Staff Writer
The Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance (MDC-A) vice president, Tendai Biti’s Chipinge witchcraft remarks has naively drawn a volley of criticism across the political divide over intolerance and tribalism within the party.
Despite the difference in political affiliations, social media was awash with tonnes of tweets, as political foes were in a rare unison condemning the savage statement.
Finding himself in a catch 22, the ‘learned’ lawyer rushed to pull down his tweet and apologised for his remarks, sadly yet gain angering the masses all the more.
“The apology by Biti was no big change of heart, but a political tactic to tarnish the reputation of the ruling party,” said Tariro Sandawana, from Chipinge. “How can a real apology dwell more on his explanation on why he said so than showing genuine remorse. Clearly that wasn’t an apology but rather justification as to why he views Chipinge people in that manner,” she said.
A netizen identified only as Captain Sankara said, “There is nothing backward like a miseducated black mind with a Eurocentric philosophy. You insulted people and thought you are very clever.”
Tendi Musekiwa questioned the rationale behind the Chipinge witchcraft remark in the first place as it was not backed by any facts. “This assertion is not even supported by any historical scholarship on this planet, so why even joke about it,” he argued.
Many questioned the sincerity of the apology, cognizant of Biti’s yester year tribal sentiments in 2012 during the draft constitution when he downplayed certain Shona dialects choosing to view Zezuru as the standard one.
“This isn’t the first time that Biti has made such tribal remarks. In 2012 during the draft constitution, he said that he had failed to pass Shona during his time in secondary school because it had been taught in a dialect he did not understand and promptly withdrew it,” recalled Esther Chirwa.
Biti is quoted saying, “I was a brilliant student, but the reason I failed Shona is because it was taught in a language I did not understand.” Again, he later tried to retract his statement saying: “I just used it as colour, don’t confuse it with substance.”
Yet again, in his retraction he claimed that his witchcraft remarks were in jest with his old time friend Professor Lovemore Madhuku.
Likewise, the Labour, Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) party also weighed in saying, “Lawyers are not mechanical, we can’t base on a linear approach to arguments, let’s differ without attacking one’s ethnicity. It’s unprofessional and unethical.”
