It is funny to listen or read some of the responses of those who said things they now regret having said. Much as I do not like some of the American diplomats, I find it hard to accept that they would deliberately create such revealing conversations. I find it thoroughly entertaining that some of the people who pontificate about loyalty and sovereignty are the same people itching to sup with the so-called “evil West”.
But I also find it disgusting that while some of our politicians beat their chests about nationalism, they sneak around pretending to American diplomats that this country’s future lies in their “moderate hands”. Only opportunists would say one thing by the day and something else under the cover of darkness.
As a voter I am appalled that our politicians never tell us some of the things they confide to the Americans. We vote for these people and yet they are convinced that they are answerable to foreign powers. How many of you have tried, in vain, to meet with your councillor or Member of Parliament?
The truth is that voters are just pawns used by politicians when it is politically expedient. They care more about how they are viewed by America and Europe. They are all too busy trying to convince the West that, they and only they are the most suitable to run the affairs of this Godforsaken country!
While you and I are worrying about where we will get our next bucket of clean water or when electricity will be switched back on, these “honourable” people’s representatives are preoccupied with what juicy nugget of destructive information they should feed diplomatic contacts.
I am pleased we have WikiLeaks to thank for revealing the lengths to which some of our politicians will go to show themselves as “kingmakers” or as the only salvation to Zimbabwe’s oppressed masses. We might have in some cases suspected what WikiLeaks has revealed but now we know for sure that in both the MDC-T and Zanu PF, there are people who despise their leaders but do not have the guts to say it openly.
Even more interesting is the fact that even those who want to be seen as custodians of our revolution and urge us to look East, are not taking their own advice. I wonder if WikiLeaks can check just how much information is given to the Chinese.
It is important that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai knows how he is viewed by some of his compatriots. It is also vital that Robert Mugabe deal with the fact that not all in Zanu PF want him to rule forever.
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No matter how loudly those named in the cables protest, the truth is that every Zimbabwean with internet access is right now reading the cables and forming their own opinions. People working in diplomatic missions and ordinary Zimbabweans know whom to believe and at the end of the day, that is what will carry the day.
After the very first cables that were released on Zimbabwe, one would have thought our leaders would have stayed as far away from American diplomats as possible. But hell no!
Politicians and those in leadership positions are best advised that if they cannot keep their own secrets, no one else is under obligation to keep them on their behalf. If you have information you are not supposed to share, do not share it and ask someone to keep it secret. Diplomats can swear they will keep your name out of any report but no report is worth anything if it is not backed by names. Foreign governments want to know the source of the information and depending on how high the person is perched on the political ladder, the information can then be deemed important or serious.
Voters should demand that their political representatives be as frank with them as they are with diplomats. Politicians should give the media honest interviews and stop accusing the media of rubble-rousing. Claiming that the cables are false is not going to wash. One just needs to see the raging discussion on Facebook.Zimbabweans are tired of being lied to. We are tired of politicians who suck up to their leaders but bash them when they think their secrets are safe.
BY GRACE MUTANDWA
