The new normal in Zimbabwe

Something remarkable happened on Tuesday and for many, the ramifications have yet to fully sink in. There have been many signs of a new Zimbabwe, a new leadership for Zimbabwe, handling affairs in a very different way.

However, the images of MDC freely marching in the streets of Harare, chanting against the president is a sight many of us would never have believed could happen in our lifetimes.

Perhaps we have become used to it, and the signs everywhere of a new start for our nation are now becoming the new normal for Zimbabwe.

Can one imagine, before last November, the president of Zimbabwe allowing an MDC demonstration to take place freely and completely unmolested on the streets of Harare? If that wouldn't have been bizarre enough, could anyone imagine the president blocking a planned march by the ZanuPF party?

Of course not.

If anyone would have even suggested such a thing, they would have engendered strange looks at best, and nervous glances around them at worst, to see who else was listing to such an unimaginable event.

Robert Mugabe routinely refused to allow opposition demonstration and, when defied, used brute force to crush them.

However, his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa is taking a completely different approach.

According to presidential spokesman George Charamba, Mnangagwa advised the security services to allow Tuesday's opposition march.
"His Excellency, the President underlined to security structures that Section 59 of the Constitution which allows the right to demonstrate must be respected and that its provision in the supreme law of the country guarantees a right whose enjoyment cannot be optional except in terms provided for under the same Constitution," Charamba said.

"To that end, he impressed on the security structures that in the absence of any real good reasons that would justify abridgement of that right to demonstrate, the request by the opposition should be honoured."

The ruling Zanu PF party had also moved to stage a solidarity event on the same day as the opposition demonstration.

However, the president apparently vetoed the plan.

"The President communicated to the leadership of the party that the party could not raise demonstrations on the same day and in the same space already secured by the opposition as to do that would raise the risk of inter-party clashes, thereby undermining the overarching goal of ensuring a peaceful, violence-free poll," explained Charamba.

"The President said if the party (Zanu PF) wanted to mount a demonstration it had to do it either before the opposition one or after it in terms of the same section of the Constitution.
"He stressed the importance of peace, peace, peace. Order, order and respect for persons and property."

Some of us may take this for granted and say that this is what is expected in a democracy. However, up until a few months ago, almost none of us had ever actually tasted such freedoms and rights in actuality.

These are truly heady days for Zimbabwe's democracy and we should not take it for granted. We should embrace it and be grateful that we live in such a time.

Regardless, we should also stop to think about the person who is behind the new normal in Zimbabwe. Emmerson Mnangagwa has created a new reality in Zimbabwe and everybody, even opposition figures who are benefitting from the new political atmosphere, should acknowledge these facts.

May the new normal in Zimbabwe long continue.