Grace Kwinjeh: ‘MDC Alliance, Wake Up, Smell The Coffee’

By Grace Kwinjeh

Rahab was a prostitute. We read in the book of Joshua, how God used Rahab in his military strategy to take over the city of Jericho, the promised land to his people the Israelites.

The bible says, Rahab played a pivotal role in this strategy by hiding two spies who had been sent on a reconnaissance mission to the city of Jericho.

Rahab’s story reveals a certain aspect about God’s nature, character and his attitude towards war.

The mission was for the children of Israel to possess the promised land. God did not sit in heaven, in piety twiddling his fingers, and trying to figure out a solution.

No. There was a war to be fought and if a prostitute was pivotal to that strategy so be it.

This started a process that would lead to the walls of Jericho fall.

The walls of Jericho in Zimbabwe are not going to fall, unless, someone out there wakes up, smells the coffee and does something extraordinary.

Zimbabweans are suffering, the shrill cry for help can be heard everywhere, what is lacking is a leadership with strategies to rescue them.

Life has often presented me with some insurmountable challenges I could not pray away just like that, but, I often found myself moving out of my comfort zone, to find solutions that would give me reprieve.

I will tell you a story. One day on a cold winter night, one of my little ones fell ill. I was broke, couldn’t afford a taxi to the hospital, it was past midnight and there was no public transport running.

I sat on the bed side of my little one in deep despair. I am a prayer warrior, I prayed and prayed.

What was needed here was practical action beyond prayer, the fever was high, the child was faint had not eaten the night before. Then I got an idea. Across the road was a taxi rank. In faith I put on a coat and ran out.

In morning slippers, shivering I tapped on the window of one of the taxis. I pleaded with the driver, tears in my eyes, if he could agree to take us to the hospital and back, after which I would pay him days later. I found favour with him.

Soon we were in the emergency rooms of the small town hospital, my little one was attended to. The driver, bless him, was waiting to take us back home.

The attitude towards the ever increasing multi-faceted crisis we are confronted with, by my cdes in the MDC Alliance, depresses, even angers and why I have called them out.

Zimbabwe has had enough prayers and fasting over the past two decades.

The body language of the MDC Alliance leadership, betrays a sense of people whose mission is accomplished, they have arrived and have seemingly exhausted their capacity to handle the crisis we are faced with.

Either they shape up or ship out.

Of the many recent political blunders, I will not talk about the minutes from a leadership meeting, someone posted on social media as ‘resolutions’, in an embarrassing gaffe, over the weekend.

The test of leadership character, sobriety, integrity comes in various forms.

The cunning enemy will set traps to expose some of the weaknesses inherent in our opposition political leadership. One such trap, was the recent 2020 pre-budget seminar that according to reports gobbled up a whooping $5 million dollars.

There was no protestation from gullible MDC legislators, much to public shock, were soon splashing selfies of their extravagant treat, in the Victoria Falls, from a man minister Mthuli Ncube, working under the orders of another man, Emmerson Mnangagwa whose legitimacy they do not recognise.

Now. Not only are astonishing double standards exposed, at a time that Ncube could have been forced through a boycott to divert these funds to the struggling health ministry, and the meeting held at a much cheaper venue.

Problematic, is also the fact that Zanu PF needed this optic, for its bigger narrative that Zimbabwe is a working multi-party democracy, the problem remains that of sanctions. Thus, when the voices of one or two eloquent MDC parliamentarians are well projected, debating the budget, it is not a coincidence, but part of the bigger game plan. No coincidence either that their wise input is never implemented.

How many countries in Africa have a ruling party and opposition that work together so well, that they can afford weekend away retreats, so much trust, certainly not under a military junta.

Can someone wake up to smell the coffee?

Zimbabwe right now needs less of social media activism, urgent practical solutions are needed, those are not going to be achieved from comfort zones of sleek cars and telephones.

Zanu PF rigs elections, what are we doing to force for the necessary political reforms?

How many of our leaders even had the urgency in the past by-elections held in Wedza ward 4 and in Tsholotsho ward 16, to even set a foot there?

Gone are the days when leaders even under the most difficult times, stayed out kumamisha kuvanhu for days only coming home for a change of clothes.

There needs to be an urgent paradigm shift, we need to get back to a mindset of people who are in opposition, to whom millions are looking up to for practical solutions, beyond prayer.

We need to go back to servant leaders, whose lives are poured out for the millions, under whose mandate we lead, whose goodwill we still enjoy.

Rahab is later mentioned in the New Testament, as someone who lived by faith, considered righteous for her works. Most importantly, Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus, as his ancestor, Boaz’s mother. Mbuya vaJesu.

Grace Kwinjeh is a journalist and women’s rights advocate.