Guest column:Tendai Ruben Mbofana HAVING already written an article on Wednesday morning, and spent the day submerged in other activities, the only thing I was looking forward to that evening was a well-earned rest and relaxation — but, hearing the Zimbabwe regime continue in its reckless accusations that all those standing up and speaking out against repressing, brutality, and corruption in the country are engaging in “nefarious activities”, miraculously injected in me renewed energy to pen another piece — as my heart and mind would have never given me any rest until I did. As someone who has been loudly standing up and speaking out against these “triplet vices” for over three decades — but, which have since taken on a more abominable form ever since the so-called “new dispensation” usurped power through a military coup d'etat in November 2017 — I have never thought of myself as engaged in some “nefarious activities”. Could it be possible that the Zimbabwean ruling elite and ourselves have a different understanding of the word? Maybe. In our schooling days, we always used to commence any essay or assignment with a table of definitions — so as to remove any potential misunderstanding and misinterpretation of key words and phrases contained in the discourse — thus, it could be a brilliant idea to do the same here. As far as my dictionary is concerned, “nefarious” is simply defined as “wicked; iniquitous”. If we go on to define these two words, “wicked” is “sinful, iniquitous, given to or involving immorality” — and, since “iniquitous” is employed again in the latter, then I am sure there is no need to look it up as its definition is now quite obvious. If we are to revisit the statements and accusations made notorious by the elitist, opportunistic ruling clique, aimed at all those at the forefront of fighting shameless corruption that has witnessed the vulgar looting of billions upon billions of United States dollars of the nation's abundant resources with impunity, thereby bankrupting the nation and impoverishing its citizens, and the savage brutalisation and persecution of ordinary Zimbabweans, lawyers, investigative journalists, church leaders, as well as human rights, labour, and opposition activists with reports of the killing of some accused of violating COVID-19 lockdowns and curfews, abductions, beatings, torture, sexual abuses, arrests on spurious charges, and vitriolic vilification against all perceived opponents — who is better suited to be labeled of engaging in “nefarious activities”? Should it be the people bravely and relentlessly speaking out and standing up against what I have termed the “triplet vices” — at very high peril — or those perpetrating these heinous and atrocious acts against the innocent and defenceless people of Zimbabwe? Considering that one of the definitions of “'nefarious” is “wicked”, can anyone with any grasp of language seriously label those fighting against repression, brutality, and corruption as being “wicked” — or is this title more appropriate for those at the forefront of com
