By Takura Zhangazha*
Some leaders within the mainstream Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC-T) party in Zimbabwe have a tendency to reclaim direct and organic
links with Zimbabwe's grassroots when under sustained criticism over
their policies or their performance in the inclusive
government. In doing so they make reference to a person/character whom
they refer to as 'Mai Ezra' and (most of the time) claim that she is
based in the North Eastern Zimbabwean rural backwater of Dotito. This
somewhat metaphorical reference to the image of a poor rural woman with
whom the leaders have a direct link or at least with whom they have
special political rapport with makes for impressive political grandstanding. Especially if one's policies or performance as a leader is being
questioned on the basis of fact or democratic principle.
What is also
interesting is how the characterization of 'Mai Ezra' is intended to put
paid to any criticism because it demonstrates a leadership that is in
touch with people of similar socio-economic and political background. But because
no one foisted 'Mai Ezra' on MDC leaders, it would also be important to
analyze whether the 'Mai Ezra' that these leaders initially referred to
at the beginning of their tenure in the inclusive government is the same
one today and if any event, she has not been betrayed by her erstwhile
admirers.
Initially and on the basis of a popular but thwarted victory, the
pronouncements of her existence by the MDC-T leaders would have made 'Mai
Ezra' blush at the unsolicited recognition accorded her. It may have heralded a new
style to political leadership. One that spoke directly to her
interests and one that would be significantly different from what she
may perhaps have viewed as lethargic and insensitive Zanu Pf leadership.
It has however probably not turned out as she expected or was made to
believe it would. And this is probably with respect to politics, the
economy and her own station in life.
Where we analyse her expectations of the politics, 'Mai Ezra', in her assumed naivety
probably anticipated that the inclusive government would demonstrate and
set a new path toward participatory democracy. As it turns out, this
has not been realised and instead, the political parties in the inclusive
government have demonstrated a tenacious commitment to elitist politics
that consult more their own political elites than 'rural backwater' citizens
like 'Mai Ezra'. This is whether one looks at the disastrous
constitutional reform process or where one considers the reported and
rumored cases of corruption within all levels of government.
Moreover
it would be apparent to Mai Ezra that the initial sensitivity to her
interests and her problems has significantly subsided, with government
leaders showing a rather reckless addiction to profligacy either by way
of super luxury vehicles, unscrupulous use of constituency development
funds and the sudden movement of leaders from simple houses closer to
the people to astounding mansions. She may have thought that perhaps
they deserve the luxury if she too was at least in relative and modest
comfort were water, electricity and access to medicines (for her high
blood pressure and her son's asthma) not so expensive or even just readily available. Alas
she has come to accept that the disparity in lifestyles between herself
and her once fawning leadership as something that she didn't expect but now has to live with.
Where it comes to the economy, it may have been the introduction of
the dollar that got 'Mai Ezra's' economic hopes up, especially so after
the MDC-T took over the Finance and also some other key economic
portfolios in cabinet. With each passing month (or even year) the dollar
remains elusive for 'Mai Ezra'. She has now turned to cross-border trading
which sometimes involves stomaching ambiguous ministerial statements
and imposition of duty on imported women's undergarments that are key to
her trade. She has also now had to master the art of negotiating with
School Development Committees/Associations and the local clinic to at
least pay in modest installments the school and medical fees for her son 'Ezra' because the
government will not subsidize access to basic education and health
services.
She has also now learnt that she must hide her maize grain or else still get a party card for the other party
because, with the regular recurrence of droughts she and her son would be naive to wait for
government to de-politicise drought relief. Or alternatively to avoid
upsetting the field officer of one international food relief
organisation or the other. And she has to teach her son Ezra things that
her mother never taught her, things like not being too generous and
becoming more cutthroat and cold even where a neighbour is asking for
assistance that has minimal financial implications.
As for her
societal standing, where in the beginning she was proud to be
associated, by way of reference, with what the leaders were saying about
her, now she is somewhat shy or reluctant to lay claim to being the
real 'Mai Ezra'. There would be too many questions to answer about why
leaders were doing so many things that some of her friends and relatives
do not approve of. Yes, she still occasionally attends the rally, more
for entertainment and the passage of time in her dreary backwater. Where
she participates in political debates she knows not to raise issues of
policy and livelihood substance because she does not want to have to
deal with animosity from more than one party, especially
the one that once spoke glowingly on intending to address her every
political need. At least she can still go to church and even sometimes
hazard a visit to the newer ones with their glitz and glamour and promise of
a rich life with or without the politics.
*Takura Zhangazha writes in his personal capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
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