Oscar J Jeke
ZIM NOW REPORTER
Former Finance minister, who was also Citizens Coalition for Change vice president, Tendai Biti was on the receiving end of attacks following his recent announcement that he is taking time off from active politics.
Biti announced the sabbatical in a television interview days before his ascendency to the CCC’s rotational presidency seat, arguing that as a human being, he needs time off from all political activities.
Many observers blamed the opposition politician for causing an unwanted mess in the CCC.
Self-exiled former minister in the late Robert Mugabe-led government, Walter Mzembi commented on the matter saying that he once tried to stay away from politics only to come back after a few thoughts. He said that a politician can only talk of a sabbatical if there is nothing else to show for it.
“A political sabbatical is when a politician says I am taking a leave from politics. I tried it ... Reality is a politician will only take a sabbatical when he is six feet under. It’s impossible to offload a purpose just like that, so a sabbatical may just mean a leader with no formal leadership responsibility, no obligations to anyone,” Mzembi said.
One, B Musonza also waded into the issue by saying that opposition politicians in Zimbabwe remain years behind in politics because they only want to be active in election season, adding that they have no interest to take essential matters of accountability and transparency, challenging the government.
“Our understanding of opposition politics is primitive in the sense that it should be active ahead of elections and after that, it should be inactive. This gives the ruling party five years of consolidating and perfecting its nefarious ways. Nobody wants to hold the government to account for daily service delivery or policy issues. The focus is much more on the political processes that take them into office,” Musonza said.
Ruling party enthusiast, Kudzai Mutisi said the move by Tendai Biti speaks volumes of his past prime, which has since met a dead end.
He says Biti was relevant because of his closeness to Nelson Chamisa, who has also resigned from the CCC party.
“There is no sabbatical in politics. Once gone, one is gone and for good. Biti’s prime came and passed. He only became relevant by clinging unto Chamisa’s coattails, but that again is long gone since Chamisa himself is porridge,” Mutisi said in a post.
Brian Mutebuka noted: “The damage is already done my brother. His reputation in the opposition movement was already sealed. When that happens, there is no basis for giving him credit, when he has effectively been forced to take that position.”
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