News / Local
2011: The year that was! A Christmas message from Zapu's Secretary General
27 Dec 2011 at 10:27hrs | Views
As the echoes of "God rest ye merry men" fades into the distance and the last guests bid farewell, leaving you slumped in utter exhaustion before a pile of dirty dishes you may be forgiven for allowing yourself to take a few moments to reflect over the events of the year we are about to bid farewell to, just as I am doing now.
To dwell in the past is to indulge in sheer folly; yesterday is dead and buried. Yester equates to departed, gone, no more, but conventional wisdom dictates that discarding lessons of the past could be lead to past mistakes being repeated.
Bob Marley puts it in more common person speak thus: "In this great future we can't forget our past"; words pregnant with wisdom so casually uttered!
When you sit for a moment and reflect about the year 2011what images are conjured up? What will be that defining moment for the year that is receding out of view like your Christmas guests? The Arab Spring uprising? The demise of Bin Laden? Qaddafi? the ZAPU Golden Jubilee? Perhaps it might be something more personal, a birth or even bereavement in the family?
For me the year will be memorable for its bitter sweet mix of emotions resulting from events in our Party, ZAPU. I ponder the heroism of some of our country men and women who were in the past, and still remain prepared to lay down their lives for the cause of the many; the dedication they showed those many years ago which has not faded with time or grown faint. They remain anchored in the steadfast resoluteness to see freedom for all turn from vision to reality.
Yet intermingled and rubbing shoulders with these giants of liberation is a racemic group of individuals in our midst resolute in their determination to destroy as quickly as others seek to build. Treachery on top of infamy, yet they are there, some motivated by greed, some by envy; the "Tshombe" spirit is not yet quite dead and buried!
Let me start with the bitter recollections of the actions of the latter mentioned groups of individuals. I have, when I found time during the course of the year been totally perplexed at the reasons why it has seemed that the most formidable opposition to our great movement has emanated from within or own ranks when our professed political opponents have appeared to lie low. Could it be that they are keeping their powder dry for later skirmishes or have they correctly assessed that ZAPU politics is beyond adversarial, steeped not so much in fighting against something as aspiring towards something that the people of Zimbabwe have been denied for so long? As we well know the ZAPU vision is not just about the removal of one dictator and replacing him with our own; rather it is about a whole new dispensation, a country in which every citizen is a winner. Could it just be that our political opponents have adjudged correctly that their future plans for Zimbabwe are no match for the ZAPU vision? If so, the true dawn has arrived.
Cynics however may proffer another quite plausible explanation; which is that our opponents have deployed their crack brigades within our Party; in common parlance, ZAPU is heavily infiltrated with saboteurs. This would explain in major part why we have so many within our midst so bent on throwing a spanner into the works of our efforts. Theirs is a mission to puzzle and perplex, often quoting the ZAPU constitution, just like the heinous Pharisees quoted the bible to justify their obstructive intent. Wolves in sheep's clothing! Let us explore this a little further.
Shoot the generals! has been the deafening war cry emanating from some quarters. Am I hearing right? An army on the march, with victory almost certain and yet from some undergrowth emerges the stench of dissenting counsel that victory would better guaranteed by the elimination of the generals! Wow! Come on!
Of course as a Party we must always be open to changing and adapting. Life is a continuous series of metamorphoses; an organism that resists such change simply becomes moribund and decays. It is one thing to groom oneself to improve one's looks and demeanour and yet quite another to decapitate oneself in the name of meeting the natural imperative of continuous change! What a tangled weave, when at first we practice to deceive!
It is a mere two years since ZAPU's re-emergence as a political force, yet we now eclipse veterans in the field of Zimbabwean politics. Except for the constant unhelpful attempts to derail from within, we would be the unquestionable dominant force in the land. Of course that was only to be expected. The adage: "If you can't beat them, join them" has been re-branded Zimbabwean style to mean: join them and destroy them from within. ZAPU members be warned, be vigilant, explore meanings behind the trickery of words.
I have had many discourses with some of the heroes of our liberation struggle who expressed utter horror at the tactics by some errant individuals within our midst. Of course they have witnessed similar happenings in the past. They are adamant that "shoot the generals" has and will never be a ZAPU maxim. The ZAPU way is that of mutual support, every structure, everyone elected to serve being afforded the support and space to be the best they can for the Party. Division has never been a way to construct in ZAPU. Of course every human has feet of clay but we do best when we shore each other up.
