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Arthur Mutambara and the Second Wife Syndrome: A word of advice
Grace Kwinjeh
February 22, 2006

Have you ever noticed how when some women marry a divorcee or especially men when they have been to 'small houses' for some time, behave as though they are the most wonderful thing that has ever happened in that particular man's life. I have watched Comrade Arthur Mutambara enter the political scene like one such small house-come-wife. I looked at one of the fellow's pictures and asked myself 'what wonderful thing does he think he is bringing?' The guy has come in with wings or sailing on cloud nine, seemingly mesmerized by the prospect of becoming the future President of Zimbabwe. I thought hey Amainini bhora pasi. I have news for you boy.

Firstly what I want to challenge is the whole process or procedure that led to the 'selection' of Mutambara as the leader of the MDC rebels. This process will help many of you understand the conflict of values and principles that has always been in the party for some time now and why this is a good example for you to understand the leadership style of the rebels. According to media reports and confirmations by one of them, Gift Chimanikire in interviews, Welshman and his friends 'arranged' for Mutambara to join them as their leader. Chimanikire is also vying for the leadership post of the rebel faction. What is fascinating however is the way his 'comrades' did not let him in on the secret strategy of getting Mutambara to lead them. Given the fact that these rebels had created the impression of being a united unit against party President Morgan Tsvangirai, what then has changed?

There is nothing new in this scenario, because our bone of contention with Welshman and crew has been precisely about that; the overriding of party structures to go caucusing outside and make decisions on behalf others, expecting those others to shut up and know what is good for them. For a long time South Africa has been the caucusing hub, a place they meet to make decisions that would then be forced on the rest of the leadership in Zimbabwe. I am part of the MDC inner structure, so I and many others know what I am talking about. This brings me to my second point as I stand here vindicated in what I wrote a while ago, that this rebel faction would never be identified with people's struggles in the way they do business and the way their decisions are made. A whole leadership line up of friends and ex-friends has been put up for their next congress without grass roots or party structure input and participation.

The people who are joining this merry band wagon are doing so by virtue of either being intellectuals, having financial resources or just being close to some members of the rebels' top brass; not on merit, not based on the work they have done for the party or their membership. I am told informally that Mutambara claims that he bought his MDC card in 2000. Now Arthur give us a break. Where have you been? Studying robotics? This is a kind of political opportunism made possible by virtue of one's class status. Which one of the poorer and hardworking MDC members would have been able to sell himself to us as a leader. The formation of the MDC for me was not just about doing away with stereotypes, but more about respecting people regardless of their standing in society. It is the top down or elitist approach of doing things that I deplore in the rebels.

This takes me to the next point; how they have now really intellectualized their faction. The rebels fail to understand the founding values of our party; that MDC is a party for poor people, the working class who formed and who own it. Some have died for it, others continue to struggle for it and through it. The fact that this huge constituency has been left out of this important process is really sad.

There is nothing wrong with being an intellectual but everything wrong with the seeming show of disdain for the people you claim to represent or to serve. Our heroes and heroins like Chiminya, Makwembere and Makuwaza must be turning in their graves.

This Mutambara debacle is at least an insult to the people of Zimbabwe, because, here we are suffering under one 82-year-old dictatorial intellectual who believes only he can do or knows what is best for us as leader, by virtue of his educational qualifications or his war credentials. The same is apparent, complete with the danger signals, in the way Mutambara is being elevated to the Presidential post of that faction.

The struggle we have waged against Robert Mugabe has not just been about removing him from power only, but letting the masses control their destiny; changing that culture of being taken advantage of by people by virtue of their class and letting the masses decide who should or should not lead them. They are not empty vessels waiting to be told what is good or bad for them. You do not just 'jet in' to take up a leadership post.

You work and sell yourself to the grassroots and they appoint or elect you. It is about participatory democracy. The other one is Henry Dzinotyiwei. Up until last week he was a desk top activist, an 'independent commentator'; today we are told he is a member of the MDC. Which one sir? But again this proves the point to all of the leadership vacuum or deficiency that exists in this group. I have said this before. They were protected and comfortable under the leadership of Morgan Tsvangirai, their rebellion left them open to scrutiny, unmasking their leadership inadequacies, so for now Mutambara becomes the perfect leadership camouflage. Anything that is willing to be recycled is welcome to this group. One wonders how long this marriage of convenience will last.

Which leads me to my next point, counselling Mutambara on how a second wife or small-house-come-big has to understand the nature of her 'husbands', which is what a woman must do to survive in a relationship. The first husbands he has to deal with are Welshman and crew - and a right mafia they are. You should learn from the way they have put you there as President that you had better not rub them the wrong way, because they can remove you in the same way. I am sure you already know that Welshman is 'never' wrong. Make sure you do not end up tribalist either.

The second husband Robert Mugabe is a no nonsense man. If you are in the opposition you had better know your place. The political terrain my dear is different from 15 years ago. Boy do we wish for those days. The harsh reality is that being in the opposition today is like signing a death contract. You watch your back all the time or you sell a piece of yourself, which is what many in the group you are joining have done. But this husband today proclaimed that as he celebrates his 82nd birthday he has the bones of a 30 year old. So my dear get ready for a 30-year-old body in an 82 year old skin. Many sleepless nights!

The tough battle you are going to have is one of legitimacy among those aligned to your last husband Morgan Tsvangirai and there are many. You have come in as a leader of a rebel group, which is going to have a bearing on perceptions about you as a politician and how you will be received. So if your entrance is based on the assumption that the fall of Tsvangirai is your rise, think again. In any event Tsvangirai may fall but that may not mean you will rise. Now this is a husband you have to find strategies of dealing with as he is your biggest challenge yet.

So Arthur you are entering into some form of political marriage with each of these men, know their nature and remember they are just like any other men and so are you like any other wife or woman. Akubayira zani ndewako. Welcome to the family.

*Grace Kwinjeh is a political activist and writes in her personal capacity.

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