Open letter to Professor Lovemore Madhuku

By Maxwell Shumba

Dear Prof. Lovemore Madhuku

Greetings in the name of our struggle for a free and truly democratic Zimbabwe. I hope I find you well. You may not know me physically nor might not have heard of me but I would like you to know that we have been together in the trenches for a long time.

Let me introduce myself first:

My name is Dr. Maxwell Zeb Shumba and am currently based in the USA where I have consistently supported the struggle for a new and democratic Zimbabwe.

I am an original member of the NCA (joined in 1998) having joined this noble organization under the able leadership of the current Zimbabwean PM Morgan Tsvangirai and Madame Chairperson Thoko Matshe.

My heart bleeds as I pen this letter comrade because I have been inundated by requests from many concerned Zimbabweans, both home and Diaspora based, that I reach out to you with regards to the political position you and the NCA under your leadership have taken.

As an original NCA member I also share their concern and is the driving force behind my writing this letter to you. There is unanimity among those who reached out to me on the fact that your input in the struggle to bring a democratic Zimbabwe has been priceless.

Especially your heralded ability to critically analyze political events.

BUT people have become disillusioned when they read statements attributed to you. Many state categorically that the current NCA’s efforts under your leadership are bringing a lot of negative energy to the struggle and might be assisting the anti-democratic forces as represented by ZANU PF.

Others state that NCA actions have become a major distraction to the struggle. They therefore, have tasked me to kindly ask you to consider a change in heart in your all of sudden relentless attack on the person of Morgan Tsvangirai and the organization he leads, MDC-T.

Primarily I have been tasked to ask you to reconsider your decision to form a political party from the rank and file of the NCA and to stop your attacks on fellow democratic activists. My esteemed brother Professor, many concerned Zimbabweans are not taking this development well.

They however, fear that your latest actions might cost the struggle heavily, a struggle which to date has been marked by deaths of several thousands of innocent Zimbabweans, incarceration (you included) of innocent people and the torture of many more innocent Zimbabweans.

On behalf of so many and myself as an original NCA member, I therefore kindly reiterate my plea to you to reconsider your decision to form a political party and stop your openly hostile attitude towards the person of Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.

Zimbabweans want you to stop focusing on issues that divide us. Instead, they want you to focus on issues that unite us!

At this late stage of our struggle many Zimbabweans are advocating that every well meaning Zimbabwean focus on issues that unify us such as Security Sector Reform (of which you have been a victim of the Sate Security maladies), Media Reform, Free and Fair elections environment among others.

My two cents advice to you my brother is that stay at the other extreme end of Mr. Jonathan Moyo. Over the years there has been a clear recognizable difference between your conduct (positive energy) and Jonathan Moyo’s (negative energy).

It’s common knowledge that Mr. Jonathan Moyo occupies an extreme end of the spectrum that is despised by the majority of Zimbabweans.

Of late those who are communicating with me indicate that you are rapidly moving towards Mr. Jonathan Moyo’s extreme corner and this does augur well with your thus far good reputable name.

In my opinion you are valuable citizen and a soldier of this struggle. Your intellectual input, strength and resilience are needed at this eleventh hour of our struggle. I am afraid that once Zimbabweans identify you with Mr. Jonathan Moyo you are done politically.

I hope you will heed the advice of a colleague in the struggle, an advice borne out of deep concerns and disillusionment arising from the political decisions and statements you have been making lately

P/S. You may chose not respond to my letter but if you do respond, your response will be received with grace and honor. It is also my sincere hope that you will not take this letter as an indictment of your ability to wage this struggle but simple advice from a concerned colleague.

Thank you

Yours Sincerely

Dr. Maxwell Zeb Shumba

Cincinnati, OH. USA