By Pieter Ziegler
“Even better politics would be to re-appoint Doink, Mafume- to lead the new rescue creature under Presidential Powers zvizhakane ikoko.”
The statement was George Charamba at the height of his imperial pettiness, grafting partisan politics into his starched official position.
The import of his idea was that using the Presidential Powers, President Mnangagwa should appoint a Commission to run Harare and remove the elected Councillors.
All things being equal, there was an iota of logic to the point.
A Ying-Yang of Internal Nonsense
Former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa had just fired Mafume from his position as Harare Mayor a few days after the latter had returned to Council.
This was after Mafume had done the unthinkable and won the Mayoral position against the wishes of Chamisa.
And the Pastor that he is, Chamisa allowed vindictiveness to have its way, paved a path of retribution and sought to jettison Mafume.
However, Chamisa’s decision was never implemented as Sengezo Tshabangu also wrote to the Minister of Local Government directing that only him could fire people.
It is in that context that Mafume became Doink for Charamba.
Doink is a famous midget wrestling persona famously potrayed by Matt Osborne during the WWF years in the 90s.
For all his reduced frame Doink could do great exploits and had a litany of Wrestling Championship belts.
Now that he has survived the punch of his own former party leader Mafume faces a long road.
His past however assuages the fears.
The D-Day Beaches of GeoPomona
Mayor Mafume has acquitted himself very well since he became the capital city leader.
Sandwiched by the coarse macro-economics and a vindictive Central Government he has plowed a more than straight line towards a semblance of progress.
This was most apparent in his celebrated clashes with Government over the Geo-Pomona deal.
The ultimate defeat for Harare Council wasn’t for his lack of stamina, effort or balls.
It was simply Andre The Giant doing his thing, exerting the suffocating weight of his stomach upon the tiny opponent.
Government simply had too much powers, legal and illegal to wrestle its way.
Rufaro Stadium
Rufaro Stadium has been another statement of intent and direction.
Mafume has managed to scramble together Council’s financial peanuts and restored the famous stadium to a state of order.
With Sakunda (Rufaro) and Eubert Angel (Gwanzura) playing politics with their “not-so-hard-earned” money it required an innovative Mayor.
At this moment FIFA certification and modern standards are confetti which can be done without.
Contrasted against Nguwaya’s Pomona slapdash complete with its FIFA certification and yet utter uselessness, then Mafume is a window of progress.
Pyrrhic Victories
Yet at the tunnel end of Mafume’s supposed victories he emerges too battered and damaged to count anything as victory.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is still not there.
Harare is running in the accounting darkness and its obvious what is happening there.
Water is still is still a problem in Harare whether its available (Its dirty) or not (its not there).
The roads are too far gone and the constant lamentations about ZINARA are now grating.
Thus Charamba’s small man of huge wonders will need much more than clowning or Presidential Powers to really win.
