People First RSA Province statement on Unity Day

22 December is a day that is respected by all and sundry in Zimbabwe. It is against that backdrop that Zimbabweans should always put their beautiful country first as they work in unity, respect and tolerance. Being the day when the Unity Accord was signed it is important for us as a nation to mirror the progress of uniting Zimbabweans and work together in BUILDing Zimbabwe again in PEACE.

For the creation of a better united Zimbabwe it is important to interrogate the following for the creation of a roadmap for achieving unity.

1. TRIBAL UNITY, RESPECT AND TOLERANCE

Zimbabwe is a blessed country that embraces diversity of people tribally, ethnically and even familially. It is therefore imperative to accept that true unity will be achieved when all those across the geographical space of Zimbabwe start acknowledging, respecting, loving and working with each other without considerations of skin colour, mother tongue, regional background or any of these natural but parochial realities used to distinguish mankind. True unity will take hold and become a part of our social DNA when Zimbabwe becomes a nation for both the majority and the minority. It is a cesspit of democracy that our majority rule should not always be achieved at the expense of and through the suppression of the minority.

The current Zimbabwe ethos betrays a sick nation which is labouring under a divisive and acutely ethnically sensitive government that has used devide and rule tactics to achieve political polarisation and mistrust between and among citizens for its hegemonic intentions.

2. FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION

Ever since the attainment of independence, forgiveness and reconciliation was well defined in terms of the majority blacks and the racist colonial regime. This exercise was easier because one part had accepted responsibility of doing wrong and failing the other. However, Zimbabwe later committed political sins such as the bloody Gukurahundi genocide which saw many PF ZAPU supporters being killed in cold blood, displaced with impunity and maimed by their own black government. This situation caused deep and lasting hatred among different Zimbabwean tribes mainly between the Ndebele speaking and Shona speaking Zimbabweans. That no one has taken responsibility for the massacres, exposed the real truth behind it nor  proffered an unqualified apology and regret for the massacres is cause of lingering national cancer. It is not possible for the victims of the heinous acts to forgive a person who never showed remorse and regret. This polarity if left un confronted will create generational disunity which is retrogressive and unfortunate for a young nation like Zimbabwe.

The sine qua non of true and acceptable Unity Day is truth telling and the proffering of unconditional apology to the victims by the creators and implementors of the genocide.

3. NATIONAL FRACTURES

It is on record that the disunity and polarization among Zimbabweans is not only tribal. What should not escape scrutiny are the  current events of a party and government that hires and fires wilky nilly in purges meant to leave a people divided, disorientated and unorganised.

The clarion call that Dr JTR Mujuru and People First is clear about the need for building real national unity based on truth telling, truth seeking and forgiveness. It is our belief that the thirst for real national unity can and will only be quenched when we provide a clear platform for truth, trust and cordial working relationships among all Zimbabwe's People.

GOD BLESS