ZIM-ID: The beginning of the end of blank 'bearer's' cheques era in Zimbabwe!

A new era has dawned for all Zimbabweans who belong to any square inch of the beautiful land stretching from Zambezi to Limpopo in the horizons of its politics. The era is of a new democratic dispensation which brings along exciting and interesting times defined by nothing else but a common and genuine hope for all the people of our beloved country. It is indeed such an important missing or "secret" ingredient that has been conspicuous by its absence from the mainstream politics of the country for decades. Fellow Zimbabweans, please welcome on the high-stakes political stage the Zimbabwe's Independent Democrats whose unique brand name is ZIM-ID!

The emergence of ZIM-ID as established through a fully draft, proper and unique party constitution seeks to redirect and whip back into the proper line many issues that have not been moving in the single desired trajectory of democratic principles in our country as a sovereign nation. We are also fully cognisant of other opposition parties that have claimed to champion the much needed democratic value systems for our country, but have clearly lost steam or momentum after manipulating genuine electorates' hopes and aspirations for many years but "chabuda hapana/impumela akula/a huna tshetsha bvelela/kunyina nchotubona" even today! Therefore, we acknowledge the frustration and desperation of our people in their search for a lasting solution.

We are not here to repeat the mistakes of the incumbents, neither even of the existing nor yet-to-be formed opposition parties. We are 100% Independent of any adulterated strategies and recycling of the same old tactics. As a matter of fact, we have isolated one grand mistake our people could have made whether intentionally or by default whereby they left everything to assumptions based solely on "trust", the mistake being that of giving the black government in 1980 a blank cheque. The black incumbent government was smiling all the way to the seat of government or state house as they were now the "bearer" in possession of a "blank cheque" of unlimited rights to do as they deem necessary, even in the spin of a coin!

Notwithstanding the necessary pre-occupation with fighting the struggle for independence at the time, it was indeed a grand mistake in that the intended gains of full independence were not laid down in a dotted line for any incoming black government through some form of a general consensus draft document that was to explain clearly "what should happen after Smith regime?" There is no record of such a document in our history, not even an attempt of it is hinted. As a result, what has been successfully achieved so far is the abuse of the default generosity of our forefathers or ordinary citizens in giving specifics to the demands of independence, and such abuse of the trust they bestowed upon the incumbent black government has widened the mistrust gap for any aspiring political leadership in our country.

Moreso, a model document or template was already in existence in the neighbouring South Africa through their Freedom Charter of 1955 drafted and endorsed in the midst of unbearable proportions of oppression by the Apartheid regime government, by an alliance of various nationalist movements or "ordinary citizens" at the time. This was almost forty (40) years before their "government-in-waiting" won freedom for the black majority in 1994. Even today, the black South African government is still measured on the deliverables of the "freedom demands" inscribed in that Freedom Charter document. ZIM-ID as a legitimate and emerging alternative governing party has seen much wisdom in investing in such a similar document, and we have thus enshrined in our very own party constitution a much-needed legally binding "non-blank cheque" essential philosophy document as it is not yet late to move the country back to the future, including the desired future before 1980. The draft document shall contain all independent opinions, desires, common hopes, aspirations and demands of all ordinary Zimbabweans from all walks of life in the new democratic dispensation which we will unreservedly endorse in our inaugural General Assembly. We are not prepared to usher Zimbabwe into some other stop-gap solution again by jump-starting a new democratic dispensation process. As Zimbabwean people we cannot afford the luxury of another false-start to complete our journey to the Promised Land, moreso when we are already much closer to the Joshuaic Dispensation of our full journey.

