News / Press Release
A clean break from the past is needed, current path just a joke
05 Jan 2018 at 05:44hrs | Views
Zimbabwe is burning which must be motivation enough for the leadership to seek a clean break from the past including a holistic change of culture.
The People's Democratic Party is irked by the fact that the current government has inherited the political culture which characterised Mugabe's era.
The use of force, selective application of the law, celebrated mediocrity and most concerning the idea of Presidentialism.
We have always argued that one of the biggest challenges faced not only by Zimbabwe but Africa as a whole was that of political demigods usually founding Presidents who took over at independence or despots who emerged after a coup.
These individuals become larger than the state, they are idolised and seem to resist constructive criticism. Such has been the traits of President Mugabe who apparently was on the verge of converting the state into private property of the Gushungos and their associates.
Sadly the path that Zimbabwe is taking depicts a Mnangagwa who sells a different narrative but acting the same way that President Mugabe did including "the big man with little to show for approach."
Since his inauguration in November of 2017 every radio station in Zimbabwe starts every bulletin with a "President Mnangagwa" including in cases where nothing significant would have been done on the reported subject and sometimes bulletins are anchored on speculation.
As if that is not enough an influx of fake news has been created just to paint the President as a saint, a reformer and a leader par excellence.
Every blunder he has made has been ignored, comments from the opposition and civic society has been played down with shrills around "give him a chance," we find this trend worrying; it is exactly what created a demigod in the name of Robert Mugabe.
Just like the former first lady from hell who used to drag the public media around to places where she insulted people including high ranking officials, the current first lady has also embarked in spotlight escapades only that she is not into insults.
Just yesterday ZBC reported as breaking news that she had bought mangoes and tomatoes by the roadside in a desperate bid to paint the first family as a humble breed which associates with the poor.
News would be on the day the first family donates the proceeds from the billion dollar fuel industry they control which includes their hold on the pipeline, the wholesale retail and even the blending.
The real issue is that the little girls who appear on the picture need to be in school pursuing their dreams, in an air-conditioned office writing a memo or in a heavy industry attending to electric faults that's what must make leaders proud.
Obviously the lame excuse is that the President and his wife are not the authors of the current levels of unemployment the same argument that cannot be accepted on the poor quality of Harare water.
This argument unfortunately cannot be applied on other vices of the current administration, the violent conduct displayed through state apparatus when activists demonstrated against the President in Bulawayo.
We can also talk about the arrest of Gustaff Kativhu who is in custody for insulting both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, the same fate those who criticised Mugabe used to face.
The bad inherited culture extends to the issue of selective application of the law, it is not a secret that ZANUPF is an instrument of patronage with a majority of its top dogs having in one way or the other dipped their hands into the cookie jar.
Corruption puts the largest premium on our economy, if progress is to be made all the implicated individuals must be investigated including those with Lacoste connections so far a few G40 extremists have been arrested, the approach must change.
The same must apply in respect to the land question; it is not enough to repossess some of President Mugabe's farms though it is a good starting point. Even the current first family must shed some of the farms they own, everyone must be treated equally before the law.
Adoption of a new culture is the only way to turn around the economy, combat corruption and do away with the high country risk profile.
The culture must among other things include institutional reform, doing away with repressive laws like POSA and AIPPA.
The public must have access to information through a diversified media, this is the best way to ensure accountability and transparency, the current environment does not ensure that.
Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
PDP Communications
The People's Democratic Party is irked by the fact that the current government has inherited the political culture which characterised Mugabe's era.
The use of force, selective application of the law, celebrated mediocrity and most concerning the idea of Presidentialism.
We have always argued that one of the biggest challenges faced not only by Zimbabwe but Africa as a whole was that of political demigods usually founding Presidents who took over at independence or despots who emerged after a coup.
These individuals become larger than the state, they are idolised and seem to resist constructive criticism. Such has been the traits of President Mugabe who apparently was on the verge of converting the state into private property of the Gushungos and their associates.
Sadly the path that Zimbabwe is taking depicts a Mnangagwa who sells a different narrative but acting the same way that President Mugabe did including "the big man with little to show for approach."
Since his inauguration in November of 2017 every radio station in Zimbabwe starts every bulletin with a "President Mnangagwa" including in cases where nothing significant would have been done on the reported subject and sometimes bulletins are anchored on speculation.
As if that is not enough an influx of fake news has been created just to paint the President as a saint, a reformer and a leader par excellence.
Every blunder he has made has been ignored, comments from the opposition and civic society has been played down with shrills around "give him a chance," we find this trend worrying; it is exactly what created a demigod in the name of Robert Mugabe.
Just like the former first lady from hell who used to drag the public media around to places where she insulted people including high ranking officials, the current first lady has also embarked in spotlight escapades only that she is not into insults.
Just yesterday ZBC reported as breaking news that she had bought mangoes and tomatoes by the roadside in a desperate bid to paint the first family as a humble breed which associates with the poor.
News would be on the day the first family donates the proceeds from the billion dollar fuel industry they control which includes their hold on the pipeline, the wholesale retail and even the blending.
The real issue is that the little girls who appear on the picture need to be in school pursuing their dreams, in an air-conditioned office writing a memo or in a heavy industry attending to electric faults that's what must make leaders proud.
Obviously the lame excuse is that the President and his wife are not the authors of the current levels of unemployment the same argument that cannot be accepted on the poor quality of Harare water.
This argument unfortunately cannot be applied on other vices of the current administration, the violent conduct displayed through state apparatus when activists demonstrated against the President in Bulawayo.
We can also talk about the arrest of Gustaff Kativhu who is in custody for insulting both Mnangagwa and Chiwenga, the same fate those who criticised Mugabe used to face.
The bad inherited culture extends to the issue of selective application of the law, it is not a secret that ZANUPF is an instrument of patronage with a majority of its top dogs having in one way or the other dipped their hands into the cookie jar.
Corruption puts the largest premium on our economy, if progress is to be made all the implicated individuals must be investigated including those with Lacoste connections so far a few G40 extremists have been arrested, the approach must change.
The same must apply in respect to the land question; it is not enough to repossess some of President Mugabe's farms though it is a good starting point. Even the current first family must shed some of the farms they own, everyone must be treated equally before the law.
Adoption of a new culture is the only way to turn around the economy, combat corruption and do away with the high country risk profile.
The culture must among other things include institutional reform, doing away with repressive laws like POSA and AIPPA.
The public must have access to information through a diversified media, this is the best way to ensure accountability and transparency, the current environment does not ensure that.
Together Another Zimbabwe is Possible
PDP Communications
Source - PDP
