Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) ... more political gaffes roll in, supported by the media

... more political gaffes roll in, supported by the media
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:28:00 +0000

I DO NOT usually want to highlight the usual hackneyed and cockeyed examples of politicians and journalists putting their feet in their mouths; but the events of the last week leave me with no choice.

When politicians and members of the media insult their country, their roots, their constituents or their opponents and then masquerade as saviours of the people, they leave us no choice.

Political gaffes and diplomatic blunders keep rolling in as Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's state visit gathers momentum, but no moss.

His entourage has continued with a series of political gaffes and diplomatic blunders this week.

Yes this week too, can you believe it? You'd think one or two lessons could have been learnt last week, but NO!

Let's start with the visit to Germany!

Falling prey to media trickery and mischief, Prime Minister Tsvangirai said: "I was not sent by Robert Mugabe, or anybody.

"It is my own individual initiative, because Cabinet has adopted the fact that we need to re-engage the world, so I'm not under anybody's instruction," the PM added.

What's wrong with that statement which at first seems a minuscule slipup to the unsuspecting ear?

At first blush, it looked like some clever political statement: answer the media question on your own terms, look clever, then get behind it.

Yet a close examination of this statement will reveal how PM Tsvangirai managed to put his foot squarely in his mouth.

He says he was not sent by anyone, yet "Cabinet ... adopted the fact that we need to re-engage the world."

So Tsvangirai is now an institution, not his good offices?

How does one then explain the presence of Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi, Economic Planning and Investment Minister Elton Mangoma and Regional Integration and International Cooperation Minister, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga in that entourage?

Three parties are represented, yet the PM says he is on his own mission - not government mission.

Unbelievable!

Tsvangirai and all Western leaders meeting him are using the title 'Prime Minister' during the state visit.

That makes him a representative of the inclusive Government of Zimbabwe led by President Mugabe.

The PM's "attentive audience" and the media highly publicise, yet miss, this gaffe inorder to score cheap political points!

None of the Western leaders met thus far have mentioned the MDC party. Their feeble attempts at masking the inclusive Government as "Mr Tsvangirai's government" are as laughable as they are ridiculous.

Shakespeare was right: Politics indeed makes strange bedfollows.

I, indeed, "see dead people".

The PM and his whole entourage stood there as Chancellor Merkel discredited the First and Second Chimurenga by saying Germany aid will not be forthcoming unless "expropriated" land was returned!

Whose land? And returned to whom? Imbalances need redressing; otherwise what was the whole point of the liberation struggle?

Such sheer arrogance should be challenged by our media.

It discredits the principals who signed a GPA stating that the land redistribution exercise is irreversible regional SADC and the African Union.

It discredits and jeopardises the future of African diplomacy.

Extending the circle of naiveté, it should come as no surprise, that James Maridadi, who replaced the smart George Sibotshiwe (Oh bless him!) talked about the full military honours that the PM received and not Chancellor Merkel's remarks on return "expropriated land".

The media missed that key statement on returning "expropriated land" and concentrated on the Red Carpet treatment afforded PM Tsvangirai by Chancellor Merkel.

Come on guys. This is not an Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt walk of fame issue. This is a matter of life and death. Many people sacrificed their lives at Chimoio and Nyadzonia.

Churning out such mega gaffes, one wonders why the prime minister’s spokesman "even bothers to speak to the media”. Get the pun?

In one interview, Maridadi said: “I can safely say the meeting in Germany exceeded our expectations ... although he (the Prime Minister) did not get any pledges for money.”

How then did he measure the success of the visit when people back home are desperate?

Excited more about the prospect of getting onto the next plane than about meeting the state visit deliverables, Maridadi gaffes: "Zimbabwe’s economy has been in tailspin for the last ten years.”

He was echoing PM Tsvangirai’s statement made on Al Jazeera TV where the PM told Sir David Frost, “We managed to arrest the hyperinflationary environment and our economy has been in decline for the past ten years.”

