Why the Susan Matsunga controversy is not surprising but proves politicians are not our saviors but driven by self-interest

The recent spectacle in Budiriro North where a Member of Parliament from the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change showered President Emmerson Mnangagwa with effusive praise is not the shocking betrayal many claim it to be.

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When Susan Matsunga stood before the cameras at a borehole commissioning event and described the government’s intervention as a miracle while thanking the President in absentia, the roar of disapproval from the opposition ranks was deafening.

Accusations of selling out and political capture flew across social media platforms with predictable speed.

Yet, to anyone who has spent years observing the machinations of power in this country, this incident was not a departure from the norm but rather a vivid illustration of the true nature of the political animal.

We often wrap our politicians in the flags of ideology and the robes of conviction, but the reality is far more transactional and significantly less noble.

To understand why a legislator would so brazenly laud an administration her party supposedly opposes, one must first strip away the romanticized notion of public service.

We are taught to believe that individuals run for office because they are moved by the plight of the poor or a burning desire to fix broken systems.

While that might be the campaign trail narrative, the driving force is almost always the pursuit of power.

Power brings with it the control of resources, the exercise of authority, and an elevated social status that few other professions can offer.

For many, the seat in Parliament or the council chambers is not a platform for sacrifice but a ladder to personal enrichment and prestige.

When we analyze political moves through the lens of self-interest, the behavior of people like Matsunga ceases to be a mystery and becomes a logical career calculation.

The history of politics is littered with the remains of discarded principles.

We see this most clearly in the frequent and often shameless crossing of floors.

Whether it is a high-profile Member of Parliament defecting to the ruling party or grassroots supporters switching sides for a handful of grain, the underlying motivation remains the same.

They are seeking greener pastures.

In a country where the economy is a minefield and opportunities for advancement are gatekept by political affiliation, switching loyalty is often a survival strategy or a bid for better prospects.

These individuals go where the sun shines brightest for their personal interests, showing scant regard for the long-term health of the nation or the integrity of the democratic process.

They are not looking for a way to serve the people better but for a way to serve themselves more effectively.

Even those who appear to be standing firm in the authentic opposition are often playing the same game of personal ambition.

It is a mistake to assume that staying with an opposition faction is always a sign of unshakable conviction.

Many of these politicians remain where they are simply because they have calculated that their ambitions are better served by staying put.

They have weighed their options and realized that their personal brand or their chances of future electoral victory are tied to a specific opposition identity.

This is particularly evident in the fractured state of the opposition following the maneuvers of Sengezo Tshabangu.

Those who chose to align with him did so after determining that it was the safer path to preserving their seats in Parliament and maintaining their salaries and benefits.

These are individuals who recognize they might not win a fair fight in a future election, so they choose the path of least resistance, even if it means supporting constitutional amendments that entrench the very power they once claimed to fight.

This strategy buys them a few more years in Parliament or council, even as they operate under the shadow of the fact that their political careers will likely terminate come 2030.

The same logic applies to those who followed Nelson Chamisa when he departed the hijacked party.

While the optics suggested a movement based on principle and the rejection of infiltration, for many involved, it was a cold calculation of political viability.

They understood that the Chamisa brand remains the most potent currency in opposition politics.

By sticking with him, they were not necessarily voting for a new Zimbabwe but rather guaranteeing their own victory in 2028.

Their resistance to constitutional amendments is not always born of a love for the law but of a desire to ensure that the scheduled elections take place because they believe those elections are their best shot at maintaining or gaining power.

When political decisions are framed as a choice between national interest and career longevity, the latter almost always wins.

This inherent lack of principle is precisely why I have never found a home in partisan politics.

Over the years, I have been courted by various leaders and offered the allure of high-ranking positions, but the price of entry is too high for anyone who truly loves this country.

To enter active politics is to enter a world defined by backstabbing, chicanery, and secret plotting.

It requires a person to prioritize the attainment and retention of office above all else, often at the direct expense of the suffering people one claims to represent.

You cannot effectively fight for social justice while simultaneously navigating the murky waters of party hierarchies where loyalty to the leader is more important than loyalty to the truth.

The primary role of a politician in our current system has devolved into a cycle of campaigning for and defending a leader.

There is a requirement for a level of sycophancy that I find fundamentally repulsive.

The culture of hero-worshipping another human being is a disease that has crippled our progress as a nation.

It blinds followers to the faults of their leaders and turns political parties into personality cults rather than engines of development.

I do not have a single sycophantic bone in my body, and the idea of spending my life defending the indefensible actions of a political head just to maintain a position of power is anathema to me.

True advocacy requires the independence to speak truth to power regardless of who holds it, a luxury that a partisan politician simply cannot afford.

When we look at the utterances of Susan Matsunga, we should see them for what they are.

They are the words of a politician who has looked at the landscape and decided that her immediate interests are best served by aligning with the hand that holds the resources.

She is not an outlier but a symptom of a deeper malaise.

As long as we continue to believe that politicians are driven by convictions rather than calculations, we will continue to be disappointed.

The only way to see real change is to stop looking for saviors in the political arena and start demanding accountability that transcends party lines.

We must recognize that for the vast majority of those in the corridors of power, the people are merely the tools used to reach the top, and once they are there, the only thing that matters is staying there.

Our quest for a free Zimbabwe cannot be entrusted to politicians.

We are our own saviors.

We are the ones who must mobilize within our own communities for the cause of freedom and stand up against those stealing from us.

The cause of freedom should be driven by a genuine love for Zimbabwe—a love that is incompatible with the selfish, power-hungry nature of partisan politics.

We deserve better than a class of leaders who are constantly scanning the horizon for the next opportunity to sell their soul for a seat at the table.

● Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. To directly receive his articles please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08