…Meritocracy or nepotism
CHENGETAI ZVAUYA
When children of great athletes like Andre Ayew, and Jordan sons of Ghanaian soccer legend and three-time FIFA African Footballer of the Year Abedi “Pele” Ayew, earn a spot on the national teams and big clubs, the question becomes whether or not they are just beneficiaries of genealogy.
André, also known as Dede Ayew in Ghana, is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Championship club Swansea City and captains the Ghana national team.
Jordan is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League Club Crystal Palace and the Ghana national team.
Accusations and fears of nepotism and cronyism also come up. This begs the question whether or not talent is hereditary or developed due to exposure mostly because of proximity to greats.
Politics too has witnessed a similar trend with Zimbabwe’s political landscape apparently turning into somewhat of a dynasty, with prominent politicians’ spouses, siblings, children and close relatives one way or another finding themselves at the top of the chain.
Developments in the political field in the country give a picture into the nature of our politics as leading political parties seem to be taking a leaf from yesteryear Zimbabwean and African nationalists as well as great leaders from Europe and America.
MDC appears to be following the same pattern with president Nelson Chamisa’s younger brother, Starman, finding his way to land the post to be MDC MP for Mbare constituency.
Vincent Tsvangirai, son of the late MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai, was hoisted to be the MP for Glen View South constituency amid accusations of political nepotism and cronyism.
He replaced his late sister, Vimbai who died following a horrific traffic accident.
Theresa Makone, former Minister of Home Affairs and her husband Ian are a power couple within the MDC ranks.
She is also a Senator. Ian is a councillor for Harare’s Ward 18 which is in Harare North constituency.
MDC senior party member Morgan Komichi has no apology at the dramatic ascendency of members of the Chamisa and Tsvangirai families.
“On the issue of the Chamisa family, Starman is young brother to our president but he went through our primary elections and won fair and square.
Some people still insist that there was nepotism through the influence of his elder brother which is not correct,” Komichi said.
Komichi confirmed that his party had used political nepotism in the fielding of Vincent in Glenview South constituency.
“We have no apologies to make over the nomination of Vincent as we want to preserve the legacy of our late leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
We took the decision as the standing committee of the party to put his name after the death of her sister Vimbai. Vincent is a budding politician and we hope he can deliver,” Komichi said.
“Some people are also being mischievous on social media, claiming that the MDC are also considering to field Richard Morgan (Jnr) Tsvangirai, one of Tsvangirai’s sons to stand in the Norton constituency in 2023 elections.
It is not true because he is in China studying but he can come back home after finishing his studies to join politics if he wants.”
Zanu PF has also been found wanting on the same political dynamics.
Tongai Mnangagwa, nephew of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is MP for Harare South constituency albeit protests from Zanu PF supporters led by war veterans spokesperson Douglas Mahiya.
First lady Auxilia Mnangagwa was at one time the MP of Chirumanzu Zibagwe constituency, before retiring to concentrate on her role as First lady of the country.
She had taken over the seat from her husband, following his ascendancy to the post Vice President in 2013. Former Presidential special advisor, Christopher Mutsvangwa and wife Monica participated as candidates in different constituencies in the harmonised elections.
Monica is current Minister for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services. Christopher was the former Zanu PF MP for Norton.
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa’s sister, Mary, is MP for Zanu PF in Hurungwe West and Mashonaland West provincial minister.
Mary was assisted by her brother to beat Keith Guzah at the primaries. Temba rose through the ranks to become Hurungwe West MP and Zanu PF chairperson for Mashonaland West province before his expulsion from the party in 2014.
He is now an independent MP for Norton. Marian Chombo is Zanu PF MP for Zvimba North, replacing her ex-husband and former Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo who was expelled from the party late 2017.
Before his dramatic fall, former President Robert Mugabe was facing an internal revolt with some party members accusing him of trying to catapult his wife Grace to the presidency.
Mugabe, who died last year after 37 years in power, had dismissed the claims.
Mugabe’s first wife, the late Sally, was one of the founding members of the Zanu PF Women’s League and was declared a national hero.
Mugabe had also roped in his nephew Patrick Zhuwao to become a Cabinet Minister.
Zhuwao was a legislator in Zvimba, after replacing his mother Sabina who was a long serving MP.
Vice President Kembo Mohadi , together with ex-wife Tambudzani, are also sitting members of the House of Assembly.
Exiled politician Saviour Kasukuwere, was also accused of pushing the agenda of promoting his relatives in the party. Kasukuwere was the ZANU–PF party’s national political commissar until November 2017.
He was also the MP for Mt Darwin South Constituency. Kasukuwere was accused of propelling his siblings to the higher echelons of the party.
His young brother Tongai rose to become a national executive member of the Zanu PF youth league.
His halfbrother Dick Mafios rose to become an MP for Mt Darwin North and also Zanu PF provincial chairman for Mashonaland Central province.
It seems this was inherited from founding nationalists of the liberation struggle.
Herbert Chitepo, the late Zanu PF chairman, was joined in the active politics by wife Victoria.
Their remains are both interred at the National Heroes Acre.
Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya-Moyo defended the ascendancy of political party members from the same family arguing that it was on merit. “Most of them are elected on merit after going through primary elections in the party.
There is no nepotism in the selection of candidates or appointments of positions in the party,” Khaya-Moyo said Such scenarios are not peculiar to Zimbabwe.
In Malawi, the late President Bingu WaMutharika was replaced by his younger brother Peter as President in 2014.
In Kenya the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta followed in the footsteps of his father Jomo Kenyatta while his nemesis, Raila Odinga, is taking from his father Jaramongi Odinga who was an opposition leader.
In the DRC former President Joseph Kabila, took over from his father the late Laurent Kabila. In America the Kennedy family in the 60’s had two brothers John and Robert dominating the political scene.
Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton is another couple that have dominated the American politics in the 21st century.
The United Kingdom had Miliband brothers Ed and David of the Labour party dominating the political landscape being leading lights of the opposition party.
Political analyst and university of Zimbabwe lecturer, Lawrence Mhandara, said the system of promoting relatives and siblings was a problem associated with politicians in order to consolidate political power base.
“This is done mainly to consolidate power and building of political empires. Politicians want to work with people that they know and supports them and want to reward them by placing them in influential positions.
It shows that politics is about gaining power and resources and involving people that you know,” said Mhandara.
Eldred Masunungure, political analyst and university of Zimbabwe lecturer said this can also be found in corporate firms and was part of a political patronage system.
Masunungure said it was not confined to ruling party or the opposition parties in political parties but not peculiar to African politics.
“Whatever the reasons for relatives of the influential to get to the top so easily, it is almost always at the expense of democracy and fair opportunity and the beginning of bitterness among the ordinary folk who have to prove their worth and work to the top,” Masunungure said.