We all know which parties and formations shoot their generals. Those bent on importing such practices to ZAPU need to re-think their allegiances or else they will be exposed and isolated. "Shoot the generals" is not a wish to see change; rather it is a dastardly pathway to chaos and ignominy for any organization. Proponents of such behaviour exhibit either a total ignorance of how organizations operate or simply are people of little knowledge.
What members should also weigh up about the "shoot the generals" brigade. Take time to examine their track records. Do their own achievements stand up to scrutiny? Members cannot and will not be fooled. It is so easy to highlight other people's foibles when overlooking one's own gargantuan weaknesses. Make no mistake, the do nothing brigade never err. How can they?
Let me bring you to the sweet experiences of 2011. I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my ears, the ZAPU message resonates with the Zimbabwean spirit like nothing any of us have experienced before. I have witnessed young and old go almost delirious chanting the name ZAPU and expressing what the Party vision holds for them. Theirs has not been just a blind following of some different political fade in Zimbabwe either but an informed understanding of the personal freedom they know is enshrined in the ZAPU way.
I have witnessed the animated, expectant discussions about that day of "Liberation" when the ZAPU government is ushered into Zimbabwe. People are casting of the hypnosis of fear that had gripped them since those dark days of Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina and they are boldly ready to claim what is rightfully theirs. I must admit that there were times when I felt overawed by the waves of expectation of the people of what they believe the ZAPU government will deliver. But of course, when ZAPU assumes power, it is the people themselves that will rule.
The essence of the vision is catching on at a pace unimagined a mere year ago. The proverbial "gospel train" sung about in the African American spirituals is a-moving! As the saying goes many are ready to "git-on-board". There is nothing as uplifting as the human spirit when it rises undaunted to the heights of freedom, a destination enshrined in the human rightism as espoused in the ZAPU vision.
Now to concrete evidence; Party growth figures, particularly in Matebeleland North and South over the past few months appear ready to be replicated in other Provinces of Zimbabwe. The grit and determination shown by members in the South Africa Province to mobilize for the Party is reminiscent of the spirit nascent in early Christendom with the Christians of Joppa. Then as now people discerned what they had for so long yearned for.
I take this opportunity to thank all, but in particular the South Africa Province for the efforts that led to the success of our Golden Jubilee, despite the seemingly insurmountable impediments erected to spoil that memorable day. Obstacles were erected to besmirch the glory of the day but many present will be able to say: "I was there when…………………." Viva the spirit of freedom!
Let me end by assuring all that ZAPU is back for good. The people's champion has arrived back, never to be eclipsed again. Of course there will be challenges ahead, hopefully in future coming more from without than within but nothing will stem the tide. IZAPU izabusa, ZAPU ichatonga!
Wishing you all a real Prosperous and 2012!
ZAPU Secretary General and the Presidency
To dwell in the past is to indulge in sheer folly; yesterday is dead and buried. Yester equates to departed, gone, no more, but conventional wisdom dictates that discarding lessons of the past could be lead to past mistakes being repeated.
Bob Marley puts it in more common person speak thus: "In this great future we can't forget our past"; words pregnant with wisdom so casually uttered!
When you sit for a moment and reflect about the year 2011what images are conjured up? What will be that defining moment for the year that is receding out of view like your Christmas guests? The Arab Spring uprising? The demise of Bin Laden? Qaddafi? the ZAPU Golden Jubilee? Perhaps it might be something more personal, a birth or even bereavement in the family?
For me the year will be memorable for its bitter sweet mix of emotions resulting from events in our Party, ZAPU. I ponder the heroism of some of our country men and women who were in the past, and still remain prepared to lay down their lives for the cause of the many; the dedication they showed those many years ago which has not faded with time or grown faint. They remain anchored in the steadfast resoluteness to see freedom for all turn from vision to reality.
Yet intermingled and rubbing shoulders with these giants of liberation is a racemic group of individuals in our midst resolute in their determination to destroy as quickly as others seek to build. Treachery on top of infamy, yet they are there, some motivated by greed, some by envy; the "Tshombe" spirit is not yet quite dead and buried!
Let me start with the bitter recollections of the actions of the latter mentioned groups of individuals. I have, when I found time during the course of the year been totally perplexed at the reasons why it has seemed that the most formidable opposition to our great movement has emanated from within or own ranks when our professed political opponents have appeared to lie low. Could it be that they are keeping their powder dry for later skirmishes or have they correctly assessed that ZAPU politics is beyond adversarial, steeped not so much in fighting against something as aspiring towards something that the people of Zimbabwe have been denied for so long? As we well know the ZAPU vision is not just about the removal of one dictator and replacing him with our own; rather it is about a whole new dispensation, a country in which every citizen is a winner. Could it just be that our political opponents have adjudged correctly that their future plans for Zimbabwe are no match for the ZAPU vision? If so, the true dawn has arrived.
