Open letter to my president (Mnangagwa)

Dear Comrade President,

I congratulate you for your installation as the second President of the Republic of Zimbabwe. It is indeed a distinguished honour bestowed upon you by Zimbabweans without fear, favour or prejudice. The whole process has been electrifying and absorbing. As you start on this incredible journey of rebuilding and resuscitating Zimbabwe to what it was best known for, "the bread basket of the Continent". There are important economic, social and political dynamics that you can not lose cognizance of.

Altruism and open door policies will set you up on the right course to finding your feet quicker than you anticipate and moreover empower you gain Political mileage albeit all the negativity and track record as the Former President 's henchman. You personally have a lot of fence mending to do .

Your key result area now is that of sanitizing the anarchy that the Former Head of state created over his almost four decades rule that subsequently landed the country on a stunted economic growth.

Please leave autocracy to the ancient regime, invite and allow academics like Dr Nkosana and others, to backbench in your cabinet and /or Parliament equally .This decision will facilitate a balance of power ,that is the centre piece of building a better Zimbabwe and move it further away from the banana state that it had become over the years .

I urge you to desist from benign neglect policies that Matabeleland Region was subjected to. Stay away from identity politics. Don't be a bigot like your former boss was, correct ideas come from the people Cde President.

Allow for bipartisan engagements. Don't be a typical demagogue. Boondoggles will be both detrimental and retrogressive for new Zimbabwe. Control strictly wasteful government spending and by all means possible , avert deficit spending. Moving from consumption expenditure to productive expenditure will be a sure fire strategy against weak economic growth. Laying out accommodative policies and a red carpet for potential investors will go a long way in developing a steady fiscal growth.

Your business Policies should benefit Zimbabweans, no kleptocracy, no carpetbaggers or closed shop on parastatals (employers only employing those that are its members) no crony capitalism and jobs for boys. Closing your eyes to this will be clear and present danger. Don't commodify your citizens.

Need be ,devolution of power will be instrumental in placing wind underneath the economy's wings. Following your open commitment, you are the Caretaker Government for now, and based on that undertaking, maintain a level playing field for free and fare elections in the next nine months, so that a healthy child is given birth to .

Take advantage of this honeymoon period, do not allow it to slip in between your fingers. Nothing beats direct democracy, citizenry should vote on all issues affecting them and the need for judicial activism can not be overemphasized .Accord every Zimbabwean , all and sundry, hoi polloi , franchise to cast a vote from any corner of the world. Dark horse candidates on the winning line will not take you very far. Always under promise and over deliver and not the other way around. Please save us from grandfather clauses. Don't allow juntas and cabals, the army should go back to the barracks now and protect the nation , they can not be your kitchen cabinet, it always has a way of coming back to bite you. "For warned is for armed"

Ultimately, this is new Zimbabwe , the "Pasi nemhandu" does not and will not work, we starting on a new slate , one wonders who the "Mhandu" is at this instance . Reviewing our slogans is crucial and an integral part of the reform process.

Am not an ordinary hack, please pay attention .

Matthew Dube ( Zimbabwean Citizen )