I am not illiterate –– Chinotimba

Columnists
I WISH to clear the chaos and mayhem caused by your newspaper regarding my letter published in the Zimbabwe Independent of December 4 to 10 last year under the headline, “Mugabe deserves the title ‘God-given’”.

I WISH to clear the chaos and mayhem caused by your newspaper regarding my letter published in the Zimbabwe Independent of December 4 to 10 last year under the headline, “Mugabe deserves the title ‘God-given’”.

In your December 11 to 17 issue, under the views, tips and comments and  also in the Muckraker column, a lot of noise was made regarding the letter with all the correspondents and Muckraker alleging that I enlisted the services of an editor.

Further, Muckraker suggested that the article was not from me. The allegation that I enlisted the services of an editor is not only false and unsubstantiated, but also very foolish.

First of all I should make it clear and let the nation know that since the year 2001 I have been authoring articles most of which were published in several newspapers, notably the Herald, Sunday Mail, Financial Gazette, and the now defunct Daily News and Daily Mirror.

It is therefore strange as to why the article in question published by your newspaper and the Herald has drawn such attention and criticism. Is it the first time that I have written an article for publication?

As a matter of fact, some of my recent articles were published in the Financial Gazette and the Herald. Isn’t it ridiculous for anyone to query the source of the article yet I personally handed the article  to Zimbabwe Independent staff at their offices for publication?

On a lighter but revealing note, I even spent at least 10 minutes at the offices and one of the photographers requested to photograph me, a request I gladly obliged. In view of this, can’t you see that your newspaper, especially Muckraker, is missing the point? Who is fooling who in such a scenario?

In view of the foregoing, it is really outrageous and mischievous for anyone to suggest that the article was not from me.

I would like to dismiss such wayward and wanton thinking with the contempt it deserves. I

t is irresponsible and extremely preposterous for any fair-minded Zimbabwean to try and let the nation believe that I am illiterate.

Such misconceptions can best be described as utter rubbish and complete hogwash.

Let such prophets of doom be reminded that as a businessman, I have all the wisdom and intelligence irrespective of what some misinformed elements think. It is with this in mind that I cannot understand the rabid and vehement criticism and opposition that my letter published by this newspaper got.

It goes without saying that Muckraker should have approached me and gladly I would have shown him the source of the article which is none other than my office. It is very usual of your newspaper, this I know, to rush and publish half-baked stories without getting first-hand information from the horse’s mouth.

I want to make it clear that those elements who make misinformed conclusions regarding Chinotimba should continue doing so at their own peril.

Joseph Chinotimba,Vice National Chairman, Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.