The Sunday News
SO great was his need that he would have been glad to take the pigs’ food, and no one gave him anything. But when he came back to his senses, he said, “What numbers of my father’s servants have bread enough, and more, while I am near to death here through need of food? I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father; I have done wrong, against Heaven and in your eyes.”
He got up and went to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and was moved with pity and went quickly and took him in his arms and gave him a kiss.
His father sent his servants to get a new robe and put it on him, as well as a ring to be put on his hand and shoes on his feet before ordering them to slaughter a fat young ox and calling for a feast amid untold joy.
For the benefit of those who unlike some of us, seldom read the Bible, this is a fascinating story of repentance found in the book of Luke, the fifteenth chapter. It narrates the ordeal of a son who demanded his wealth from his father and set out to a faraway land, wandering far from home. All his money went into foolish living as he squandered it with bad company which was soon to leave him in the cold. In no time, all was gone, he became a destitute and in need.
What’s striking about the story is that upon going back home, the father never asked about the whereabouts of the wealth his son had demanded when he left home. He had a forgiving heart. He never demanded anything from his son, he simply provided.
When anger and jealousy filled the elder son’s heart as he thought his brother had come to take over, the father explained to him the importance of the reunion, and together they rejoiced.
According to common sense, this non-degree holder made a well calculated move and went back to his father’s house because he knew his father would definitely redeem him from his misery. His father had the resources, wayengumuntu wezinto zakhe.
Then we have in our midst one Professor Welshman Ncube. A whole Professor with a stunningly amazing academic background. The learned fellow, it would seem, has lost the electorate he claimed from his “father Tsvangirai” in 2005.
But in an uncalculated fashion, the Professor has chosen to find solace in a struggling father, a father who also can’t make ends meet in the political arena. How strange!
The Professor who once vowed he was never to work with Tsvangirai again does not waste time as he “pleads for forgiveness”:
“I too have responsibility for the mistakes we have made in the past. The decisions that we made, which were clearly not always in the national interest in particular in relation to the splitting of the MDC. We accept that we divided the membership of the party which we should not have done”.
However, this can only be tolerated at a household level of course, but when it comes to issues of national interest, hatshi angeke sithule (we can never be quiet) because this concerns our future. Tsvangirai is a very poor father, languishing in an environment cursed with strategic and ideological poverty. He cannot even manage his smaller spoil from the MDC, the MDC-T.
Added to finding a new maiguru called Joice Runaida Mujuru, the prodigal Professor will come face to face with pig food, come 2018. Not even a chicken will be slaughtered for him.
His father welcomes him, smiling broadly. Instead of giving him a kiss, a brand new robe and food, father Morgan gives him a pen probably saying, “Here my son, sign quickly lest we lose out on donor funds, the international community has to know we still tick”.
As he struggles for energy to maintain some grip on the pen, he is perhaps bombarded with a string of questions. “What have you brought us my son? How come you are empty-handed? Did you bring some medication for your political leprosy stricken maiguru Joice? She is in pain.
“And where is the electorate you took with you in 2005? My son, things have not been well since you left in 2005,” he adds.
Apparently, the reunion won’t live to see the light of day and the son is soon to find himself wandering far from home once again. Clause 9.2 of their so-called Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) explicitly alludes to this: “The MoU may also be terminated by either party at any time by giving seven days’ notice”.
What a simulucrum of a reunion! The just “reunited” father and son, in all frankness, seem to be still possessed with demons of scattering. And watch the space, they are yet to be tormented.
According to the prodigal Professor and his father, something in line with the proposed coalition must be cemented by June this year. However, given the low temperatures likely to grace us this winter, I am afraid the proposed coalition will freeze.
As the castle is being built next to the clouds, we hear anger and jealousy are brewing in Thokozani Khuphe and others who feel sidelined.
They now feel all their father’s attention has been diverted to prodigal Welshman.
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