…..by “divide and rule policy”
By Dr Masimba Mavaza | The seeds of ‘Divide and rule are being sown by the detractors and enemies of the 2nd Republic but blossoming in full as we approach 2023. While laying down the foundation of some democratic institutions and policies, the Imperial rulers set the example of how policies of great scope can be used for serving the vested interests of political leaders/political parties in power. The Zimbabwean politicians have inherited from British rulers three powerful weapons: Electoral policy, Census operations, and Divide and Rule.
The present day politicians have learnt very well from British rulers, how to use these systems for pacifying the masses and prolonging their hold on political authority longer.
Divide and Rule is the policy of maintaining control over one’s subordinates or opponents by encouraging dissent between them, thereby preventing them from uniting in opposition.”the politics of divide and rule in society” This again is a political strategy to gain or retain power by cultivating disunity among potential opponents, often by co-opting some individuals and groups while a targeted one is only a scape goat.
Divide and rule policy (Latin: divide et impera), or divide and conquer, in politics and sociology is gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into pieces that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy.
This is what honourable Temba Mliswa is trying to do by sending a audio and a Twitter message castigating honourable Christopher Mutsvangwa dragging him in the mud only to cause more disharmony in the ruling party and in the war veterans.
On his Twitter handle Tuesday, outspoken Norton MP Temba Mliswa said Mutsvangwa was behind the plot.
“Mutsvangwa is the one who is always starting these factional ructions in ZANU PF. People take it lightly until it is serious. He was at the centre again when Mai Mujuru was ultimately removed. There is a pattern to this and it’s the same template,” said Mliswa.
Mliswa then sent a long winding audio insulting honourable Mutsvangwa calling him an alcoholic. Temba is a bad politician who does not forgive. He contested against Mutsvangwa in Norton andTemba with the help of Chamisa became victorious.
Temba worked hard to have General Rugeje removed from the Commissariat with his lies gossip and obviously trying to patronise the first family.
In 3 years of the 2nd Republic, he has felled Rugeje. Now he is busy burying his sister. Now the wonder is who is or are his next Party Big Whigs to bite the dust to the cantankerous yet simple minded pretender to the title of Zimbabwe’s Machiavelli.
What Temba is trying to do to the war veterans is to divide them and then use his influence on the few he wishes to propel in the War veterans leadership.
The strategy of Divide and Rule was adopted by Lord Minto. The British Government anticipating danger from the side of Indians in near future because of the growth of unity under the spell of nationalism decided to apply the policy of ‘ Divide and Rule’ to break the unity of the people. Lord Minto decided to use the Indian Muslims against the Hindus and against the Congress. This was the same policy used by the British during the Roman Empire.
British Policy of “Divide and Rule” was inspired from “divide et impera”, the famed Roman policy to rule over their Empire. This policy worked as long as the people could not unite against the aggressor. Over the period of time target people realize their mistake and bring down the empires. Roman Empire was destroyed earlier. In modern Era, this policy was most successful in India. At any given point of time there were note more than 50 thousand British in India, still they managed to rule whole India. Britishers defeated Maratha empire with the help of soldiers from Eastern India, later on they suppressed revolution of 1857 with the help of soldiers from Rajputana and Punjab. They created army ragiments based on these regional identities to use against each other. If it was not for the “Divide and Rule” Britishers could have never ruled India. In fact all the major empires of European nations used this policy. Because of this policy handful of Spaniards could destroy all superior civilizations of Americas. Even without destructive weapons, Aztecs could have crushed Spaniards like insects but for divide and rule, Red Indian civilizations were wiped from the face of earth. All current and future civilizations must learn this important lesson.
This is the route Temba is trying to take Zimbabwe by dropping divisive audios to divide the war vets the army the government and the party.
This is intended to weaken the growing tide of development in the country by dividing the people on the communal and class basis. The impact of this act is also seen in the partition of the party on factional lines. The factional lines are pitying the general and the president against each other and the war vets against each other and then alienating them from the people.