Cynics however may proffer another quite plausible explanation; which is that our opponents have deployed their crack brigades within our Party; in common parlance, ZAPU is heavily infiltrated with saboteurs. This would explain in major part why we have so many within our midst so bent on throwing a spanner into the works of our efforts. Theirs is a mission to puzzle and perplex, often quoting the ZAPU constitution, just like the heinous Pharisees quoted the bible to justify their obstructive intent. Wolves in sheep's clothing! Let us explore this a little further.
Shoot the generals! has been the deafening war cry emanating from some quarters. Am I hearing right? An army on the march, with victory almost certain and yet from some undergrowth emerges the stench of dissenting counsel that victory would better guaranteed by the elimination of the generals! Wow! Come on!
Of course as a Party we must always be open to changing and adapting. Life is a continuous series of metamorphoses; an organism that resists such change simply becomes moribund and decays. It is one thing to groom oneself to improve one's looks and demeanour and yet quite another to decapitate oneself in the name of meeting the natural imperative of continuous change! What a tangled weave, when at first we practice to deceive!
I have had many discourses with some of the heroes of our liberation struggle who expressed utter horror at the tactics by some errant individuals within our midst. Of course they have witnessed similar happenings in the past. They are adamant that "shoot the generals" has and will never be a ZAPU maxim. The ZAPU way is that of mutual support, every structure, everyone elected to serve being afforded the support and space to be the best they can for the Party. Division has never been a way to construct in ZAPU. Of course every human has feet of clay but we do best when we shore each other up.
We all know which parties and formations shoot their generals. Those bent on importing such practices to ZAPU need to re-think their allegiances or else they will be exposed and isolated. "Shoot the generals" is not a wish to see change; rather it is a dastardly pathway to chaos and ignominy for any organization. Proponents of such behaviour exhibit either a total ignorance of how organizations operate or simply are people of little knowledge.
What members should also weigh up about the "shoot the generals" brigade. Take time to examine their track records. Do their own achievements stand up to scrutiny? Members cannot and will not be fooled. It is so easy to highlight other people's foibles when overlooking one's own gargantuan weaknesses. Make no mistake, the do nothing brigade never err. How can they?
Let me bring you to the sweet experiences of 2011. I saw it with my own eyes, heard it with my ears, the ZAPU message resonates with the Zimbabwean spirit like nothing any of us have experienced before. I have witnessed young and old go almost delirious chanting the name ZAPU and expressing what the Party vision holds for them. Theirs has not been just a blind following of some different political fade in Zimbabwe either but an informed understanding of the personal freedom they know is enshrined in the ZAPU way.
I have witnessed the animated, expectant discussions about that day of "Liberation" when the ZAPU government is ushered into Zimbabwe. People are casting of the hypnosis of fear that had gripped them since those dark days of Gukurahundi and Murambatsvina and they are boldly ready to claim what is rightfully theirs. I must admit that there were times when I felt overawed by the waves of expectation of the people of what they believe the ZAPU government will deliver. But of course, when ZAPU assumes power, it is the people themselves that will rule.
The essence of the vision is catching on at a pace unimagined a mere year ago. The proverbial "gospel train" sung about in the African American spirituals is a-moving! As the saying goes many are ready to "git-on-board". There is nothing as uplifting as the human spirit when it rises undaunted to the heights of freedom, a destination enshrined in the human rightism as espoused in the ZAPU vision.
Now to concrete evidence; Party growth figures, particularly in Matebeleland North and South over the past few months appear ready to be replicated in other Provinces of Zimbabwe. The grit and determination shown by members in the South Africa Province to mobilize for the Party is reminiscent of the spirit nascent in early Christendom with the Christians of Joppa. Then as now people discerned what they had for so long yearned for.
I take this opportunity to thank all, but in particular the South Africa Province for the efforts that led to the success of our Golden Jubilee, despite the seemingly insurmountable impediments erected to spoil that memorable day. Obstacles were erected to besmirch the glory of the day but many present will be able to say: "I was there when…………………." Viva the spirit of freedom!
Let me end by assuring all that ZAPU is back for good. The people's champion has arrived back, never to be eclipsed again. Of course there will be challenges ahead, hopefully in future coming more from without than within but nothing will stem the tide. IZAPU izabusa, ZAPU ichatonga!
Wishing you all a real Prosperous and 2012!
ZAPU Secretary General and the Presidency
Source - zapu.org