Well, well, well, the irony of these statements is that the PM and his spokesman are shooting themselves in the foot. The last ten years coincide with the formation of the MDC party (in 1999).

What are they saying about themselves then?

PM Tsvangirai and Maridadi's gaffes are gaffes only to the extreme length of political correctness, which ironically, is the same breed of political correctness which breeds the school of thought, "If I can't see it right in front of my eyes, it must not be."

Of the visit to the US Maridadi said: "PM Tsvangirai studied the power matrix of the US, then visited those people that he thought would be strategic in that strategy.”

Wow! What a mouthful.

Maridadi then went on to list all the people who had supported the ZIDERA sanctions document, who just a few days before the PM's visit had voted to extend, or maintain it.

That's indeed some study! The matrix of power in the US is a mighty maze as we all know, yet Maridadi reduced it to some simplified version of a game of "Draft" that we used to play at home.

Shouldn’t the PM have gone for those powerful Congress members who opposed ZIDERA as well and try to to court them?

And is Maridadi being honest when he says the PM made the choice of US Senators to engage by himself?

Did he also ring the US Council on Foreign Relations to say he wanted to deliver a speech to them? Believe this and you believe pigs can fly.

Come on now! We are all adults here! That script was written before the PM and his entourage got there. The White House is busier than Heathrow airport.

The powerful US corporate forces overtook the PM, despite his good intentions. They overtook President Obama a long time ago, before he even became president.

In a week when everyone was looking forward to a bailout for Zimbabwe, politicians did more for political comedy than for the people of Zimbabwe.

PM Tsvangirai leaves the White House with a scribe by Martin Luther King, according to one online report.

"President Obama acknowledged Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s fight for freedom in a profound way last Friday by giving him a personalised autographed copy of ‘Stride Toward Freedom’ by Dr. Martin Luther King," says the report.

It adds: "In return, Mr Tsvangirai presented President Obama with a Zimbabwe traditional sculpture and artefacts done by Victoria Falls sculptors, and a wrapper with a head and shoulders picture of his late wife Susan for Mrs Obama."

Interesting reporting! Fedex could have achieved that feat in 48hrs sharp, minus the embarassment.

Seriously now, this is interesting reporting especially when its garnished by the statement: "The trip was unprecedented and significant in terms of how the US will deal with the unity govt." Excuse me! How will the US deal with the unity government, if I may ask?

The MDC issued a statement yesterday saying: “For the record, the MDC as a party has never ruptured relations with the international community and we cannot be held responsible for the negative perceptions the world has about those who thought sovereignty means severing ties with everyone.”

So why is the leader of the MDC trying to re-engage the international community then if the Zanu PF party severed those relations?

Is he the new representative of Zanu PF? I thought David Karimanzira wanted to have a go at that first and akabvutirwa the opportunity by those who love travelling more.

Come on now, guys!

This sounds like former British Cabinet minister, Claire Short saying that the Labour government will not honour pledges made at the Lancaster House Constitution because it was not directly responsible for colonization.

Well what a week!

A week to go.

The meeting with the embattled Brown should be interesting!

Remember PM Tsvangirai has already quipped that he will meet that "tiny dot" Gordon Brown "despite his unfortunate circumstances".

Let's see how that meeting will pan out over a quiet pint with the embattled British PM!

At least we now know where the real "beef" lies with the West: they want "expropriated" land returned to white farmers.

Any overtures by Tsvangirai or anyone for that matter will not make a difference if "expropriated land" is not returned.

Indeed, this issue is bigger than Tsvangirai. He is probably just a pawn in the whole game - just like Obama or Mandela whom he compared himself to.

In any case, I salute to those who made this the funniest week, but I hope the plight of those waiting in wings at home for the PM to bring "manna from Heaven" will not be disappointed when reality strikes next week.

___________
Malcolm Chinyanga
Dallas, TX

Labels: INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

posted by MrK @ 6:57 AM