Mzembi Calls Zimbabwean Political Parties ‘Burial ...

Mzembi Calls Zimbabwean Political Parties ‘Burial Societies’ of the People’s Hopes

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Self-exiled Zimbabwean politician Walter Mzembi launched a scathing attack on the country’s political parties, calling them “burial societies” of the people’s aspirations and hopes.

Mzembi, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, made the comments in a statement widely circulated on social media platforms. He accused politicians of only “appearing” to serve the people during rallies, which he compared to funerals, before disappearing into their “air conditioned offices” until the next event.

“Political parties are not the solution to Zimbabwe’s complex existential problems,” Mzembi stated, going on to claim they are “the problem in this context, the corpse itself which should be buried”. He further questioned why “military juntas” often target political parties first in coups, suggesting they see them as the root cause of the nation’s troubles.

Mzembi attributed the problem to a deeply ingrained culture of “selfishness” within the political system, emphasising that parties should prioritise the collective good, not the interests of a privileged few. He concluded by stating: “The day we successfully exorcise the national ghost of selfishness, the Zimbabwe we want will become a reality!”

He added: “Our founding political culture was GUTSARUZHINJI (majority rule) and with it an attempt to satisfy the needs of all. We veered off this and are going fast nowhere with entitlement and it's time for a reset.”

Mzembi fled the country during the 2017 Operation Restore Legacy which led to the ouster of late former President Robert Mugabe.