Opinion / Columnist
Hate and self determination
28 Feb 2019 at 10:08hrs | Views
As the third window for national dialogue in Zimbabwe slowly closes due to the number of unmet preconditions and ideal settings for the proposed dialogue, I am reminded of my past works written five years ago.
The general feeling from then in comparison with the current political, economic and social setup in the country is that we have only just changed labels on an empty bottle. Then we had former President Mugabe against former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai being rivals and now the Pres Mnangagwa against Nelson Chamisa rivalry topping without any change to the fabric of the nation on how to progress in these deep divisions.
Observing these events and their consequences back then, made me use St Paul's words from one of his famous biblical passages on the subject of love. These works highlighted areas on how we could have emerged from the political, economic and social owes then. I still believe these sayings apply to the current situation as they highlight what we have become as a nation by maintaining our corners in this age old political battle.
HATE
We can speak tirelessly on the subjects of unity, empowerment and solidarity in the languages of human beings or even that of angels, but if we hate each other our speech is just a noisy gong or a clanging bell.
Some of us may have the gift of delivering inspired speeches, whilst most of us are highly educated thus convinced we possess all the knowledge and understanding to make a great nation but if we hate each other we are nothing.
We can pretend to care about the needy by making a show of it to the world's powers by offering our lives or through our speech and stubbornness - but if this is so that we can boast about and gain more power for our self, we achieve nothing as a nation.
Hate is inpatient and rude, it is envious, boastful and proud.
Hate is ill-mannered and insists on its own way (self-seeking) thus keeping a record of the wrongs that other have committed.
Hate matures in lies and rejoices in evil.
Where there is hate there is nothing to hope for, as hate seeks only to hurt others since hate doesn't have the virtue of perseverance and always seek to assign blame for failures.
Hate always leads to failure. There may be the infrastructure and resources now but they will cease to exist. Education and knowledge can be present today but can easily be made irrelevant by the rate of technological advancement.
As for now as individuals and small factions we think we know it all to the extent that we don't need others.
But it shall come a time when we shall all realise that we are stronger as one. At that time our selfish ways with-it the hate we have towards each other shall disappear.
For we thought we were man (independent and educated), but as we look at how poor and poorer we are becoming through our childish in-fighting and childish ways.
For as individuals and individual parties or factions we thought we could do it alone but we shall know then not to hate each other.
For now these three remain pride, selfishness and hate but the greatest enemy hurting our country is HATE.
On the subject of self determination I will use the words delivered by Rev Nhiwatiwa at the national dialogue prayer breakfast meeting before he gave the benediction. These words are important for many have the conviction we need an independent foreign mediator moderating the dialogue. This process is aimed at determining our own future as a nation and I am totally against this line of thinking.
I believe Zimbabwe is now mature in terms of age compared to countries like South Africa that have been placed as candidates for this mediation role. I am of the opinion that at some point we ourselves as a people have to start taking charge, thus determining our own destiny. South Africa before its freedom from apartheid rule had its own internal talks as political parties termed the CODESA I and II, internally as they sought out their differences alone.
We are always in this habit of settling our internal battles by temporary agreements using foreign mediators who possess inadequate information to the extent of our problems. Agreements that are produced often result in short-lived gains to our democratic setup as these agreements have limited timelines. The first was the Lancaster House conference of 1979 mediated by the British government next we had the Government of National Unity agreement mediated by former South African President Thabo Beki. The time we had a serious internal crisis being solved locally is on the Gukurahundi issue were Mugabe and Nkomo had the mediation process led by little know and credited for Cde Cephas Msipa, negotiations being mainly held in secret. This process was very different from the current days of the social media were preconditions for this proposed dialogue are being posted on the public domain. This situation of having everything public makes it extremely difficult for political leaders to compromise as this will make them seem to be weak.
He are the words from Rev Nhiwatiwa I quote "Good morning good people, you are good people. When I was asked to give the benediction words, I was also given some little time to give some insights.
The insight I will say is that we have to begin to be a positive and optimistic nation. It will not help anyone to keep on finger pointing and hating each other. Other countries are doing their own business and they will not care about this country. I am telling you this they won't care, of course talking to you they will say oh yes we are concerned about Zimbabwe, but giving your back to each other they are busy with their own things. In fact in the present the fall of another nation is the rise of others.