We fully understand that we are Zimbabweans first before being members of ZIM-ID, hence our need to prioritise most the Zimbabwe's actual needs ahead of any or even our own party's interests. We shall spare no platforms to gather every voice or opinion of any willing, co-operative and focused Zimbabwean into this essential policy document that shall define our modus operandi as a party and when in government at all times. The time for the ordinary citizens of our country to ask what a "party" can do for them is over, now is the time for the people as the ultimate electorate to fearlessly demand from the representatives through a political formation what they must do on their behalf. The ordinary citizens as the "payee" in a cheque of democracy cannot be beggars for their absolute needs to be satisfied, but should be choosers of which needs and wants are to be satisfied unless they intentionally give away another blank cheque which usually abdicates all their rights of say to priorities. Our essential policy document is aptly titled "Social Contract On a Political Economy for Zimbabwe", to be simply known as "SCOPE-4-Zim".

As our brand name which is already in fast-growth popularity mode suggests at its face value, our point of departure has been to redefine the true identity of Zimbabwe and its people, largely through its own undoubtedly patriotic people that has been long lost in the global village. There has indeed been a "crises of identity" from many fronts for our country and its people. We have come to be identifiable only through real or unexplained but specific monumental incidents, for example, we are known as a country of unresolved Gukurahundi massacres, violent land redistribution programmes, "real-or imaginary" sanctions cry-babies, billions-percentage points hyperinflation rates, currency-less country, operation Murambatsvina, undemocratic value systems, en-masse immigrants, menial job-seekers, and many more. We declare that we never deserved such forms of identity anywhere in the timeline of our existence as a people of a proud nation and post-independent sovereign state, and these can or shall be obliterated from the memory of world history as we have ways to find lasting closure through the well-thought policy models and strategies of ZIM-ID!

Our approach of democracy or political strategy in itself is pivoted on a REBRANDING MODEL, in which "rebranding" is actually an acronym we are under no obligation to pre-empt at the moment as it is entrenched in the critical philosophy of the party. However, we do pronounce that our current and future frameworks shall be derived from our "PRO-POOR" brand of democracy which means "People's Real Opportunity & Plan Of Overall Rebranding". In the literal sense of the word, rebranding occurs when there is a need to change a significant element of the brand either in a proactive or reactive manner. We have no value whatsoever left to sell in the global marketplace. There is no denial the significant element that needs rebranding as a top priority and matter of urgency is our brand of politics, then other necessities shall follow. Zimbabwe as a brand does not sell anymore and anywhere in the world, almost no one wants to associate with Brand Zimbabwe hence its need for both proactive and reactive rebranding.

We as ZIM-ID have an unyielding conviction based on strong democratic principles that the solution to all problems bedevilling our potentially top-brand country are nowhere else but can be optimally found only in the rebranding model. The proof is in the Operation Rebrand detail, and we as ZIM-ID have independently mastered all the necessary detail as an emerging political formation that can deliver the future aspired by many of our people of Zimbabwe. The ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe can only further delay such an inevitable but only solution by continuing to unconditionally accept the deceit of complacency derived from such obsolete past habits and historical milestones as well as the fear of both the known and unknown eventualities, all in exchange or sacrifice of our guaranteed true freedom, better standards of living and significant achievements in the immediate future.

The following excerpt from the preamble of our party constitution perfectly concludes this article as it reads, "Whereas the fundamental goal of a political party known as 'Zimbabwe's Independent Democrats Party' or 'ZIM-ID' is to be placed at the centre and position of full responsibility in the processes of rebranding, reconstruction, empowerment, emancipation, transformation, nation-building and development in Zimbabwe into a prosperous society full of equal opportunities for all the citizens who live within the borders from Zambezi to Limpopo". We hope as a potential independent democrat you will discover the pleasure, and that it is within your full rights to formally join in this new democratic dispensation which rides on the fast wheels of Operation Rebrand. Tinoti /Sithi/Tuli/Ri khou ri SALUTE to all Independent Democrats! #ZIM-ID.

This article is an official joint publication statement released by Ldr. GIFT EGLONE in his capacity as the Leader and President of ZIM-ID; and Fbr. MTHOKOZISI NDIWENI who is the Firebrand-in-Chief of ZIM-ID Firebrand Youth Wing. They can be contacted on zim.id263@gmail.com.