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| Shibuda |
A legend of sorts at the relatively tender age of 32 years, Malema is the former head (April 2008-April 2012) of the Youth League of the ruling African National Congress in Madiba country, South Africa. For his part, Shibuda is the sitting Member of Parliament for the Maswa-Magharibi Constituency in Tanzania on the ticket of the leading opposition Party for Democracy and Development, popularly known by its Kiswahili acronym 'Chadema.'
Up until the October 2010 elections, the man was a cadre of the ruling party Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM), and its MP.
Then, for reasons that are as clear as roiled mud, the party tossed him out on his ear ― and he simply sauntered across the political 'divide' and into the Chadema camp where they (so to speak) 'swallowed him bait, hook, line and sinker!'
Has he so soon become stuck in their craw so that they can neither swallow him, nor spit him out? I don't know! But, as I say, I'm sorely tempted to see 'Shibuda in Chadema' the way I saw 'Malema in the ANC' before the latter unceremoniously regurgitated him like last week's dog's dinner!
Both men turned out to be nemeses in their original political party of choice. One, Malema, is out of ANC, but vows to remain ANC forever...
The other, Shibuda, was out of CCM in a trice ― and just as soon clambered aboard the next most powerful political machine in the country as easily as a drunk falling off a log rolling downhill on a wet dark night!
Both gentlemen (forgive me for my poor choice of semantics) seem to be richly endowed with vituperative vehemence and grating cantankerousness.
Malema joined the ANC in 1990 at the tender age of ten, and his main 'assignment' was to deface or remove public posters of the ruling apartheid Nationalist Party and its organs.
In recent years, he's been convicted of making hate speeches, singing hate songs, calling for the murder of 'Whites,' and nationalisation of farms, mines and other resources in 'White' or foreign hands.
He openly aligned himself with Zimbabwe's President Mugabe, and denounced Mugabe's partner in the Zimbabwe Government of National Unity (of sorts). He also called for the overthrow of the Botswana Government!
Every once in a while, he'd be heavily fined for his illegal, unbecoming activities, censored and ordered to attend 'anger management classes.' Sheesh!Asked if he'd appeal against the expulsion in Court, Malema was enigmatic. "I'm the ANC; I can't take myself to court," he said, describing himself as an "expelled ANC member.
My blood is black, green and gold. I'll die in the ANC. I'll stay and sleep here, outside the ANC gate. My umbilical cord was buried here in the ANC!" (SAPA: May 14, 2012).
Even after being tossed out of ANC, Malema vows to become head of that party sooner than later ― and, perhaps, President of the continent's powerhouse!
That's what reminded me of our gentleman Shibuda, who went public about contesting the presidency in 2015 on the Chadema ticket... And that incumbent President Kikwete, who's also the CCM national chairman, would spearhead his election campaign!
I took that as a left-handed, low-down joke. I mean: why'd Kikwete abandon his party's candidate, crossing over to campaign for an opposition candidate?
Can you see that happening this side of sanity ― unless Shibuda has become a messiah of miracles who can turn water into wine, and bond political nemeses into unity of purpose!
Why the fuss on that, anyway? Cheers!
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