Other nations will rise and fly because there those who are benefiting from our problems here. You don't have to articulate that for you can analyse a problem and go on analysing a problem, it won't go away until you focus on the solution. Let us pray."
Stay Blessed
Terence Simbi
Twitter Handel - @terencesimbi
The general feeling from then in comparison with the current political, economic and social setup in the country is that we have only just changed labels on an empty bottle. Then we had former President Mugabe against former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai being rivals and now the Pres Mnangagwa against Nelson Chamisa rivalry topping without any change to the fabric of the nation on how to progress in these deep divisions.
Observing these events and their consequences back then, made me use St Paul's words from one of his famous biblical passages on the subject of love. These works highlighted areas on how we could have emerged from the political, economic and social owes then. I still believe these sayings apply to the current situation as they highlight what we have become as a nation by maintaining our corners in this age old political battle.
HATE
We can speak tirelessly on the subjects of unity, empowerment and solidarity in the languages of human beings or even that of angels, but if we hate each other our speech is just a noisy gong or a clanging bell.
Some of us may have the gift of delivering inspired speeches, whilst most of us are highly educated thus convinced we possess all the knowledge and understanding to make a great nation but if we hate each other we are nothing.
We can pretend to care about the needy by making a show of it to the world's powers by offering our lives or through our speech and stubbornness - but if this is so that we can boast about and gain more power for our self, we achieve nothing as a nation.
Hate is inpatient and rude, it is envious, boastful and proud.
Hate is ill-mannered and insists on its own way (self-seeking) thus keeping a record of the wrongs that other have committed.
Hate matures in lies and rejoices in evil.
Where there is hate there is nothing to hope for, as hate seeks only to hurt others since hate doesn't have the virtue of perseverance and always seek to assign blame for failures.
As for now as individuals and small factions we think we know it all to the extent that we don't need others.
But it shall come a time when we shall all realise that we are stronger as one. At that time our selfish ways with-it the hate we have towards each other shall disappear.
For we thought we were man (independent and educated), but as we look at how poor and poorer we are becoming through our childish in-fighting and childish ways.
For as individuals and individual parties or factions we thought we could do it alone but we shall know then not to hate each other.
For now these three remain pride, selfishness and hate but the greatest enemy hurting our country is HATE.
On the subject of self determination I will use the words delivered by Rev Nhiwatiwa at the national dialogue prayer breakfast meeting before he gave the benediction. These words are important for many have the conviction we need an independent foreign mediator moderating the dialogue. This process is aimed at determining our own future as a nation and I am totally against this line of thinking.
I believe Zimbabwe is now mature in terms of age compared to countries like South Africa that have been placed as candidates for this mediation role. I am of the opinion that at some point we ourselves as a people have to start taking charge, thus determining our own destiny. South Africa before its freedom from apartheid rule had its own internal talks as political parties termed the CODESA I and II, internally as they sought out their differences alone.
We are always in this habit of settling our internal battles by temporary agreements using foreign mediators who possess inadequate information to the extent of our problems. Agreements that are produced often result in short-lived gains to our democratic setup as these agreements have limited timelines. The first was the Lancaster House conference of 1979 mediated by the British government next we had the Government of National Unity agreement mediated by former South African President Thabo Beki. The time we had a serious internal crisis being solved locally is on the Gukurahundi issue were Mugabe and Nkomo had the mediation process led by little know and credited for Cde Cephas Msipa, negotiations being mainly held in secret. This process was very different from the current days of the social media were preconditions for this proposed dialogue are being posted on the public domain. This situation of having everything public makes it extremely difficult for political leaders to compromise as this will make them seem to be weak.
He are the words from Rev Nhiwatiwa I quote "Good morning good people, you are good people. When I was asked to give the benediction words, I was also given some little time to give some insights.
The insight I will say is that we have to begin to be a positive and optimistic nation. It will not help anyone to keep on finger pointing and hating each other. Other countries are doing their own business and they will not care about this country. I am telling you this they won't care, of course talking to you they will say oh yes we are concerned about Zimbabwe, but giving your back to each other they are busy with their own things. In fact in the present the fall of another nation is the rise of others.
Other nations will rise and fly because there those who are benefiting from our problems here. You don't have to articulate that for you can analyse a problem and go on analysing a problem, it won't go away until you focus on the solution. Let us pray."
Stay Blessed
Terence Simbi
Twitter Handel - @terencesimbi
Source - Terence Simbi
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