stop itself from taking steps towards the rectification of their errors. The blame game indicates the crisis that is staring the opposition leadership in the face.
Someone needs to whisper to Mr Chamisa that the blame game will not return Mr Hwende and crew to Parliament.
My advice to the recalled legislators is not to listen to Mr Biti’s advice as he has his own party. They must also not listen to the wounded Mr Chamisa as he is not thinking clearly.
Instead, they should heed the Supreme Court ruling and go to the extra ordinary congress.
