BiAS 7 – The Bible and Politics in Africa
As testimony to a divided and polarized nation, the stereotypical terms
like: ‘sell out, white minded, saboteurs of the economy, foreign spon-
sored, stooges, puppets, un-African, illegitimate, un-cultured, anti-
African, pro-neocolonialism’ are mostly applied against opposition par-
ties and their supporters. The meaning of the labels changes overtime. It
is only the meaning and positive label of ZANU-PF and its followers as
patriotic, revolutionary, indigenous and pan-African that is fixed. It is
true that, some opposition politicians get into politics to get money and
not to serve the nation hence becoming stooges or sell-outs so as to get
money. The truth of the matter is that, selling-out though not to be en-
couraged happens across the political divide, for example, Philip Chi-
yangwa, Godfrey Dzvairo and Kenny Karidza, all ZANU-PF members
were once arrested and detained on similar charges of allegedly breach-
ing the Official Secrets Act by selling State secrets to Western govern-
ments.^47 However, the coming of MDC and its subsequent labeling as a
‘party of sell-outs’ was not surprising. In African politics, most of the
negative labels against opposition parties derive from this political con-
test for power. However, it is mostly the ruling parties that have the state
machinery, for example, media repeatedly used to remind the populace
that opposition politics is criminal.
For the common Zimbabweans, the label ‘sell-out’ to refer to MDC is a
commonly sung hymn in Zimbabwean contemporary politics. Yet it was
clear to everybody, even the mentally challenged persons that, the econ-
omy was no longer performing well resulting in food riots and success-
ful job stayaways. Mugabe and his henchmen must have been concerned
about the formation of the MDC as its followers were exclusively from
the labour movements and civic society (churches, legal profession,
human rights groups, business and agriculture) clamoring for a mean-
ingful change of government. The grassroots support for MDC grew
enormously in both rural and urban areas. The popularity of MDC came
on the bedrock of the anger that Zimbabweans had developed against
ZANU-PF in general and Mugabe in particular. This was as the result of:
(1), 2002, 1-16; M R Gunda, African Theology of Reconstruction: The Painful Realities
and Practical Options!, Exchange 38, 2009, 84-102.(^47) F Dongozi, Lawyers slam espionage trial, The Standard, 13 February 2005; Ministers
Chombo, Goche caught in spy ring, newzimbabwe.com, accessed, 10 January 2012; D
Muleya, Mugabe’s nephew held for espionage in Zim, newzimbabwe.com, accessed, 10
January 2012.