The Politics of Patronage

For a long time is has been an open secret that the Zimbabwe government has been living hand to mouth using import duties and other taxes collected at Beitbridge, said to be the busiest border in Africa.

Apparently the recent import ban was an attempt to increase the flow of revenue by also charging fines on the import of basic commodities by travellers.

This was like trying to make the goose lay eggs faster by squeezing it around the neck. The import regulations have led to protests that have virtually stopped the revenue stream. And this has happened at a time when the government is seriously strapped for cash, failing to pay civil servants.

While it has managed to pay police and soldiers this month, it would be overly optimistic to think they can pay next month. Especially given that the other revenue stream, collecting spot fines, is facing serious resistance.

At this point my guess is that it is too late for them to save the situation. The only way they could have prevented the crunch from developing was cutting expenses a year or two ago. Even the signs are that they are unwilling to cut expenses.

The Zanu-PF government is a patronage system. In such a system asking anybody to get off the gravy train is treated as a major slight of priviledge, even an insult. Given that the patronage is meant to buy political loyalty, anyone kicked off the gravy train will seek to exact revenge, by showing political disloyalty. That ensures they become immediate political rivals.

This rule of thumb has held true for all expulsions from Zanu-PF. From Didymus Mutasa, Temba Mliswa through Joice Mujuru to even political nonentities like Acie Lumumba, they have become rivals. The only joke being that most of the rivals are also each other's rivals.

Inevitable because no real difference of principles is involved, the political discourse of patronage based rivalry is focused on personal attacks and insults. Those still within the patronage system create a cult around the leader and protector of it.

It is from this sad situation, that we find that Zimbabwe politics of today revolve around attacks on, and defence of Mugabe. There is noone who espouses solid principles that they are prepared to stick to Mugabe or no Mugabe.

Since most ordinary people will not be within reach of the patronage system, they largely loose interest in the politics. This creates apathy. There is no cause for ordinary people to be loyal to.