By Takura Zhangazha*
President Mugabe, after addressing jubilant supporters upon
his return from the African Union Summit in Ethiopia, had what the state media
called a ‘carpet mishap’. The private
media referred to the incident as either ‘Mugabe falls’ or ‘Mugabe falls down steps’ (DailyNews). Images of the incident, even after some
photojournalists had them deleted by security agents, found their way not only
into mainstream private and global media but also the internet. On the latter medium, some of the images reflected the actual event
while a greater number had been photo-shopped to infer different meaning.
Minister of Information, Professor Moyo downplayed the
incident by claiming that essentially any one can stumble and fall, including
Jesus. Especially if carpets are not set
right. The opposition MDC-T spokesperson,
Obert Gutu, said that the incident was indicative of the President’s age and
that he must resign.
What cannot be denied however is that the incident is of
public interest and all media, no matter their editorial bias, are correct to
report it as fact. Even if they differed in the terminology of describing it.
Domestic public reaction is yet to be fully measured but it
was always going to be mixed and expressed with immediacy via social media,
particularly Whatsapp and Facebook. Some of it reflected the sentiments
expressed by the minister of information where acknowledgement is made that anyone
can fall. Especially coming down a set of stairs or on a carpet.
Other responses were that at his age, the President may do
well to take it easy and reduce his schedule.
The more rabid reflected either the
opposition MDC-T’s sentiments or vehemently defended the President as a ‘revolutionary
leader’.
Others still expressed serious
disdain and disappointment that it should be an issue at all that someone fell.
All of these reactions are understandable and justifiable. The president however is a public figure and
whatever he does or happens to him publicly will be news in the general public
interest. The onus is therefore more on
government to explain further and to prove even the most negative of opinions wrong.
It is however also important to look at the political and
social context in which the incident
occurred in order to better explain this mixed reaction to the incident.
Firstly, speculation about the presidents health is no
longer new in Zimbabwe or in the global media.
His spokesperson is on record as saying that the media always does so
after the president goes on his annual leave at the end of every year. Mr. Mugabe himself has also stated publicly that he
does not know how many times he has been said to have died. So this incident has only served to
accentuate continued media and public scrutiny of the president’s health at
every possible opportunity.
Secondly, public interest
in the President’s everyday actions have been heightened by the dramatic
fallout he has had with his former deputy president, Joice Mujuru and her
alleged accomplices for plotting his ouster at congress. The state media which can safely be argued to
have been patently biased against the ousted faction also contributed immensely
to this heightened interest. Where
something unexpected as the carpet mishap occurs, the Zimbabwean public would evidently
get interested. Those that are
sympathetic to Mujuru would rather refer to it as a fall than a mishap.
Thirdly, the incident is testament of the rise of the internet and social media in Zimbabwe's political and cultural life. It has allowed the public quicker access
to news and events in a way unseen before. This means that any minuscule public
(and sometimes private) political event especially where it concerns leaders in
various spheres of life is now the subject of greater public scrutiny. And it is something that public figures must
accept without much trepidation. The general rule is to explain oneself after
such said incident goes ‘viral’ on the internet or is picked up by the mainstream media. As opposed to attempting to take away the technology that allowed the public to know a matter in the public interest.
In the final analysis however, public reactions to the
President’s mishap will be better analysed for posterity than the present. The government
has said that he is in good health and for now that should be enough.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
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