AS I travelled through out the length and breadth of Zimbabwe, I am across a new phenomenon, a class of entrepreneurs carrying various titles.
One of these was a brother by the name of Paul Tungwarara, supposedly from Manicaland, an entrepreneur of sorts. One of his titles was “Dr” apparently denoting some much learning of sorts. Yet another title was that of “advisor”, a title which I later learned referred to his role of having the ear of Mukuru.
Having Mukuru’s ear is something to be envied or admired, but that was not the end of his titles. There was yet a fourth title, associated with state contracts, supposedly having to do with environmental rehabilitation of rivers.
While rehabilitating rivers, a very necessary survival task, along the Murodzi, Hunyani and other tributaries, there is gold to be found.
The point I am trying to make is that this brother is no small brother; he is everywhere, we can call him a very bad cat indeed.
If this was not enough, I was baffled by his hitherto unknown role as a 2030 advocate, a forest in which angels would fear to cross.
After consulting some wise men, it dawned on me that to take the brother seriously, as a political actor, is to be misled by puffery.
A rhetorician.
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Before Brother Masiphula Sithole died, we had planned to write a book about Zimbabwe politics and philosophy.
In African politics, as exemplified by Brother Tungwarara, rhetoric and entertainment are closely aligned.
This gift is universal in the Afro-world. As I write, January 19th of an American holiday in honor of the Reverend Martin Luther King. The holiday usually reminds Americans of one of the finest speeches of the 20th Century- I have a dream speech.
That is my point. I have a dream speech, was not just a political speech, it was entertainment par excellence, the beauty, cadence of the words and presentation and style-the wave of the hand, the gesture, the drawl of the voice-the sigh-and the provocation and the finale-all those are combined in one speech.
Now listen to this brother, Tungwarara-never mind what he is saying-that Mukuru can rule till 2030-is not a serious argument.
But that is to miss the point.
Tungwarara is not a serious brother. He says so himself.
The argument is not whether Zanu PF can extend Mukuru’s tenure to 2030 and after that to 2035.
The argument is not whether Mukuru’s tenure has been accompanied by economic growth; the Trabablas through-way is his signature achievement.
The issue is that age takes its toll-Aristotle says that even a wise king grows old and infirm. Hastings Banda, once the Ngwazi of Malawi, at 94 was infirm and fragile like a baby.
And so was our own Robert Mugabe, at 94 he became a plaything in the hands of Grace, his younger wife.
Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, once a brilliant commander, at 84 years old, has become a laughing stock in Uganda.
Tungwarara’s argument is not a serious argument. But that does not mean that he is less formidable.
The brother’s gift lies in rhetoric and entertainment. After all, politics is partly entertainment.
“I asked the vice-president. Do you know this guy?” Supposedly a reference to Blessed Geza.
A sigh, calculated to draw attention and curiosity.
“I don’t know this guy,” the vice president replies. Again, a sigh and one can feel the tension.
The audience apparently knows the story and they fill in the gaps. Tungi does not say which of the two vice-presidents he consulted.
A trained voice shouts from the corner. “Speak, Advisor.” Now, I was not aware that the brother is an advisor.
A woman’s voice shouts from another corner. “Speak Prophet!”
So. Brother Tungi has been transformed from an advisor to a prophet.
Students of political science need to study the video renditions of Tungi’s speeches. Of course, Tungi wants Mukuru’s tenure to be extended. Such an extension is not harmful to his contracts.
But to argue that Tungi is a serious philosopher in the manner of Professor Lovemore Madhuku is to miss the point.
He is making a general point. Zanu PF is a fun party. It behooves anybody who is anybody who wants some attention to attend.
The attire is deliberate. A scandalously colorful scarf worn on an equally generous coat of many colors completes the picture of a luna park.
Tungi is what Afro-Americans call a bad cat.
He is full of smoke and stuff, and just like a cat chasing a snake, you can’t catch him nowhere.
.*Ken Mufuka is a Zimbabwean patriot.