Quite often it is alleged that ZANU PF is ‘highly stratified’ ‘disintegrated’ and ‘discriminatory’ seriously factional party. How it had happened, is quite interesting to know. It was not so all the time. Rift has been purposely created in the party for political and personal purposes. Why, when, how and by whom rift has been created in ZANU PF and is aiming t push the party on the verge of disintegration?
Quite early, ZANU PF’s enemies realised that as long as they adroitly exploited the factional linguistic and historical divisions that marked ZANU PF they were relatively safe. The enemy is clear and firm about his aims and objectives. The enemy is trying to inflame the differences, that were already existent in the party because of the diverse backgrounds of its people. They are trying to establish a regime change by playing off one part against the other.
Those against the second dispensation are launching an ideological attack on the party in their effort to secure a reasonable combination of various people and members in the party and its affiliates in order to destroy them.
Those who want to destroy ZANU PF are relying on so called ‘divide-and-rule’ politics to survive in office. The concept of divide-and-rule describes a strategy for rulers to sustain power by exploiting coordination problems among potential rivals. Rulers can break up rival concentrations of power by making discriminatory offers/sanctions or simply destroying communication channels among potential rivals.To secure their power and means of exploitation the enemy is trying ti divide and rearranged the party’s populations into discrete groups, on the basis of ethno-linguistic attributes. Temba is creating venom in the hearts of the ware veterans and party members and encouraging them to resist vociferously the way of the party. He is trying to destroy ZANU PF by taking advantage of the diversities of people and by playing them against one another and provinces against provinces.
Temba’s exploitative policy had already drained much of ZANU PF’s wealth people. Now he left ZANU PF bleeding.
There has been a fast decline in the observance of morality. In the absence of ideology, pursuit of material success has made the so-called representatives of the people selfish and intolerant. They have drifted almost rudderless without sense of direction. The recent political developments have given a rise to mutual strife within the society. While many leaders in the party look the other way Temba enters the other way. It is not Temba but those using him.
Lust for political power and wealth should be replaced by sense of service. Instead of concentrating on populist measures, political leaders should give priority to real issues. The administration would become more sensitive and responsive to the needs of the disadvantaged people not to Mliswa gossip.
instead of power seekers, talented, professional and specialized persons could find place in the system, we should not have leaders who are afraid of Temba. Men of character, learning and scholarship should be elected as representatives of the people and be given the respect, they deserve from society. Entrusting power in weak or greedy hands without making them strong enough to hold it judiciously could not empower them. It will make them victims of gossip. If the party is reduced to plotting and plotting then we need a new approach.
Liberalisation and globalization has opened up a new vista for everybody. To channelise creativity and energies of modern youth and to keep them happy and satisfied, a sound system of education and training is required in the party urgently. Instead of promoting sectional interests, stringent punishment should be given to exploiters, oppressors and those persons who are indulged in corrupt practices against the party.
Mutsvangwa can not be said to be divisive. He is democratic. The war veterans baying for the blood of the vice president have not been sent by Mutsvangwa. Surely Mutsvangwa is not fighting to be the vice president and the fictitious recording which Temba says he has is just the figment of his imagination.
The rift between Chiwenga and the president is only in the opposition newspapers and in the mind of the haters.
ZANU PF is stronger now than before.
Temba Mliswa is trying to create a division in ZANU PF and he believes that he is the nation’s game changer. He has a mental condition where he sees himself above everybody. Picking a fight with Mutsvangwa shows his obsession with publicity.
No one should take Temba seriously. The call by the war veterans as unreasonable as it is it can not be visited on the feet of Mutsvangwa.
Mursvangwa’s appointment to the Information secretariat in the Politburo is not a propaganda strategy. But it is that he was the man suitable for that job. He is an assert to the party and the country.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s, not the news network’s