Official introduction: Maat-Zimbabwe party

Zimbabwe at a Crossroads
There comes a time in a country's trajectory when critical analysis and examination of its well being becomes mandatory to all citizens, such a time has visited our beautiful and beloved country of Zimbabwe. Folding arms and watching as chaos descend on our country as if to totally disown it, whilst an option for some, is certainly not an option for genuine citizens.

It is at this juncture that our individual loyalty and commitment to our country is put to the test, geographical location notwithstanding.Eversince the  19th century, Zimbabwe has gone through periods of upheaval culminating in the bitter war of independence, the second Chimurenga.We salute the gallant sons and daughters who took part in it and the povo without whom victory would not have been certain.

Fast forward to recent events especially in the capital Harare, whereby we witnessed running battles between heavy handed police and protesters, the wanton looting and destruction of property and in extreme cases, it has resulted in death. Whilst we have certainly witnessed violence towards and during election times, with the climax being during the June 2008 presidential runoff, the current disturbances are of a different nature and context.

We have witnessed the sprouting up of various protest movements ranging from OAUS, #Tajamuka, ROHR, #Thisflag etc, it has been difficult to ascertain the desired end result.

In recent times this has led to ennui, and letting off the pedal. It is understandable the myriad of grievances being aired by the desperate citizens ranging from cash shortages, introduction of bond notes and  coins, too many police roadblocks, unpaid civil servants salaries, lack of jobs  etc,the root cause of which is our comatose economy, it is however less clear how we intent to solve these problems as a collective, as Zimbabweans. We cannot go on ad infinitum protesting or criticising without offering tangible solutions.

The degree of polarisation along ideological lines is simply unsustainable and unless we close this gap, we all stand to lose out irrespective of  our political affiliations. The bottom line is that we are all Zimbabweans whether  Zanu(PF), MDC, MAAT-Zimbabwe etc, we need to put our heads together and come up with a solution that best suits Zimbabwe as a sovereign nation but also recognises the global nature of the space we now live in.

The Way forward
It must be clear to all and sundry that the current trajectory of our country is not sustainable, that should be the first admission or else we disable any form of progress. There must be a total paradigm shift pertaining to all national stakeholders be they political parties, civic organisations, churches,protest movements etc. It must be understood from the outset that any perceived gains from a new dispensation should not be at the expense of our hard won independence and sovereignty as an African state.

There is an ideological gulf between supporters of the vanguard liberation movements like Zanu (PF) and the rest of the populace who crave for free market economics and full democracy as enshrined in our new constitution. There need to be a fine balance struck between modernity and our past. Moving forward and completely discarding or disregarding our past is moving into oblivion.

A Balance must be struck between the future and the past, and therein lays the solution to our problems. Balance is one of the 7 principles of the new Maat-Zimbabwe party,led by Neferkare Nembaware and it is the key to moving our country forward. There needs to be a balanced approach to the challenges facing our country and that will require dialogue between all stake-holders.



Aggression will not lead to finding common ground and will further alienate us as Zimbabweans along flimsy artificial lines like party politics. What seems lost in all this mayhem is that we have much bigger challenges that require our unity as a people. A framework for a genuine national dialogue aimed at solving the country's problems, convened by all stake holders is now a priority and one that the new Maat-Zimbabwe party will advocate for. It is the only hope left for a win-win scenario. Maat-Zimbabwe is steeped in an original doctrine, Maat-Africanism, a term invented by its founders.

This distinguishes it from Pan-Africanism from the view point we are outward looking and futuristic whilst we value our past. This point is summarised and emphasised by the centrepiece of our logo, the Sankofa bird, which flies forward with its head turned backwards meaning it is not bad to reach back for that which you have forgotten. The ideological divide at the centre of tensions in our country is between post modernists and conservatives .

Maat-Zimbabwe sits neatly in between the two, which makes it attractive to Zimbabweans from various backgrounds. With its ethos of Wealth to the People, Hupfumi Kuvanhu, Inotho Ebantwini, it emphasises its deep connection and empathy to the ordinary Zimbabwean whilst its ground breaking economic blueprint, SPEED (Sustainable Policy for Economic Empowerment and Development) is world class and appeals to the business and technocrat classes.

The Maat economic blueprint will ensure our economy is turned around with speed bringing in much needed investment and jobs but at the same time balancing and guarding against capitalist greed and ensuring everyone is a winner. Maat-Zimbabwe is not an opposition party but a Visionary Party with the interests of all Zimbabweans at heart. It is the real game changer in Zimbabwean and quite frankly African politics.

Hotep (Peace)

Communications Department, MAAT  ZIMBABWE party

communication@maatzimbabwe.org

Fbk: Maat Zimbabwe