Zimbabwe needs a fresh start

If there was one thing that was palpably clear at the Itai Dzamara prayer meeting that was held at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, Harare, on Saturday, July 11, 2015, it was the fact that Zimbabweans, across the political divide, are slowly but surely finding each other. It is now apparent that all peace - loving and progressive Zimbabweans, across the political and religious divide, are now convinced that Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF regime that he leads are an albatross around the necks of all the citizens of this great and mighty nation. There is now convergence on the need to peacefully push out the illegitimate Mugabe administration from power. Erstwhile political adversaries happily joined hands and compared notes as they prayed for the safe return of Itai Dzamara, a young journalist and human rights activist who was abducted by suspected State security agents on March 9, 2015 just outside his residence in one of Harare's southern suburbs.

The MDC is very pleased by the increasing consciousness amongst Zimbabweans that an injury to one Zimbabwean is indeed an injury to all Zimbabweans. Ever since the country attained independence from British colonial rule in April,1980,Robert Mugabe and the Zanu PF regime that he leads, have never been seriously engaged in national healing and nation - building. Over the past 35 years, Robert Mugabe has reduced Zanu PF into a virtual one - man band and cult personality dictatorship in which his word is law. We have witnessed the mutation of Zanu PF from being a progressive liberation movement into a rabidly intolerant and corrupt one - man dictatorship that is violently opposed to any alternative political views. Sadly, this political intolerance and unparalleled corruption has had a debilitating effect on the national economy; reducing Zimbabwe from being the bread basket of Africa into a basket case. Little wonder, therefore, that Zimbabwe has now been ranked as one of the two poorest countries in the world according to the Global Finance magazine. According to the Global Finance magazine, Zimbabwe is the second poorest nation in the world with a GDP per capita of only US$589.25 in 2013.This is a very embarrassing and shocking statistic considering that Zimbabwe is very well - endowed  with numerous natural resources that include minerals, good soils and an excellent climate.

For each day that Robert Mugabe and his renegade Zanu PF regime remain in power, the majority of the people of Zimbabwe continue to be pauperised as they sink into hopeless poverty and destitution. The MDC is deeply concerned by the continued suffering of Zimbabweans under the illegitimate, corrupt and incompetent Zanu PF regime. More than seven million Zimbabweans are facing starvation in the coming few months mainly because the bankrupt Zanu PF regime simply doesn't have the financial resources to import the more than 700 000 tonnes of maize that is urgently required to feed the nation. Only about 40 000 tonnes of maize was produced by the local farmers; thanks to Robert Mugabe's disastrous and ruinous so - called land reform program that was executed with chilling brutality and reckless abandon; starting from February 2000.The country has now been reduced into the laughing stock of the world; with millions of Zimbabweans escaping into neighbouring countries and also overseas to seek political and economic refuge. This state of affairs cannot continue unabated. Something has got to give.

The MDC would like to encourage all patriotic Zimbabweans, living in the country and in the Diaspora, to join hands in peacefully pushing the corrupt, insensitive, incompetent and violent Zanu PF regime out of power. This is the time when men and women of honour and integrity should look beyond their artificial political, ethnic, racial and religious barriers and come together in delivering the final sucker punch to the crumbling and faction - ridden Zanu PF regime. Zimbabwe is our country; it is our fatherland; it is our motherland and indeed, it is for all of us. Robert Mugabe and his kleptocratic Zanu PF regime should be shown the exit door as a matter of urgency if we are to prevent a total and irreversible collapse of our beloved country. Zimbabwe needs a fresh start.